Nike Golf has revealed two new ambassadors for its roster with the addition of China’s Hao-Tong Li and Xin-Jun Zhang.

In a multi-year agreement, Li and Zhang will represent the Swoosh in clubs, ball, footwear, glove, apparel, headwear and accessories.

From the Hunan Province in China, Li turned professional in 2011 at the age of 16. As an amateur, Li took home nine gold medals and six silver medals in the Asian games in various cities in China. He finished T21 in the 2011 One Asia Nanshan Masters and was named the Best Amateur Player. Li represented the Chinese National Team in 2010 and 2011. More recently, Li competed in this year’s Australian PGA Championship and the New Zealand PGA Championship where he finished T39 and T5, respectively.

From the Shanxi Province in China, 26-year old Zhang turned professional in 2010 at the age of 23. In 2007, he was selected to be a Chinese National Team member to represent China for international tournaments. When Zhang turned professional, he had a remarkable T13 finish in the 2011 Shanghai HSBC Championship. He won two gold medals and one silver medal for Chinese Professional Tournaments in 2011 and 2012.

“We are excited to welcome these two young and talented athletes to the Nike Golf family.” said Mark Thaxton, Global Director of Sports Marketing Operations at Nike Golf. “Hao-Tong and Xin-Jun are our first head-to-toe athletes in China and they will make great additions to our stable of athletes at a global level.”

Major League Soccer (MLS) team, sickness San Jose Earthquakes announced today that the club has signed a partnership with Stanford Hospital & Clinics.

Through the partnership, rx Stanford Hospital & Clinics are now the official team physicians for the Earthquakes, as well as a commercial partner of the Earthquakes. Stanford is also now the title sponsor of the Earthquakes 5K/10K Challenge and Breast Cancer Awareness Night on Oct. 26.

“We are proud to partner with Stanford Hospital & Clinics for our team’s medical care,” said Earthquakes President Dave Kaval. “They have built a great reputation as the top team of physicians in sports medicine, having worked with Stanford University, the San Francisco 49ers and the Golden State Warriors. We are also excited to have them serve as the title sponsor of two of our major initiatives, the Earthquakes 5K/10K Challenge and Breast Cancer Awareness Night.”

The Earthquakes’ medical care at Stanford Hospital & Clinics will be led by William J. Maloney, MD, Chair of Department of Orthopaedics. Additionally, the team of physicians will include Kenneth J. Hunt, MD, Gordon Matheson, MD, Tim McAdams, MD and Zackary Vaughn, MD. Dr. Maloney has headed the department since 2004 and he has helped build Stanford into one of the top sports medicine clinics in the world.

“At Stanford Hospital & Clinics, we’re thrilled to be the new team physicians for the San Jose Earthquakes,” said William Maloney, MD, chair of Stanford’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. “Our team of sports medicine experts is deeply experienced in treating elite athletes, and we will provide the Earthquakes our renowned multi-disciplinary approach and immediate access to a full range of medical specialists, all in one place. That means faster diagnoses and the ability to quickly implement a treatment plan for the players, helping them stay in the game.”

Welsh rugby union team, Ospreys have announced they have extended their ong-standing partnership with Worthington’s, the second oldest brewing company in the UK and part of the worldwide Molson Coors Group.

Worthington’s has been a commercial partner of the region since its inception in 2003 and has featured on the shirt since the 2006/07 season. 

The new three-year deal will see the Worthington’s logo remaining in the highly sought after slot across the shoulders of the famous Ospreys jersey until the summer of 2016, extending the relationship to 13 years.

The global brewing company also supports the Worthington’s 2003 Club, a dedicated area in the West Stand for Ospreys season members that operates pre and post match at every home game throughout the season.

Commenting on the extension of the partnership with the Ospreys, Molson Coors Regional Director, Diane Rees, said: “We are absolutely delighted to renew for a further three years our very successful partnership with the Ospreys. We have been with the region as friends, partners and supporters since their very inception.


“Through our new three year deal we show again our further commitment to regional rugby and of course, via the Worthington’s Bitter brand, we are proud to remain firmly on the shoulder of the Ospreys shirt, a major part of the ever growing Ospreys family. A pint of Worthington’s and a game of rugby are synonymous with each other. Ospreys supporters are our customers, could there be a better synergy? We wish them every continued success.”

Yarnie Guthrie, Commercial Manager at the Ospreys, added: “I’m thrilled to be able to confirm the extension of this successful partnership on behalf of Ospreys Rugby. We value our association with Worthington’s very highly and with their historic investment into the game in Wales at all levels and being the official supplier of Liberty Stadium, it is a relationship that makes sense for both parties.

“The Worthington’s logo is instantly identifiable and occupies a slot on our jersey that is immensely valuable; an independent report from London-based media specialist Repucom highlighted that the TV media value of that position alone is worth in excess of £257,000 per year to Worthington’s.

“Of course, our relationship with Worthington’s is about more than just that. As a community focussed business with strong roots in the rugby clubs across Ospreylia we share many of the same core values and we look forward to continuing working closely with them over the next three years.”

The Confederation of North, Central America and the Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and its commercial agency, Traffic Sports, has announced a sponsorship agreement with State Farm, making them the Official Auto and Home Insurance Sponsor for the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup. 

“We welcome State Farm back to the Gold Cup family, not just as a sponsor, but as a key marketing partner who has helped us position the tournament as the premier national team competition in our region,” said Enrique Sanz, General Secretary of CONCACAF.”State Farm’s creative activations throughout their vast footprint in the United States and Canada will once again prove invaluable as passionate Gold Cup fans continue to connect and experience the event off the field.”

“Soccer is a passion for many fans around the world,” said State Farm marketing assistant vice president Tim Van Hoof.”Reaching fans where it speaks to them is the best way to start a conversation and we are pleased to have the opportunity to work with the Gold Cup again this year.” 

“We are pleased that State Farm recognizes the value of renewing for the fourth consecutive championship,” said Marcelo Radice, Director of Sponsorship Sales & Marketing forTraffic Sports USA. “We believe their partnership with the Gold Cup will allow them to build their business relationships and strengthen their ties to the multi-cultural soccer fans in the U.S.”

Penske Racing have announced that it has extended its partnership with Carlisle Companies Incorporated through the 2016 season.

In addition to Carlisle’s continued support of the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion driven by 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski, ambulance the new agreement will also include associate branding for the company on a Team Penske IZOD IndyCar Series car beginning in 2014. 

“Carlisle Companies is truly an integrated partner of Penske Racing, medstore ” said Roger Penske. “They have been a great business partner while providing us with high-quality components for our race cars that have been an important part of our success. We are proud to continue that partnership with our NASCAR program, medstore while also growing the relationship to include our IZOD IndyCar Series entries starting next season.” 

Carlisle Companies joined the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford team prior to the 2011 NASCAR season – the same year that Keselowski began competing in the iconic race car. 

“I really feel a special connection to Carlisle because they came onboard with the ‘Blue Deuce’ the same year that I did,” said Keselowski. “I think it is safe to say that our partnership has produced fantastic results and I look forward to winning many more races with the support of such a great company behind me.” 

Since joining the Penske Racing partner lineup in 2011, Carlisle Companies and the No. 2 team have produced eight wins, 28 top-five finishes and the 2012 Sprint Cup Series championship. 

“When you are associated with Penske Racing, you are clearly associated with a first-class organization,” said Dave Roberts, President and CEO of Carlisle Companies, Inc. “Having raced for many years myself, I know what the Penske name represents in motorsports. It was truly an honor to be a part of their first Cup Series championship. We are now able to pursue another championship, while also going after an IndyCar title as well.”