Five professional Nigerian Professional Football League teams have inked sponsorship deals with Guinness Nigeria Plc.

The clubs, generic Sunshine Stars of Akure, arthritis Dolphins of Port Harcourt, Lobi Stars of Markudi, Heartland of Owerri and Enugu Rangers, now have shirt branding contracts with one of Guinness Nigeria’s brand, Harp Premium Lager. However, financial details of the contract were not revealed.

Speaking at the ceremony in Lagos, MD/CEO Guinness Nigeria, Seni Adetu said the criteria for choosing the five clubs was because they are among the best teams in the country.

Adetu said, “The financial terms remain exclusive and at the clubs disposition to disclose. We’ve chosen these clubs because they are among the best and are among the traditional clubs in the country.”

The General Manager of Dolphins FC, Dumbor Awanem, in a chat with Ventures Africa, said the clubs are grateful to be among the five clubs chosen.

“I want to thank Harp for finding it right to identify with the five clubs. We want to assure Harp that we will be a good brand and try to do our best to make sure Harp achieves what they intended to with the deal.”

Speaking specifically about Dolphins, Awanem says, “This is the beginning of a new beginning for Dolphins because most corporate organizations have been sitting on the fence and by Harp leading the way, we will try to get multi-national companies in Port Harcourt to come identify with the club and improve our clubs and local league.”

For Heartland’s GM, Fan Ndubuoke, identifying with the club even when it has not won any continental competition is a good development. According to him, “This is unique because most times corporate bodies only identify with successful teams at the end of international competitions. But Guinness Harp has proven to be different. We are hopeful that after this contract, we will renew it next year.”

For Lobi Stars vice Chairman Dominic Iorfa, attending the signing ceremony feels like being in Europe.

“I’m proud of what Guinness have done. I’m happy that they’ve partnered with us not by popularity. It’s like I’m in Europe with this kind of event,” Iorfa said. However, Enugu Rangers CEO Ozor Paul reckons that “This is the first of its kind since I came back from the USA. This is good for the clubs as the sport cannot be backed by government alone.”

Sunshine Stars coordinator, Mike Idoko used the opportunity to call on other corporate organizations to join hands and partner Nigeria football.

Idoko said: “We are calling on other corporate bodies to join this trend so that it will encourage the talents in the country and it will lead to having more than six players from the league in the national team.”

USA Synchro, the National Governing Body for announced A-1 Awards as its Official Awards Supplier.

“USA Synchro is very excited to be partnering with A-1 Awards. Stephen Capper and his team bring years of experience of working with National Governing Bodies and creating exquisite awards for them,” USA Synchro Executive Director Julie Fabsik-Swarts said. “We look forward to a long and prosperous relationship.”

A-1 Awards, a manufacturer and retailer of trophies, medals, plaques, ribbons and other recognition items based in Indianapolis, will provide awards at USA Synchro’s five national events each year.

A-1 Awards has won 14 international and national awards for design and creativity and is a 2005 International Awards Hall of Fame Inductee.

The International Table Tennis Federation’s (ITTF) marketing partner, TMS International, has signed China Unicom on a four year event sponsorship deal, which starts from the LIEBHERR 2013 World Table Tennis Championships in Paris, France on 13-20 May 2013.

The Chinese telecommunications operator joins LIEBHERR and Enlio in recently becoming long-term sponsors of ITTF events.

“The ITTF is delighted to have China Unicom as a long term sponsor of ITTF events. China Unicom supported the ITTF since 2006 and are very good friends of our sport. We will do our best to provide maximum value to China Unicom through this sponsorship agreement” stated ITTF President Adham Sharara.

TMS Managing Director Anders Thunström stated: “TMS is pleased to have been able to convince China Unicom and its representatives to extend the current one year agreement into a multi-year agreement for an additional four years being a sponsor of World Title events. The long-term commitment gives us a better chance to serve China Unicom with a long-term vision, it also gives both parities some kind of assurance that we have a deal in place for the next four years, which benefits both parties.”

In addition to sponsoring the LIEBHERR 2013 World Table Tennis Championships, China Unicom will also sponsor the 2014 Men’s and Women’s World Cup, 2014 World Tour Finals, 2015 World Table Tennis Championships and 2016 World Team Table Tennis Championships

The Fiji National Rugby League has signed Asco Motors as its automotive partner for the next two years.

FNRL chairman Peni Musunamasi said they were pleased with the announcement.

“We thank Asco Motors for coming forward to support us. We have approached quite a few companies to provide us with a vehicle and we are thankful to Asco Motors for standing by us, recipe ” Musunamasi said.

Asco Motors sponsored a Toyota Hilux four-wheel drive which was bought at a low cost of $27,500 to assist FNRL set up rugby league in rural areas. Asco Motors financial controller Jay Kumar said they had confidence in FNRL.

“We are very proud and excited to sign up this sponsorship with FNRL to become their automotive partner,” he said.

FNRL general manager Tomi Finau believes FNRL is building a strong foundation for the growth of the sport.

“This is such an exciting time for rugby league. We have in place a strong foundation for growth and there are tremendous opportunities ahead for everyone in the game including our corporate partners.”

British Athletics has announced that The National Lottery will be the Event Partner for the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games in July.

The Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games will be held at The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on 26-28 July and will see some of the world’s best athletes in action as Olympic and Paralympic champions compete in the two-day IAAF Diamond League and a one-day IPC International Challenge. 

The National Lottery’s support of the UK Sport World Class Performance Programme for more than 15 years has been an integral part of the success of British athletics, advice giving athletes access to the best coaches, facilities and support services in the world as they prepare for major championships. 

As well as British Athletics benefiting from a record level of National Lottery funding delivered through UK Sport, both parties will work in partnership to ensure that British athletes maximise the support of the lottery-playing public in Rio 2016 and London 2017. 

Camelot Managing Director Andy Duncan said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with British Athletics for this event that celebrates the anniversary of the Games and to be able to recognise the unique role that National Lottery players had in supporting London 2012, where nine out of 10 of Great Britain’s medallists benefited from lottery support. With British Athletics set to receive a record level of National Lottery funding through to 2017, as part of a £37m UK Sport funding package, we look forward to an exciting ongoing collaboration on the road to Rio and the World Championships in London in 2017.” 

UK Athletics Chair, Ed Warner said: “We are excited that The National Lottery will be partnering with us on the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games and it is entirely appropriate that the event will offer an opportunity to recognise the unique role of lottery players in delivering an incredible summer of sport last year. Beyond that, athletics has never been so well supported as it is now through the lottery-buying public and we look forward to ensuring that investment is recognised over the coming years, through our long term partnership. 

“As Event Partner to the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games and ongoing supporter to British Athletics over the next four years, once again they are benefiting our World Class Performance Programme athletes and, by helping support major events in the UK, they are going that extra mile to ensure our athletes have the best possible preparations for major Championships.”

British Athletics has announced that The National Lottery will be the Event Partner for the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games in July.

The Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games will be held at The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on 26-28 July and will see some of the world’s best athletes in action as Olympic and Paralympic champions compete in the two-day IAAF Diamond League and a one-day IPC International Challenge. 

The National Lottery’s support of the UK Sport World Class Performance Programme for more than 15 years has been an integral part of the success of British athletics, advice giving athletes access to the best coaches, facilities and support services in the world as they prepare for major championships. 

As well as British Athletics benefiting from a record level of National Lottery funding delivered through UK Sport, both parties will work in partnership to ensure that British athletes maximise the support of the lottery-playing public in Rio 2016 and London 2017. 

Camelot Managing Director Andy Duncan said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with British Athletics for this event that celebrates the anniversary of the Games and to be able to recognise the unique role that National Lottery players had in supporting London 2012, where nine out of 10 of Great Britain’s medallists benefited from lottery support. With British Athletics set to receive a record level of National Lottery funding through to 2017, as part of a £37m UK Sport funding package, we look forward to an exciting ongoing collaboration on the road to Rio and the World Championships in London in 2017.” 

UK Athletics Chair, Ed Warner said: “We are excited that The National Lottery will be partnering with us on the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games and it is entirely appropriate that the event will offer an opportunity to recognise the unique role of lottery players in delivering an incredible summer of sport last year. Beyond that, athletics has never been so well supported as it is now through the lottery-buying public and we look forward to ensuring that investment is recognised over the coming years, through our long term partnership. 

“As Event Partner to the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games and ongoing supporter to British Athletics over the next four years, once again they are benefiting our World Class Performance Programme athletes and, by helping support major events in the UK, they are going that extra mile to ensure our athletes have the best possible preparations for major Championships.”

Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) have announced a multi-year partnership that names Mazda the Official Car of SCCA through 2015.

Mazda Director of Motorsports John Doonan and SCCA Vice President, physician Marketing and Communications Eric Prill made the announcement on Tuesday morning during the Mazda Motorsports pre-season media day at the company’s headquarters in Irvine.

Mazda will be utilized as the official pace car at key SCCA events, capsule including the SCCA National Championship Runoffs, medicine through the 2015 season. The annual SCCA Hall of Fame Hall of Fame Banquet will now be “presented by Mazda.”

“In the minds of many, Mazda and the SCCA were already partners,” Doonan said. “At the SCCA Runoffs, the Mazda contingent has been the largest of any car company. We love that our small organization is more popular on the race track than the combined efforts of many of our much larger competitors. We look forward to working with the SCCA to grow the sport for the next generation.”

“Mazda has been a long-time supporter of the SCCA and our competitors, so formalizing our relationship was a natural next step,” Dahnert said. “On any given weekend, there are more Mazdas being raced than any other marque. We’re looking forward to expanding our relationship with Mazda and the new opportunities that come with it.”

Telecommunications company, Digicel will sponsor the inaugural Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Twenty20 tournament to be played in July-August.

The CPL in a statement stated that the sponsorship will be a multi-year deal of a significant investment from Digicel, reports CMC.

“We are thrilled to have Digicel as our partner in this venture,” said CPL founder Ajmal Khan of Verus International.

“Its wealth of experience in the region and in West Indies cricket will be an invaluable asset to the CPL, ensuring its initial and long-term success,” Khan said.

Four overseas players and six leading regional cricketers have already signed up for the CPL which will be played at venues across the region.

They include former Australian captain Ricky Ponting and former New Zealand skipper Ross Taylor as well as regional stars Darren Sammy, Dwayne Bravo, Chris Gayle, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard and Marlon Samuels.

“The CPL is a perfect fit for Digicel. We’re huge fans of West Indies cricket and this is a great opportunity for us to invest not only in what will be an amazing event, but also in the young cricketers who will benefit from around the region,” said Digicel Group Marketing Director Kieran Foley.

“Having seen all the plans for the inaugural tournament, we know the CPL will be a spectacle like nothing else seen in the region and we are looking forward to being front and centre…”

Digicel has been the main sponsor of West Indies Cricket since 2004.

The PGA of America’s PGA Preferred Golf Course Insurance Program has renewed its agreement with Bouvier Insurance and underwriting carrier Philadelphia Insurance Companies.

This partnership allows golf courses that employ PGA Professionals to utilize the risk management expertise of the companies’ proprietary Peril Assessment Scoring System (PASS), in order to insure their facility and help prevent adverse claims from occurring.

The program is designed to serve the insurance needs of golf courses, practice facilities, golf shops, golf retail facilities and teaching academies. As the endorsed property and casualty insurance provider of the PGA Preferred Golf Course Insurance Program, the partnership and program is administered by Bouvier—in close collaboration with The PGA of America—to provide PGA Professionals with personalized, money-saving risk solutions. Philadelphia Insurance Companies serves as the lead carrier for this program.

“Bouvier Insurance and their underwriting partner Philadelphia Insurance Companies provide a critical aspect of sound business practices and principles for PGA members nationwide,” said Kevin Carter, chief business officer of The PGA of America. “The PGA of America is thrilled to have renewed a partnership that delivers to our 27,000 PGA Professionals state-of-the-art insurance products for critical business needs through the PGA Preferred Golf Course Insurance Program.”

“We are pleased to renew our program with The PGA of America, which started as a new offering available to golf facilities that employ PGA Professionals across the country,” said Rob Bouvier, president of Bouvier Insurance. “What sets the PGA Preferred Golf Course Insurance Program apart is the upfront focus on risk management and loss control through PASS, which is designed to assist PGA Professionals in identifying exposures, so they can proactively address them prior to having a loss. Additionally, this is truly an ‘open program’ where any agent can access the program directly with Philadelphia Insurance Companies. This is an important aspect, as the program honors relationships that may already exist in the marketplace.”