Agnew Wines Becomes Official Wine Supplier of Queensland Rugby

Queensland Rugby have announced boutique wine maker Agnew Wines has joined them as a new sponsor.
Agnew Wines has signed a three-year partnership as Official Wine Supplier and through their label Cockfighter’s Ghost has helped the Reds kick off their 2013 home season in style by launching a new wine bar at Suncorp Stadium.
The new deal will also provide significant benefit to the grassroots rugby community, with Agnew Wines providing excellent offers to clubs as part of Queensland Rugby’s Aggregation Program.
Queensland Rugby Chief Commercial Officer Daniel Herbert commented on the deal: “We are pleased to officially welcome Agnew Wines to Queensland Rugby, it’s always enjoyable to partner with passionate supporters of our game. 
“It’s evident that Agnew Wines have a commitment to enhancing the game day experience for Reds fans and are also committed to supporting the community game and our 200 clubs across Queensland.
“For partnerships generally you go for the big brands who have the best penetration and distribution but when it comes to wine it is a little different – people like to drink quality wines made with the pride and passion only a boutique family business can offer.”
General Manager Agnew Wines, James Agnew, said his family business identified exactly what the Queensland Rugby Community wanted – quality wine.
“Being diehard rugby fans ourselves, for years we have wanted to improve the quality of wine available at rugby games across the country,” Mr Agnew said.
“We have always aimed to deliver the highest quality in all our wines– so when we started discussions with QRU and the Reds and the equation was quite straightforward – fans of quality rugby are fans of quality wine– and both Cockfighter’s Ghost wines and the Reds are quality!”

2XU Adds Triathletes Lesley Paterson & Caitlin Snow to Sponsorship Roster

2XU, sale ed  the leader in high performance sports apparel, has added two-time Xterra World Champion Lesley Paterson and top American triathlete Caitlin Snow to its portfolio of elite athletes. 

Alongside fellow Team 2XU athletes including Olympic Gold Medalist and four-time World Champion Alpine ski racer Ted Ligety and Giant punter and Super Bowl Champion Steve Weatherford, Paterson and Snow will utilize 2XU apparel to enhance their performance through training, racing and recovery.

“We’re delighted to be partnering with two female triathletes of this caliber,” said 2XU North America Senior Marketing Manager Jayme Mechur.  “Both are capable of winning their on- and off-road World Championships in 2013.”

“More importantly, both are incredible women that will serve as inspirational ambassadors for 2XU and the Brand’s commitment to achieving the best in human performance. In addition to being champion performers, they give back to their sport through coaching and active community involvement.”

Paterson and Snow’s partnerships with 2XU will run through to 2015 and 2016 respectively. Each woman will be outfitted from head-to-toe in 2XU apparel, including Compression garments and wetsuits which will only enhance their already strong athleticism.

“Lesley and Cait are amazing athletes,” touted Fred Hernandez, 2XU North America Director of Marketing.  “We are proud to support them as they chase top results this year. Their relentless commitment to athletic excellence aligns with our goal to engineer the most technical performance solutions in the world.”

Lesley Paterson is the current Xterra World Champion and recently dominated at the 2013 Xterra Philippines Championship , winning the women’s race by a whopping 15 minutes over her closest competitor. Known as the “Scottish Rocket” by fans, Paterson knows no fear. Paterson also boasts an impressive resume in both on-road Ironman 70.3 racing and off-road Xterra racing.

“I started in a 2XU Trisuit very early on in my career,” said Paterson. “Not only was it the best suit on the market, but it looked amazing!  Fast forward a few years, and I’m here again, ecstatic to be officially teaming up with the world’s top performance brand. I look forward to doing 2XU proud.”

Ironman Champion Cait Snow is a dedicated athlete and loves to race. Her career highlights include 3 top 10 finishes at the Ironman World Championships in Kona and 3 of the top 10 marathons splits in the history of the race.   Last October she capped off a great season placing 9th overall at the Ironman World Championships and looks forward to another great season this year.   Snow is excited to bring her passion for racing to 2XU. She is also eager to be a part of the 2XU family. “I am really excited to join,” Snow said. “2XU products are beautiful and fit perfectly. I can’t wait to showcase the apparel.”

iSelect Gold Coast Titans Players to Endorse James Frizelle’s Automotive Group

iSelect Gold Coast Titans players Nate Myles, viagra 40mg Greg Bird, William Zillman, Jamal Idris, Luke Bailey, David Taylor and Aidan Sezer have today been unveiled as brand ambassadors for a range of different motor vehicles as part of a new three-year sponsorship deal with James Frizelle’s Automotive Group.

Alongside Coach John Cartwright, the group of iSelect Titans stars were today unveiled as ambassadors for a variety of brands under the James Frizelle’s Automotive Group banner including Mazda, Volkswagen, Hyundai and Jeep.

The club had previously been aligned specifically with James Frizelle’s Audi Centre Gold Coast but under a new arrangement, players and Titans staff will be driving cars of all shapes and sizes under the James Frizelle’s Automotive Group banner.

After first becoming partners in 2006, the relationship between the two local businesses continues to flourish, with both parties excited to enter a new contract with new benefits that will see more community involvement for both organisations.

With both brands locally owned and operated, it is seemingly a great fit as they are both working towards the same goals and aim to better the greater community.

“We are extremely excited to be a part of such a growing and innovative team that brings the Gold Coast community together,” said James Frizelle from James Frizelle’s Automotive Group.

“This is an exciting repositioning time for both our businesses so I know we will see fantastic results as we trial new activations for the partnership.”

iSelect Titans Chief Executive Officer David May said it was exciting to have one of the team’s inaugural sponsors extending their partnership

“We are excited to have James Frizelle’s Automotive Group as a sponsor for the next three seasons,’’ said May.

“They have played an integral role in the Titans’ sponsorship family for so many years and it’s great that our association is continuing.

“This season is looking to be an extraordinarily busy year for the Titans and both parties are excited to kick start another year of this great partnership.’’

Chase Increases Involvement in Tampa with Lightning & Storm Sponsorship

Chase Bank has signed on with the Tampa Bay Times Forum in a multi-year partnership deal with the arena, Tampa Bay Lightning and Tampa Bay Storm as official bank, credit card, financial services partner, ATM provider and community partner.

The partnership will combine the power of Chase’s community volunteers and the Tampa Bay Lightning working jointly to upgrade hockey rinks and provide hundreds of sets of hockey equipment for youth in communities around the Greater Tampa Bay area. Chase and the Lightning also will partner to award homes to local military vets as part of the Chase Home Award program and to support the University of South Florida’s MBA in Sports and Entertainment Management program.

To celebrate the new Community Partnership, Chase and the Lightning will light up the arena with Chase blue in a special in-game ceremony on March 14, when the Lightning hosts the New York Islanders. The following day, volunteers from Chase will join the Lightning’s Feeding Children Everywhere initiative on March 15th, hand-packing 100,000 healthy meals that will be distributed to children across Tampa Bay.

“We are fans of Tampa Bay and are very proud to be partnering with one of our city’s most important landmarks in bringing the attributes of the Chase brand to the arena. More importantly, we are teaming up with an organization that shares our commitment to building strong communities and together we will be making a difference among young sport fans in Tampa,” said Mel Martinez, chairman for JPMorgan Chase in Florida.

Through the partnership, Chase also will bring benefits to the bank’s customers, hockey fans and event goers including discounts on team merchandise, unique in-arena experiences through the Chase Ultimate Rewards platform, and player meet-and-greets at local branches. Chase also will receive prominent exposure at the venue through entitlement of the all-inclusive Chase Club, the Times Forum’s most exclusive seating area, along with in-ice and dasherboard signage.

“We appreciate the leadership at JPMorgan Chase of Florida for sharing our community-first vision and investing with us to enrich lives in the Tampa Bay area,” said Jeff Vinik, Chairman, of Tampa Bay Sports and Entertainment, LLC, which controls the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Tampa Bay Storm and the Tampa Bay Times Forum. “We believe the partnership will benefit not only both organizations, but most importantly we believe this will be good for the people of our community.”

Chase has been aggressively growing its footprint in Greater Tampa Bay, where it serves customers through 59 branches and 284 ATMs. The bank has expanded its presence to include markets like South Tampa, St. Petersburg and others, to serve the local market. In addition, JPMorgan Chase is an important employer in the community, with a workforce representing more than 5,500 people.

Puma to Supply Wolverhampton Wanderers

German sportswear giant, PUMA have announced they have signed a kit supply deal with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

PUMA currently partners with numerous football clubs such as Borussia Dortmund, Newcastle United and many international football federations including Italy and Uruguay. In addition to football, its sport performance portfolio include assets such as Usain Bolt, Scuderia Ferrari F1, Mercedes AMG PETRONAS F1 and Rickie Fowler and Ian Poulter.

Jez Moxey, Wolves’ Chief Executive, said: “We’re delighted to have signed this deal with PUMA, one of the world’s iconic Sportslifestyle companies.

“PUMA are renowned for their technical innovation and expertise in product design, and having worked with them before, we know they are passionate about delivering great quality and service to the Club, team and supporters.

“We plan to reveal both the home and away kits before the end of the season and they will be available to purchase in our stores from Saturday, 27th April 2013 at our home fixture versus Burnley.” 

Roger Harrison, Marketing Director of PUMA UK, added: “Wolves is a great club at the heart of its community. When the opportunity arose to develop a technical partnership with Wolves, we were delighted to reach agreement with the club.  We are proud to be associated with the club, and look forward to showcasing our expertise in delivering technical and training wear.” 

The relationship between PUMA and Wolves will be managed and delivered by Genesis Sports.  Sales Director of Genesis Sports Russell Thomas said: “As the brand’s exclusive licensee for PUMA Pro Teamsports, Genesis is delighted to be working with Wolves to deliver the full range of technical kit and training wear for both players and supporters.”

Wolves’ existing kit deal, with Burrda, expires at the end of the current 2012/2013 Season.

Dow Becomes Official Carbon Partner of Sochi 2014

The Dow Chemical Company, allergist Worldwide Partner and the Official Chemistry Company of the Olympic Games, hospital has been announced today by the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee as the Official Carbon Partner of the XXII Olympic Winter Games, sick to be staged from February 7-23, 2014.

The direct carbon footprint associated with the delivery of the Games will be mitigated through the implementation of energy-efficient technologies, with improved greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions performance in the key areas of infrastructure, industry and agriculture. All projects will be implemented in the Russian Federation, generating savings and long-lasting benefits to the host country’s economy.

Dow will work with local companies and marketing partners of Sochi 2014 to mitigate the estimated carbon footprint associated by the Organizing Committee with the hosting of the Games.

“We aim to be the most innovative Olympic Winter Games in history, and our long-lasting positive impact will leave behind an unparalleled heritage not only to Sochi and the Krasnodar Region, but to Russia and its people for generations to come,” said Dmitry Chernyshenko, president of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games Organizing Committee. “With its vast experience, world-class leadership in the industry and a wide range of innovative solutions, Dow is the trustworthy partner to help us on our journey to deliver more sustainable and innovative Games.”

The energy-efficient projects planned for implementation in Russia will enable the Organizing Committee to mitigate its carbon footprint and will also bring benefits to the country’s economy in the long term by targeting upgrades in building infrastructure, optimization of farming practices and enhancements on industrial processes. “We are very excited with the opportunity to work with Sochi 2014, Dow customers, and Olympic Partners to contribute to the sustainability vision of the first Olympic Winter Games in Russia – a country where Dow will celebrate a 40 year presence in 2014,” said George Hamilton, vice president, Dow Olympic Operations. “As the Official Chemistry Company of the Olympic Games, our commitment is to enable higher-performing and more sustainable Games.”

“Since 1990, Dow products and technologies have helped our customers avoid over 1 billion tons of GHG emissions. During the same time period, we aggressively managed our own footprint by preventing more than 270 million metric tons from entering the atmosphere,” said Neil Hawkins, vice president, Global EHS & Sustainability at Dow. “We are proud to see our portfolio of solutions enabling impressive energy savings and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by our customers around the globe. Now we are looking forward to further leveraging our expertise and technologies to help Sochi 2014, and Russia, to achieve a more sustainable, lower emissions future.”

“One of our key goals with this project is to highlight the science behind our solutions to go beyond business as usual and accelerate the adoption of more efficient technologies across Russia,” said Peter de Groot, Dow Russia general manager. “Dow’s vast portfolio of innovative, technology-based solutions, combined with the highly-valuable contributions from our partners, will enable Sochi 2014 to deliver on its carbon commitments. Through industry-leading expertise and strategic partnerships, Dow will bring to the Olympic stage, once again, the power of Solutionism.”

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Century 21 to Sponsor Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing at Indy 500

CENTURY 21 will serve as the primary sponsor for IZOD IndyCar Series driver Josef Newgarden’s Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing (SFHR) car in the Indianapolis 500. 

SFHR co-owner Sarah Fisher joined CENTURY 21 System members today in Las Vegas at its Global Conference to unveil the car design for the 2013 Indianapolis 500. Newgarden’s Dallara/Honda/Firestone car will forgo its traditional No. 67 in favor of No. 21, the world’s largest real estate sales organization’s signature number, for the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

The No. 21 CENTURY 21 Dallara/Honda/Firestone car will debut at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 12, when the track opens for practice. The 97th running of the Indianapolis 500 will take place on May 26, and be broadcast on ABC television.

“Our sponsorship of the No. 21 car in the Indianapolis 500 provides another outstanding opportunity to highlight our Smarter. Bolder. Faster. campaign,” said Bev Thorne, chief marketing officer, Century 21 Real Estate LLC. “Whether it’s the Super Bowl, the Olympics, U.S. Soccer, or the Indy 500, we want to showcase the capabilities of our sales professionals in front of the largest audience possible.”

The Indianapolis 500 is the world’s largest single-day annual sporting event with more than 300,000 people in attendance each year.

“Being part of a team that brings new partners to IndyCar is an honor for us here at SFHR,” said Fisher. “We are very proud to represent such a strong brand whose household name resonates well beyond their industry. It will be a ‘Smarter. Bolder. Faster.’ Indy 500 for us painted in the CENTURY 21 colors.”

Schelde Sports to Provide Backstop Units for FIBA 3×3 Events

FIBA, the International Basketball Federation, has agreed a sponsorship deal with sports equipment manufacturer, Schelde Sports until 2016.

Under the agreement, Schelde Sports becomes the official provider of backstop units for all FIBA 3×3 events.

Schelde Sports, a Dutch company which has been developing its own products since 1892, has come up with an innovative outdoor backstop unit known as the ‘3×3 Basketball Backstop’. It has an urban look and feel and features an integrated 12-second shot clock.

The 3×3 Basketball Backstop will be used at all FIBA 3×3 World Tour events and all FIBA 3×3 World Championships.

FIBA and Schelde Sports will also work closely together to continue developing backstop units from grassroots to elite levels.

Schelde Sports is an official partner of the FIBA Venue & Equipment Centre since 1994, and its backstop units are used in leading FIBA competitions around the globe. It is one of the leading brands of JF-International.

FIBA Secretary General and International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member Patrick Baumann said: “We’re very pleased to announce this partnership between our FIBA 3×3 discipline and Schelde Sports for the next four years.

“Our 3×3 is fast-growing and by working together with Schelde Sports – a leading company whose reputation in providing excellent equipment precedes it – we can look forward to achieving many great things in years to come.”

Bart Prinssen, Export Manager of JF International, added: “We are proud to team up with FIBA and become the official backstop unit supplier for the 3×3 World Tour and the 3×3 World Championships.

“The Schelde Sports team is excited to support FIBA and local organisers of 3×3 events worldwide.”

Medion Returns to Force India as Sponsor

Sahara Force India has revealed today that Medion AG has signed back with the team as official team partner for the 2013 season.

Medion, anesthetist a long-term supporter of the team, will use the association to promote their Medion Mobile brand. Logos will be appear on the VJM06, the drivers’ and mechanics’ suits, and the team’s marketing tools. The partnership will also give the team access to a wide range of Medion products.

Dr Vijay Mallya, Team Principal and Managing Director: “We are delighted to welcome back Medion to the Sahara Force India family. They have been a long-term supporter of this team and have played an important role in our Formula One journey. They share our competitive spirit and knowledge of high-technology industries, which makes them an ideal fit for this team.”

A spokesperson for Medion said: “Formula One is a highly efficient and effective platform for our brands. The cooperation with the Sahara Force India Formula One Team was successful throughout the previous years so it’s good to be back supporting them. We are looking forward to resuming our partnership and are convinced that the team will continue its tradition of success from previous years.”

IVECO Retains Yamaha Factory Sponsorship for 2013 MotoGP Season

Yamaha Factory Racing has announced that IVECO will remain an Official Sponsor of the team for the 2013 MotoGP season.

For the final five rounds of last year, herbal the partnership saw the Yamaha bikes carrying IVECO logos on their tails. Thursday’s statement confirms that the signage will be seen on the race leathers of Valentino Rossi and world Champion Jorge Lorenzo, as well as on team equipment.

“As an important partner for Yamaha Factory Racing, this is a very welcome continuation of a collaboration started in 2008,” said Lin Jarvis, Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing.

“We have won four World Titles together with IVECO; we are looking forward to, not only a great season ahead together in 2013, but also to strengthening the relationship with IVECO through a number of initiatives at GP circuits and also away from race weekends.”

“This initiative is a great opportunity for IVECO to increase its global visibility, while communicating our involvement and enthusiasm in the world of sport,” adds Alberto Cavaggioni, Marketing Director of Iveco S.p.A.