NBA San Antonio Spurs Guard Tony Parker will sign a deal with Chinese sportswear company, Peak in a deal worth between US$2.6M and US$4M annually.

Parker was receiving between US$1.05M and US$1.32M a year from Nike to wear its shoes.

Parker had been in negotiations with Nike about the development of his academy. But it seems the proposal was refused and Parker has opted to sign with Peak, where he will become the company’s brand ambassador. Peak also has endorsement deals NBA players Javale McGee, Jason Kidd and Shane Battier.{jcomments on}

Pure Silk, a shaving cream for women, has agreed a deal to title sponsor the LPGA Classic which will make its first-ever official appearance in the Bahamas in 2013.

The full-field, standard eligibility tournament will take place May 23-26 and will include four tournament rounds with 72 holes of stroke play, a $1.3 million purse and coverage on Golf Channel, the LPGA’s cable home, and the LPGA’s international television partners across the globe.

The tournament will be played at the Tom Weiskopf-designed Ocean Club Golf Course at Atlantis in Paradise Island, Bahamas and will be supported by Pure Silk and The Islands of The Bahamas.

“This event is a great example of truly fantastic partners coming together to stage a world-class event,” said LPGA Commissioner Michael Whan. “As Commissioner, there are few things more enjoyable than telling your players that they’ll be heading to the Bahamas for Memorial Day weekend at Atlantis Paradise Island. To say the players are excited would be a huge understatement.”

In addition to sponsoring the tournament, Pure Silk also joins the Tour’s growing list of Official Marketing Partners as the Official Rich and Luxurious Shave Cream of the LPGA.

“We are big believers in the LPGA,” said Barbasol/Pure Silk CEO Thomas Murray. “We began our LPGA relationship working with some of the Tour’s top players and we have witnessed the positive business impact of that investment. The Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic now gives us an opportunity to showcase the world’s best golfers on a beautiful golf course, near picturesque beaches, and to grow the Pure Silk Shaving Cream brand in the process.”

Pure Silk also sponsors several players on the LPGA Tour including 2012 Rolex Player of the Year Stacy Lewis, five-time LPGA winner Brittany Lincicome, Natalie Gulbis, Katherine Hull, Jeong Jang, Brittany Lang, Jill McGill, Lizette Salas and Jennifer Song.

Lewis, a four-time winner in 2012, echoed Commissioner Whan’s sentiment.

“I think everyone on the LPGA is excited about going to the Bahamas, not only to play in a world-class tournament, but also to see the beautiful beaches and enjoy the island,” Lewis said. “It’s also great to see a company like Pure Silk continue to increase their involvement with our Tour. Today’s announcement gives us some nice momentum heading into the New Year.”

“I am so excited to see Pure Silk join the LPGA tournament family in the Bahamas,” said Lincicome. “I know that, together with The Islands of The Bahamas, they will help us put on a first-class tournament and showcase the LPGA’s best players in paradise.”

Recently recognized as the #8 Resort Course in North America and the Caribbean by Golf Digest Magazine, the course has played host to several nationally-televised events, including the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational. Views of the beautiful Bahamian coastline make the Ocean Club Golf Course one of the most spectacular and challenging venues on the Island.

“We are most excited about the prospect of hosting some of the world’s most accomplished female golfers in The Islands of The Bahamas,” said David Johnson, Director-General Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. “Tournament participants will discover through the famous One & Only Ocean Club Championship Course at Atlantis on scenic Paradise Island why “It’s Better In The Bahamas.”

Opta Sports Data AG and Trac Hego AB have agreed a deal to become the official match data partner of the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2.

The agreement with the two joined in a consortium company that already some Bundesliga clubs as well as many other international organizations are active, purchase leagues and clubs, symptoms is valid until the end of season 2016/17. 

Regarding the live data acquisition, the indepth stats Opta will providea re extensive.

These include additional data and video-based offerings for the associations that can be accessed without charge. Opta will especially raise the performance event data such as assists, goals or objections.

With the agreement, the consortium will also receive a non-exclusive right to use the official game of the Bundesliga and 2 data to the media, bookmakers or clubs and associations to market. 

First awarded in 2011, the DFL had the mandate to collect the official match data in a bidding process. The aim is to support the license clubs in efforts to increase athletic performance through advanced analysis methods.

iON Worldwide, the global consumer electronics company, today announced a major partnership with Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah, one of the pre-eminent racing and training facilities in North America, which is a division of the Salt Lake City-based Miller Sports Properties.

Under the terms of the multi-year agreement, the iON Speed Pro will become the Official Camera of Miller Motorsports Park.

The Speed Pro is one of three cameras iON is unveiling at CES 2013 in its quest to deliver a full line of cameras tailored to meet the diverse needs of a broad range of pro and consumer users. Also being announced are the iON Air Pro 2 with new 14-megapixel sensor and 180-degree lens and the GPS-equipped iON Adventure, designed for travelers and adventure-seekers.

Simultaneous to the Speed Pro launch, iON is kicking off its partnership with Miller Motorsports Park, which has hosted many of the world’s most significant racing series and is home to a performance driving and motorcycle school. iON cameras will be the exclusive POV cameras used and sold at Miller Motorsports Park, and iON will be the title sponsor of a major event at Miller Motorsports Park in 2013. iON will also have a visible presence at Miller Motorsports Park, with signage prominently displayed throughout the venue as well as on helmets used in Miller’s driving and riding schools and kart center. iON cameras will be used by instructors and made available for student use at all Miller Motorsports Park schools.

“We are very pleased to name the iON Speed Pro as the Official Camera of Miller Motorsports Park,” said John Larson, General Manager of Miller Motorsports Park. “iON is a very innovative organization, and their Speed Pro camera is perfect for motorsports applications. We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with iON, and to creating many great memories for our staff and our guests with the iON Speed Pro camera.”

“The iON Speed Pro is being increasingly used by professional racers and we’re honored that it is now the Official Camera of Miller Motorsports Park,” said Giovanni Tomaselli, CEO, iON Worldwide. “With the worldwide availability of the iON Speed Pro, consumers and pros alike can now shoot and share their high-speed adventures. We are excited to be helping racing enthusiasts capture and share their biggest moments.”

Prestigious golfer Gary Player and Humana Inc., erectile one of the nation’s leading health and well-being companies, announced today a three-year partnership to promote lifelong well-being and healthy living through proper diet and exercise, as well as plans to help address the increasing challenges of childhood obesity.

As part of the partnership, Player will serve as a spokesman for the health care company.

“I look forward to a lasting, long-term relationship with Humana and the Humana Challenge,” said Player, who has won more than 165 professional tournaments worldwide, including nine major championships, and is one of only five individuals to win the coveted Grand Slam of golf. The Humana partnership represents a special addition to Player’s 2013 milestone year that includes his 60^th anniversary as a professional and the 30^th anniversary of his philanthropic endeavor, The Player Foundation.

“As a leader in the health care industry, Humana is doing a wonderful service to all those impacted by their care and health coverage. Over my 60-year golfing career, I placed great emphasis on fitness and a healthy diet and at this stage in my life, I really see the benefits of my lifelong commitment more than ever.”

One of the initial highlights of the partnership will be Player’s involvement in the Humana Challenge from January 14-20, 2013, in La Quinta, Calif. Sponsored by Humana and the William J. Clinton Foundation, the PGA TOUR event raised more than $2 million for charity in the tournament’s inaugural year and was named “Sports Event of the Year” by the Sports Business Journal.

“Gary Player is a testament to a lifetime dedicated to wellness and we’re excited to join forces under the common goal of improving people’s health,” said Mike McCallister, Humana’s Chairman of the Board. “His personal and philanthropic commitment to overall health perfectly complements our dream of helping people achieve lifelong well-being.”

Player has been a proponent of healthy living through proper diet and exercise and has maintained an incredible level of fitness throughout his legendary golfing career. At the age of 77, Player is recognized as a pioneer of fitness in sports and serves as an advisor and role model for many of today’s up-and-coming PGA TOUR stars.

“I greatly admire the efforts and commitment of Humana and President Clinton to promote lifelong well-being, and I hope to serve as a testament to the benefits of healthy living both on and off the golf course,” Player said.

Nike Golf today announced the addition of PGA European Tour athlete Thorbjørn Olesen to its sponsorship roster. 

Entering into a multi-year agreement with Nike Golf, Olesen will showcase the Swoosh in clubs, ball, footwear, glove, apparel, headwear and accessories. 

Olesen will be making his debut as a Nike Golf athlete at the Volvo Champions in South Africa on the PGA European Tour in January. 

Danish born Olesen, who turned professional in 2008, made his breakthrough on the PGA European Tour with a win in the 2012 Sicilian Open and bagged six other top 10’s to finish 15th in The 2012 Race to Dubai.  He currently stands 50th in the Official World Golf Rankings. 

A football fanatic following both FC Copenhagen and Manchester United, 23-year-old Olesen first came to prominence in 2011 after a stellar first year on Tour with three runner-up performances and a debut appearance in the World Cup of Golf in China. He gained his European Tour card courtesy of the 2010 European Challenge Tour where he finished third. 

“Nike is one of the most recognised and respected sport brands in the world,” said Olesen. “I want to be with a company that focuses on developing products that help me perform at my best. To be part of a brand that respects but challenges the traditions of the game is an honor.” 

“Thorbjørn is an exciting and talented athlete,” said Mark Thaxton, Global Director of Sports Marketing Operations at Nike Golf.  “His ability is obvious and since his debut on Tour in 2011 he has shown the kind of consistency that creates champions.  We know he will make a great addition to our stable of Nike Golf athletes globally.”

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has announced that the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has become the official headline sponsor of the of the national soccer team reportedly costing US$15 million.

The GNPC becomes the first state-owned Ghanaian firm to sign up as sponsor of the Black Stars.

“A $3 million per year contract for a period between 3-5 years was signed between the GFA and the Corporation, viagra 100mg ” the FA said indicating that the contract is renewable. 

FLW announced today that Z-Man Fishing Products, the nation’s fastest-growing fishing lure brand, will return as an associate sponsor of the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization for the 2013 season. 

Z-Man will receive exposure across several of FLW’s platforms, including its tournaments and Expos, multiple websites and FLW Bass Fishing magazine.

Z-Man’s pro staff, known as the Z-Squad, is led by Chevy pro Luke Clausen of Spokane, Wash., one of only five anglers in the sport to have won both the Forrest Wood Cup and the Bassmaster Classic.

Based out of Charleston, S.C., Z-Man has manufactured high-quality fishing tackle for more than 25 years. Their Original Chatterbait brand bladed swim jig is still dominant in the bass scene and has been joined by a wide selection of Z-Man’s proprietary 10X Tough ElaZtech soft plastics for nearly every fishing scenario. At the 2012 ICAST show Z-Man launched four technique-specific baits, the ChatterBait Elite bladed jig, FattyZ power finesse worm, Hula StickZ hybrid finesse bait and Palmetto BugZ flipping bait, which promise to garner considerable attention in 2013.

 

Baltimore-based STX, LLC, a global sporting goods leader, announced today a one-year deal with former Syracuse attackman Tim Desko.

As part of the deal, Desko will appear in marketing materials, help with product testing and development and will act as a team sales liaison. Additionally, Desko will play for Team STX in the LXM Pro; a lacrosse tour sponsored by STX, with fellow STX Athletes Kyle Harrison and Sam Bradman.

“I’m excited to become a member of Team STX,” says Desko. “STX has the best equipment and products out there today. I am grateful for the opportunity I’ve been given and look forward to working with the best. It is a great opportunity to be able to continue my lacrosse career playing with some of the best players in the world in the LXM Pro. To be able to play against former Syracuse greats and have guys like Kyle Harrison and Sam Bradman as teammates is very exciting. This is a great way to start out the New Year.”

Desko finished his senior season at Syracuse University as the third leading scorer and a total of 85 career points. The Syracuse, NY, native was named to the BIG EAST honor roll his senior year after scoring a game-winning goal for the Orange against St. Johns. However, Desko is best known for his numerous appearances on ESPN’s SportCenter Top Ten highlights with behind the back goals and scoring between his legs against Princeton and Virginia. Desko was recently drafted as the third pick in the MLL supplemental draft by Charlotte, but decided to play on Team STX in the LXM Pro instead.

“We are very happy to introduce Tim Desko as the newest STX Athlete. He will be a pivotal component to our initiatives in the Southeast in terms of growing the game as well as our brand in the region,” said Greg Tate, Marketing Manager at STX. ”After watching Tim’s highlight filled career at Syracuse we knew he would be a great fit for our LXM Pro team. Having him join the STX family gives us another exciting player to showcase our products at the highest level of play.”

“We couldn’t be more excited to have Tim join the LXM Tour and Team STX in 2013. Both his style of play on the field and his energy for growing the game and working with kids make him a perfect fit for everything we’re about,” said Xander Ritz, CEO of LXM Pro. “Tim had an amazing collegiate career and we’re fired up to have him continue playing with and against the best on the LXM PRO Tour, while growing the game and representing Team STX.”