The deal covers both of the team’s primary Car of the Future Falcons, Mark Winterbottom’s No.5 car and Will Davison’s No.6 car.

The team will reveal its new look at its season launch on Thursday, 7 February 2013 in Melbourne.

FPR team principal Tim Edwards committed on the partnership: “It is with great pleasure we announce a three-year partnership with PepsiCo Australia and New Zealand which will see Ford’s two primary factory cars race under the Pepsi Max banner.

“The Pepsi Max brand is instantly recognisable the world over and the whole team is looking forward to working with a brand that brings innovation and excitement to everything it does.

“It will be the first time in the team’s history we’ve had the same title sponsor on both cars and the partnership provides us with a chance for a fresh approach and a new look at a time when we are also introducing a whole new car. This is the start of an exciting new era for everyone involved.”

Pepsi has been in and out of the V8 Supercars series over a long period, previously backing privateer Dougal McDougall’s Commodore in the early 2000s before returning to the sport in a big way with title sponsorship at Kelly Racing in 2011.

PepsiCo Australia and New Zealand Marketing Director, Kim McConnie believes linking with Ford’s factory team takes the company’s V8 Supercars involvement to a whole new level.

“Joining the V8 Supercars has been a huge success for Pepsi Max and we’re thrilled to now be teaming up with Ford Performance Racing for the next three years,” Ms McConnie said.

“We’ve always talked about our commitment to motorsport in Australia and this new deal is further justification of that. We are looking forward to a very strong year in 2013 and beyond!”

Orrcon Steel, longtime sponsor of the sport and naming-rights backer of FPR’s No.5 car since 2007, announced earlier this year that it would be continuing to sponsor the team in 2013 but in a reduced capacity.

The 2013 V8 Supercars Championship will kick off with the official Test Day at Sydney Motorsport Park on February 16, two weeks ahead of the first round of the year at the Clipsal 500 in March.

Oman Sail today announced that EFG International, a leading global private banking group, will be the main sponsor of Sailing Arabia – The Tour 2013, the Gulf region’s only long distance offshore sailing event.

EFG International will be the title sponsor of the race, which will involve elite teams from across the region and around the world.

Thanks to its involvement, the event will be named “EFG Bank Sailing Arabia – The Tour 2013” and will take place between 10th to 25th February of next year. The title sponsor will also participate directly in the race with its team EFG Bank Monaco, named to reflect the “EFG Bank Sailing Academy” partnership with the Monaco Yacht club, and pointing to the bank’s business presence in 30 locations around the world. 

Sailing Arabia – The Tour had its first edition in 2011 with the aim to promote the Middle East as an international sailing race destination and to establish a competition that is considered part of the international sailing agenda. Thanks to the perfect winter climate conditions in the Middle East, the regatta has already achieved a place in the calendars of the world’s leading sailors, and is now a firm fixture on the international circuit. During the fifteen day 2012 race, 63 sailors in 9 one-design keelboats competed fiercely over 760 nautical miles of challenging conditions, calling at 7 world class regional marinas and setting high expectations for 2013’s event.

David Graham, Oman Sail CEO commented: “It’s an honour for us to have EFG International as a sponsor of the 3rd edition of Sailing Arabia – The Tour 2013. EFG International is a globally recognised name in private banking and has sponsored a number of high profile sporting events, with sailing as one of its focal points. Our partnership with EFG International, which is the first time they have sponsored sailing in the Gulf, will draw considerable attention to this unique event, and provide invaluable support to Oman Sail in our efforts to rejuvenate the great tradition of competitive sailing in the region.”

George Catsiapis, Managing Director, commented: “EFG International has a strong commitment to sailing, and is pleased to be the title sponsor of Sailing Arabia – The Tour 2013. Thanks to the success of the previous editions of the race, and Oman Sail’s commitment to youth mentoring and sail training, we felt that the sponsorship was a good fit with our sponsorship goals, and we are confident that EFG Bank Sailing Arabia – The Tour 2013 will go a long way to establishing the sport in the hearts of the Gulf’s people.”

EFG Bank Sailing Arabia – The Tour 2013 will feature teams from across the region and from the top echelons of the international keelboat circuit competing in a fleet of identical Farr 30 boats, one of the Grand Prix racing world’s most exciting platforms. With 15 days of intense racing along the Gulf coast, from Bahrain to Qatar, through Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Dibba, and Mussanah to the finish line at Muscat, the race will provide regional sports fans with a window into the excitement of the physically demanding and highly strategic sport of offshore sailing.

In addition to the Sailing Arabia – The Tour 2013, EFG International also sponsors: EFG Bank Mandrake (competing in leading regattas across Asia); EFG Bank Sailing Team (competing in the Melges 24 class, Europe); EFG Bank Sailing Academy, Monaco Yacht Club; BACARDI Sailing Week, Miami and Newport; The Star Winter Series, Florida; and The Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta.
EFG Bank Sailing Arabia – The Tour 2013 is taking place between 10th to 25th February 2013 travelling across the Gulf between Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and finally Oman.

Fishing line hook specialist, Rapala USA has extended it’s sponsorship with FLW, the industry’s premier tournament fishing organization.

Rapala offers anglers high-quality lures, line and hooks along with outdoor tools and accessories. Financial terms of the deal were not released.

Through the agreement, Rapala and sub-brands Sufix and Trigger X will receive exposure across several of FLW’s platforms, including its tournaments and Expos, multiple websites and FLW Bass Fishing magazine.

Rapala’s legendary pro staff includes FLW Tour pros Terry Bolton, Dave Lefebre and 2012 Forrest Wood Cup champion Jacob Wheeler.

Since 1936, Rapala has been the world’s favorite fishing lure. Rapala lures have accounted for more world-record catches than any other lure. More than 20 million lures are produced and sold in more than 140 countries around the world every year by Rapala. 

Marouane Felliani has become the latest brand ambassador to American sports brand Warrior, current shirt sponsors of Liverpool Football Club.

The Everton midfielder has penned what Warrior say is a “long-term” agreement to wear the brand’s first ever football boot collection, Skreamer, which he will debut in Saturday’s clash with Manchester City.

“I chose Warrior because my approach to the game and desire to win is the same as theirs,” said Fellaini.

“It’s a brand that does things differently to the others and I really like that. We are a great fit and I’m excited about the chance to influence a new generation of young footballers alongside Warrior.”

Fellaini has been one of the Premier League’s star men this term with seven goals to his name already having been unleashed in a more advanced role by Toffees boss David Moyes.

Ben Haworth, global sports marketing manager for Warrior Football, commented on the deal: “For Warrior to sign one of the most exciting and talked about players in world football is an incredible coup,” he said. “Fellaini possesses everything we look for in a Warrior player; he’s got flare, he has incredible power, he takes risks, he changes the game – there are only a handful of players left in the sport that can truly do that. We’re proud to add Marouane to our artillery.”

Haworth says there is more to come from Warrior, with further team and player announcements to be made over the coming weeks.

The Football Association of Malaysia is reportedly close to signing Suzuki Malaysia as the title sponsor of the Harimau Muda A squad when it competes in Singapore’s S-League.

Suzuki is a sponsor of Malaysian football but is currently not a direct sponsor of the Harimau Muda A squad.

At a sponsorship event for the Football Association of Malaysia, unhealthy the Managing Director of Suzuki Malaysia, Keiichi Suzuki, said Suzuki would consider the sponsorship.{jcomments on}

The PGA Tour announced Friday that AT&T will take over as the title sponsor of the Byron Nelson Championship in 2015, the year after the event’s contract with current sponsor HP expires.

The agreement is for the 2015 and 2016 tournaments, though AT&T senior executive vice president Ron Spears said in a news release that the company hopes to be the title sponsor for “many years into the future.” 

AT&T’s commitment begins after the current contract with HP expires following the 2014 Nelson. HP has been the sponsor since 2003. 

“With AT&T assuming the title sponsorship of our major fundraising event starting in 2015, we are taking steps to secure the future of the Byron Nelson Championship that funds our innovative services for at-risk and troubled children,” Salesmanship Club president Charley Spradley said in a news release.

AT&T is one of the most prominent sponsors in golf. Along with being a main corporate sponsor at the Masters, the company is the title sponsor on the PGA Tour at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and the AT&T National at Congressional, which is run by the Tiger Woods Foundation. Its contract with Woods’ foundation expires in 2014, the year before it takes over in Dallas. 

The Profesional Squash Association has signed an agreement with leading court manufacturer ASB to develop new initiatives to enhance the presentation of the sport.

An early result of the new partnership is the new dark floor installed in the latest ASB all-glass show court on which the semi-finals and finals of this week’s PSA World Series Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Open will be played.

The unique court, which features doors in the sidewalls to eliminate the central door on the back wall, has been erected at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre on the waterfront at Tsim Sha Tsui.

The new PSA/ASB court partnership will help progress court technology and increase glass court awareness to events around the world. Furthermore, the arrangement will make available special PSA rates for rental and court sales.

“We are delighted to announce this new agreement with ASB to become the official court partner of the PSA,” said COO Lee Beachill. “ASB are without doubt the most innovative court manufacturer on the market today and are constantly looking at new ways to enhance the squash viewing experience.

“We hope to work closely with them over the next period to further improve this product and showcase the spectacular attributes of men’s professional squash.

“ASB is the latest company to join an ever-growing list of partners for the PSA – confirming the continued growth of the association,” added the former world number one. “We are very pleased with the feedback from our current partners and we are sure that our relationship with ASB will be successful for both parties.”

Horst Babinsky, the founder of German company ASB, said: “My son Christof, who is now in charge of the active management of ASB, together with Peter Schmidl, who coordinates all international partner- and relationships, have worked for a long time on this new partnership with the PSA.

“Together with the PSA players and their management Alex Gough and Lee Beachill, we want to optimise the presentation of squash.

“The first result of the cooperation is the new black ASB SquashFloor, which was successfully tested earlier this month at the Women’s World Team Championship in Nimes where three ASB ShowGlassCourts were used together for the first time,” concluded Babinsky, squash innovator for more than 30 years.

Zdenek Klos, CEO of ASB international sales, is also delighted with the new PSA agreement: “Additionally I believe that the agreement will help us to get the idea of showcasing the sport also in normal clubs to the club owners as well.”

Nikon Corporation (Makoto Kimura, President) has announced its official partnership with the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) at the 11th FINA World Championships to be held from December 12 to 16, 2012 in Istanbul, Turkey. 

As an Official FINA Partner, the Nikon logo will appear at the venue on photographers’ bibs and around the pool. 

Furthermore, for professional photographers covering this event, the Nikon Professional Services (NPS) depot in the media center will provide support and services, including equipment inspections, cleaning, minor repairs and the loaning of equipment. 

The FINA World Championships is a prestigious biennial aquatic sports event hosted by FINA, which has 202 member federations. 

Nikon first partnered with FINA in 2007 and has supported the FINA World Championships and the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) ever since.