USAA, treat a leading insurance provider to the military community, prostate is now the “Official Military Appreciation Sponsor” for the Seattle Seahawks.

In 2011, anabolics USAA became the first-ever Official Military Appreciation Sponsor of the NFL.

Throughout the 2012 season, USAA and the Seahawks will ramp up their military appreciation efforts in the greater Seattle area. Plans include hosting families of deployed servicemen and women at each home game and providing exclusive team access to members of the military community. These efforts will culminate at the November 11 game versus the New York Jets during the NFL-wide Salute to Service initiative taking place November 8-19.

“This sponsorship focuses on USAA and the Seahawks combining our efforts to honor and thank our military heroes,” said USAA executive director of marketing Don Clark. “We’re excited about Seahawks fans joining us throughout the season to salute current and former military members and their families.”

“The Seahawks are proud to continue our support of veterans and military members,” said Seahawks president Peter McLoughlin. “In partnership with USAA, we are able to expand our outreach to military men and women stationed throughout the Puget Sound region.”

Seashore Group has agreed a sponsorship deal with the Qatar Women Sport Committee (QWSC).

Seashore Group will sponsor all QWSC activities throughout the 2012/13 season.

Ahlam Salem Al Mana, find Chair of QWSC, said: “We are very pleased with this tie-up. This sponsorship means our women’s teams in various disciplines will get a major lift.”

“We have very ambitious plans to promote women’s sports in the country. This kind of sponsorship not only does that but it also helps us create awareness about the popularity of our events.”

The agreement includes team uniform branding and title sponsorships of major QWSC events.{jcomments on}

NHL’s Buffalo Sabres today announced that Tops Friendly Markets, a leading full-service grocery retailer in upstate New York and northern Pennsylvania, will serve as the title sponsor of its Alumni Plaza.

The Alumni Plaza will be officially dedicated Oct. 12 when a statue honoring the French Connection is unveiled to anchor the plaza.

The plaza, which sits directly outside First Niagara Center along Perry Street, will serve as a tribute to the 400-plus players who donned the Blue and Gold as a member of the Sabres throughout the team’s history.

“Partnering with a company like Tops Markets is very natural for a project like this,” said John Livsey, Sabres’ vice president of sales and business development. “The Alumni Plaza project is one that will resonate throughout the city because of the impact these players had on this community. Tops is so heavily involved with communities throughout Western New York and this is just another example of the commitment they’ve made to the people of this region.”   

Along with the statue, the plaza features six brick columns that will be covered in plaques bearing the names of all 401 Sabres alumni. In addition to the player plaques, fans were given the opportunity to purchase custom plaques that will hang alongside the player plaques throughout the plaza.

“Tops Markets is proud to partner with the Buffalo Sabres in sponsorship of Alumni Plaza,” said Frank Curci, Tops Markets president and CEO.  “Like the Buffalo Sabres, Tops has a rich history in the western New York community and we are excited to help honor the alumni of our hometown team.”

Tops Markets is the Official Supermarket of the Buffalo Sabres for the 2012-13 season.

Tops Markets, LLC, is headquartered in Williamsville, NY and operates 133 full-service supermarkets – 127 company-owned and six franchise locations.

U.S. Bank has signed a multi-year sponsorship deal with the University of Denver.

The sponsorship makes U.S. Bank the official bank of University of Denver Athletics, effective in the current 2012-13 sports season. U.S. Bank will also be the Platinum sponsor of the “Voices of Experience,” the signature CEO-level speaker series at the University of Denver Daniels College of Business.

“The University of Denver has an important role as an educator in the mountain region and the university holds a special place in the hearts of thousands who are DU students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents and fans,” said Hassan Salem, president of U.S. Bank in Colorado. “We are thrilled to be their partner, both in support of Pioneer athletics and as they share expertise through the Voices of Experience lecture series.”

Brokered via CBS Collegiate Sports Properties, the University of Denver Division of Athletics and Recreation’s third-party multimedia rights holder, this agreement places U.S. Bank into “Founders Partner” status at Denver, with multimedia and branding benefits reserved exclusively for the division’s highest investors. Fans and visitors to DU athletic venues will notice the U.S. Bank brand permeated throughout multiple platforms, including the DenverPioneers.com website.

“We are proud to welcome U.S. Bank as a valued corporate sponsor with the University of Denver Division of Athletics and Recreation,” said DU Vice Chancellor for Athletics and Recreation Peg Bradley-Doppes. “U.S. Bank is a leader in the Denver community and we are thankful for their corporate support. We look forward to a long and beneficial partnership with U.S. Bank.”

The University of Denver is committed to improving the human condition and engaging students and faculty in tackling the major issues of our day. DU ranks among the top 100 national universities in the United States. 

U.S. Bank has invested in Colorado for generations. With roots dating back to 1862, U.S. Bank is growing with 84 branches in Denver and 152 statewide. U.S. Bank employs more than 2,000 people in the Denver metro area, and 2,700 across Colorado. The bank provides more than $1.3 million in charitable contributions locally, and its employees volunteered more than 2,000 hours at nonprofit organizations in the Denver area in 2011.

The Standard Chartered Nairobi International Marathon has received a major boost with thirteen sponsors adding KShs.43,696,000 million ($514,979) worth of sponsorship to the competition.

The title sponsor, Standard Chartered Bank confirmed that it will be spending KShs.80 million ($941,742) in putting the event together this year.

The Bank is sponsoring the event for the 10th year running and has committed to renew its sponsorship for another five years. Standard Chartered’s sponsorship expires this year. This brings the total event’s spend to KShs.124 million ($1.5m).

The Chairman of the Nairobi Marathon steering committee, Reuben Mbindu said, “Standard Chartered Bank is very proud to continue sponsoring the Nairobi Marathon for another five years until 2017. Every edition of the Nairobi Marathon for us is an experience that we look forward to in our commitment to deliver a world-class event for all Kenyans.”

“We are proud to be able to offer budding Kenyan athletes a platform on which they can kick start their careers; the funds raised enable young children to regain their sight, be productive and live normal lives; the rewards the participants revive through unrivaled prize money improves their wellbeing and socio-economic status; and plays a crucial role in profiling our country globally”

During the sponsors’ breakfast held at Hilton Hotel in Nairobi, 13 sponsors presented their donations, both in cash and kind to the organizers Athletics Kenya and the title sponsors Standard Chartered Bank.

Mbindu said: “Your contributions make it possible for us to continuously improve the marathon year on year. Being the largest sporting event in Kenya, the Nairobi Marathon plays an important role in profiling our nation and we are glad that you are joining hands with us and making it possible to grow the marathon to reach international standards.”

Organizers Athletics Kenya lauded Standard Chartered Bank for continuing to sponsor the event.

“The ability of the Nairobi marathon to attract such a high caliber of sponsorship is a clear indication that the event has come of age and it is offering real value to its sponsors. I call upon other sponsors to see the value of this marathon to our community and the country at large and come on board as there is still room to do so. Those who cannot join the sponsorship should be able to enter big teams and rally all their employees to participate as a way of supporting the event,” said David Okeyo, Secretary General, Athletics Kenya

This year sponsors will have an excellent opportunity to showcase their brands through the exhibition of their products and services to an expected audience of 20,000 participants.

Polar, check the market leader for heart rate training technology, prostate will be the Official Timing Partner for the E.ON IBU World Cup Biathlon from the 2012/13 season onwards.

The contract was signed with Infront Sports & Media, marketing partner to the International Biathlon Union (IBU). The commitment includes the 2013 IBU World Championships Biathlon in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic.

Polar decided on the continuation of its sponsorship commitment to cover the entire season following its involvement as Official Timing Partner over the second half of the 2011/12 E.ON IBU World Cup. The brand is supplementing its previous engagement as supplier to the German national teams in biathlon, cross-country skiing, nordic combination and ski-jumping, based on the partnership with the German Ski Association (DSV).  Also on a global level, Polar is active as a sponsor to many associations. The Polar logo and brand will be visible in all TV graphics relating to time measurement from the first World Cup competition in Östersund, Sweden onwards.

Mark D. Seng, Marketing Director of Polar Electro GmbH Deutschland, said : “Polar has been a pioneer and market leader in heart rate measurement technology in both professional and recreational sport for 30 years already. Many world-class athletes train with our Smart Coaching function to obtain an optimal balance of training pressure and regeneration in order to accomplish maximum performance. During the competitions, our high-tech training computers can be seen on many athletes’ wrists. In biathlon, where precision plays an integral role, it is our goal – as timing partner – to further spotlight our Polar training computer as the ideal training and competition aid. ”

Thomas Pfüller, IBU Vice President for Marketing, added: “We are delighted that, together with Infront, we can continue a successful collaboration with yet another partner. The Polar brand matches our dynamic sport perfectly – the modern heart rate measurement technology is ideally suited to document the diverse requirements and physical pressures in biathlon.”

Michael Witta, Managing Director of Infront Austria, said: “After an initial testing phase last season, Polar has decided on a longer-term involvement, which confirms the impact and efficiency of the E.ON IBU World Cup as a marketing platform. In biathlon, where time measurement is a key factor of the competition, Polar will – due to the logo integration on TV inserts – achieve a high brand presence in key markets like the German speaking region and Scandinavia.”