Nike has been named the official clothing supplier of the International Olympic Committee replacing Mizuno until 2016.

The US brand will supply attire for the 2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi and the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro. 

Japan’s Mizuno had been performing the role since 1995, while Nike is already a sponsor and an official outfitter of the United States Olympic Committee.

According to media reports, Mizuno did not renew the official supplier agreement because of Tokyo’s bid for the 2020 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The company had wanted to be an official partner of Tokyo’s previous unsuccessful bid for the 2016 Games, but had been prevented by its status as official supplier to the IOC.

But following their agreement being ended with the IOC, Mizuno quicly partnered with Tokyo’s bid for the 2020 Olympics.

Legal expenses insurance provider Elite has won a three-year sponsorship deal with Northampton Saints to become a long-term sponsor of the premiership Rugby Club.

As part of the deal, Elite’s logo will appear on the Saints’ shirts and shorts, along with perimeter boards, until at least 2015. This comes as Elite and Saracens F C “mutually” agreed to end the sponsorship deal.

Elite Insurance chief executive Jason Smart, pictured, said: “We are delighted to be part of such a family focused club, and see this as a reciprocal partnership which extends beyond financial input.

“It is more about looking at the bigger picture over time and what the whole Saints family offers in terms of networking and partnerships with other sponsors.

“The decision to commit for three years with a club that already values our involvement was an easy one. The club has an outstanding fan base and is widely known for having the highest attendance from its supporters.”

Saints chief executive Allan Robson said the deal signalled Elite’s long term commitment to the club.

“Elite’s management already knows the value of a sponsorship within Premiership Rugby and their decision to sign with us demonstrates a clear belief in the Saints brand and our bright future,” he added.

Li Ning, store the world’s third largest sports apparel company has agreed a major long-term sponsorship deal with the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) as Official Partner to the CBA Professional League.

Running for a period of five years, the agreement is the first brokered by Infront Sports & Media following its recent contract extension with the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).

The involvement of the Li Ning brand in the CBA League is by far the biggest sponsorship commitment ever secured for a Chinese sports property and one of the largest in today’s world of sports. It not only underlines the exceptional growth and increasing commercial appeal of the CBA League but also aligns the platform with other major international sports properties in respect to its marketing potential. Li Ning will assume the role of Official Partner to the CBA League with immediate effect from the 2012/13 season onwards. 

As part of its comprehensive role, Li Ning will provide the official apparel for the entire CBA Professional League. All 17 clubs competing throughout the season will be fully equipped with high-quality Li Ning sportswear including warm-up equipment, jerseys, shoes and accessories. Alongside this role, Li Ning has the right to develop and sell merchandise that falls in the apparel category at all CBA League venues as well as online and in its stores across the country, aiming to make full use of the CBA league platform as a strong sales driver.

Li Ning’s all-encompassing role as apparel supplier is complemented further by a wide-ranging sponsorship package. It combines extensive on-court advertising at a scale greater than ever before along with a vast media presence that will include digital media as well as advertising slots on CCTV-5. It also comprises various other high profile promotional opportunities that will help the brand leverage their existing grass root programmes and player endorsements. Overall, Li Ning branding will be highly prominent across the entire CBA League.

Li Ning is already a well-established name in the global world of sports – not only through its product range, but also through numerous sponsorship and supplier involvements. The first of Li Ning’s sports sponsorship engagements dates back to 1990, when the brand officially accompanied the Chinese delegation at the Asian Games. Most recently, at the 2012 London Olympic Games, Li Ning provided apparel to the Chinese diving, gymnastics, badminton, table tennis and shooting teams. With international basketball positioned as a core element in their sports strategy for several years, the CBA League – one of the leading sports leagues in Asia – was a logical next step for the brand. 

Li Ning, Chairman of the Group, said: “The sponsorship arrangement for the CBA League was a key strategic decision as part of our targeted branding campaign. The Li Ning Group will take advantage of the platform as a hugely valuable sports marketing launch pad for our product range. This will be achieved not only through pure brand exposure, but also through attractive merchandise programmes and sponsorship activation in Li Ning stores nationwide. The extensive supplier and sponsorship package offered by Infront was a one-time opportunity to establish a striking presence for the brand in our home market. As the number 1 sports league in China, the success, growth and popularity of the CBA is echoed through the ever growing television audience both nationally and worldwide. A strong foundation in our domestic market is fundamental for further expansion and we are intent on making a notable contribution to the continued development of Chinese basketball.”

Philippe Blatter, Infront’s President & CEO, commented: “This major agreement demonstrates how the CBA, the clubs and Infront have been able to boost the commercial value and sporting excellence of the CBA League – which is now reflected through the outstanding brand and promotional opportunities available. With this level of sponsorship commitment, the league is now reaching the same status – in terms of marketing value – as that achieved by some of the world’s largest and most successful sports properties. We are looking forward to continue the development of the league in close partnership with the CBA and Li Ning as its new ambitioned apparel partner.”

Ma Guoli, Managing Director Infront China, added: “Li Ning is a leading national sports equipment brand and has witnessed the progress of the Chinese sports industry alongside its own development. It is therefore the ideal partner to break new ground with the CBA League – closing a contract as one the largest apparel suppliers in worldwide sponsorship history. We strongly believe that the cooperation will further propel the development of the CBA League and the Li Ning Group and forge a win-win situation for both sides.”

Online sportsbook operator Interwetten Group has signed a shirt sponsorship deal with Sevilla FC.

The Vienna-based firm agreed deals in March to sponsor Italian Serie A soccer teams Udinese, FC Parma, Novara Calcio, Siena and Lecce while it inked a similar agreement in May with new Formula One racing team Lotus F1 Team.

Interwetten was recently granted permission to operate in Spain and stated that the logo for its Interwetten.es brand will appear on the La Liga side’s shirts ‘until the club closes a deal with a brand from a different industry’.

“We are delighted to have obtained our license in Spain and to be able to cooperate with Sevilla FC, a club with a history full of success,” said Wolfgang Fabian from Interwetten.

“Sevilla FC members and fans can be sure that Interwetten.es will be a great ally and will offer them all we have to guarantee them a safe experience with us. The whole Interwetten family is happy with this big agreement achieved with Sevilla FC, being part of its worldwide sponsorship plan that includes VfB Stuttgart, five teams from Serie A in Italy, the Lotus F1 Team from Formula One and the Interwetten Paddock Team from Moto2.”

This is the second time that Interwetten has partnered with Sevilla FC after the pair agreed a similar deal for the operator’s Interapuestas brand in November.

“For Sevilla FC, it is extremely important to rely on sponsors with such influence as Interwetten in a rising industry as sportsbetting,” said Jose Maria Del Nido, President for Sevilla FC.

“We are also aware of the great efforts made by Interwetten to become one of the authorised brands to be able to operate in our country once the industry has been regulated by the Spanish government. Therefore, it is even more valuable, if that’s possible, that the trade relations started seasons ago had now consolidated with this sponsorship for the new season.

“Sevilla FC, as a body, is extremely satisfied with the trust Interwetten has vested in our club and our fans. The truth is the commitment we always showed with this company has been rewarded, as with all companies we achieved sponsorship agreements with.”

For the second year in a row, for sale  GEICO will serve as the event sponsor of the GEICO 400, NASCAR’s 2012 Sprint Cup Series Championship opener on Sept., 16, at the Chicagoland Speedway in Jolliet, Ill. 

“The GEICO 400 is an exciting partnership that gives us ample opportunity to build brand awareness within the vast NASCAR community,” says Bob Piwowarczyk, GEICO senior marketing manager. “The Chicago area is a great place to raise our exposure with drivers we’d like to insure.”

The GEICO 400 is the kickoff for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship. It’s the first of 10 playoff-styled races that will decide who is the world’s best stock car driver. The race also marks year two of GEICO’s sponsorship with the International Speedway Corporation (IRC), owners of the Chicagoland Speedway.

“NASCAR fans are some of the most passionate sports fans on the planet,” says Piwowarczyk. “No matter the weather, they travel for miles and miles in cars, trucks, RVs and campers to see their favorite drivers. We are proud of the relationship we have built. And GEICO wants to be their favorite insurance company.”

GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies and is the third-largest private passenger auto insurer in the United States. GEICO handles auto insurance coverage for over 11 million private passenger auto policies and insures more than 18 million vehicles (auto & cycle).

Virginia International Raceway (VIR) announced today that it has selected EcoPower engine oil for use in all track support vehicles in an effort to support environmentally responsible racing in conjunction with their inaugural VIR 240 American Le Mans Series, arthritis the global leaders in green racing, presented by Tequila Patrón.

EcoPower is re-refined engine oil from Safety-Kleen, the largest collector and re-refiner of used oil in North America. EcoPower is re-refined using a process that consumes up to 85 percent less energy than refining motor oil from crude oil. The result is engine oil that meets or exceeds all North American standards for engine protection, such as API and SAE, while reducing the country’s dependence on foreign oil.

The move to EcoPower oil is part of a larger effort to make the track, one of Car and Driver’s Top 6 tracks in the U.S., function in a way that is more environmentally responsible. Under the arrangement, VIR is using various grades of EcoPower in more than 65 vehicles, including emergency vehicles, on-track maintenance trucks and off-track all-terrain vehicles, heavy equipment, motorized carts and even motorized lawn equipment. The track switched to EcoPower beginning in August.

“Using a high-quality, environmentally responsible product like EcoPower in all of our vehicles at the track just makes sense,” said Kerrigan Smith, director of track operations at VIR. “VIR is committed to making our facility a leader in ‘green’ racing, and we rely on a number of Safety-Kleen products, now including EcoPower, to help us achieve that goal.”

“EcoPower helps race tracks across the country make their facilities more responsible,” said Curt Knapp, Safety-Kleen’s senior vice president and chief marketing officer. “We’re proud to be a part of VIR’s sustainability efforts. By choosing EcoPower for their vehicle and equipment fleet, they’ve chosen a product that requires no new crude oil to be produced, since it’s recycled and refined from reclaimed motor oil. That’s a major step in reducing the track’s carbon footprint.”

Travel company, discount Kuoni has been confirmed as the official accommodation agency of UEFA EURO 2016.

The travel company will provide accommodation services to the participating teams, asthma match officials, ed commercial and broadcast partners, media representatives, suppliers and staff involved in the organisation of the final tournament, which will be the first in UEFA European Championship history to feature 24 nations.

The competition in France is the second European finals Kuoni has been appointed to, with the company having been the official accommodation agency for UEFA EURO 2008 in Austria and Switzerland. UEFA EURO 2016 will consist of 51 matches played across ten host cities between mid-June and mid-July.

Speaking at the signing of the agreement in Paris, Jacques Lambert, president of EURO 2016 SAS, said: “It is very important for the tournament that everyone feels at home in all the accommodation facilities provided. France is renowned worldwide for its high hospitality standard, and we are pleased to work with an organisation that is deeply rooted in our country and that has an excellent reputation in the international tourism sector.”

Stefan Egli, head of Destination Europe for Kuoni, added: “Kuoni is proud to be part of such a prestigious event for the second time and we are looking forward to making our contribution to a successful UEFA EURO 2016. We are confident that we can prove our professionalism and knowledge to both the UEFA family and our future international customers by closely cooperating with the French accommodation market.”

Luxury vehicle manufacturer Lexus have extended their association with Rugby and the Australian Rugby Union until the end of 2014.

The partnership extension sees Lexus expand its support of Australian Rugby to include ground signage and sponsorship of Gold Coast Sevens – Fever Pitch as well as the Qantas Wallabies.

Lexus’ support will again be on show this weekend at the Qantas Wallabies inaugural Test at Skilled Park, prostate on the Gold Coast, a stadium which will also host Gold Coast Sevens – Fever Pitch on 13 and 14 October.

ARU Managing Director and CEO, John O’Neill AO, welcomed the decision by Lexus and thanked them for their ongoing support.

“The decision by Lexus to renew and expand their partnership with Australian Rugby to include the Gold Coast Sevens is warmly welcomed,” Mr O’Neill said.

“Since Lexus joined the Rugby family in 2010 they have been a valued partner and we thank them for their ongoing support.

“All of our partners play a vital role in supporting the Qantas Wallabies and Rugby in Australia and Lexus is no exception.”

As part of the agreement, Lexus will also support the Lexus Ball Kid Program and offer its fans and supporters exclusive Lexus experiences throughout the term of the partnership.

Lexus Chief Executive, Tony Cramb, added: “Lexus is proud to support the Qantas Wallabies, our customers enjoy Rugby and love watching the Wallabies in action, the partnership for us is a valuable one,” Mr Cramb said.

The announcement of the partnership also coincides with the appointment of injured Qantas Wallabies captain, James Horwill, as a Lexus ambassador for the luxury marque.

Major Malaysian industrial, Naza Group, has become the title partner of the Sultan of Selangor’s Cup football competition and has paid US$100,000 for the sponsorships.

The company joins other major sponsors including water company, Syabas, reported to have paid US$65,000 for its sponsors as well as investment company, B&G Capital Resources and government owned developer, Permodalan Negeri Selangor, each said to have US$35,000 to sponsor the tournament.

Taliworks Corporation, Commerce Dot Com and Tan Sri Mustapha are minor sponsor of the tournament and are understood to have each paid about US$16,000.

The Sultan of Selangor’s Cup is played between Selangor and Singapore and is expected to attract more than 60,000 spectators.{jcomments on}

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) have announced that Admiral Sportswear will be the official kit supplier of West Indies cricket until August 2013.

Admiral is a previous West Indies team kit supplier.

“We’re delighted to have Admiral back on board with West Indies cricket as the official kit supplier for the West Indies Men’s and Women’s teams, capsule the Windies A and Windies Under 19 teams,” WICB Commercial Manager, Nelecia Yeates said.

“As our team is on the upward trajectory we are pleased to have Admiral provide both playing and practice kits for the players. This association is also another indication of the confidence international brands place in the West Indies team,” Ms Yeates added.

The new West Indies ODI and T20 playing kit will retain the traditional maroon look but will be accentuated with gold and light blue designs.

The practice kit will be predominantly blue and white.

“We’re delighted to partner with the West Indies team and plan to help them reach even higher standards with a new team kit”said CEO of Admiral, Paul Hamburger.

“The West Indies players themselves have had significant input in the design they will be unveiling internationally at the ICC World Twenty20.”

In 2011, Admiral Sportswear LLC acquired the brand rights for the Admiral, with the intention of re-energizing the heritage sports brand in soccer and cricket.

Admiral entered the world of cricket as the official kit supplier to the England, South African, West Indies and Canadian Cricket teams.