Earthquakes Name Jared Shawlee President, Announce Partnership With Roku

The San Jose Earthquakes announced today that Jared Shawlee has been named President, effective immediately. After securing landmark partnership deals with PayPal and Intermedia and guiding the Quakes through their recent general manager search, Shawlee takes over the role previously held by Tom Fox from 2017-19. Shawlee served as Chief Operating Officer for the past five and a half years.

“The fact that Jared has been with the club for 15 years and worked his way up is a testament to his talent and hard work,” said Earthquakes Managing Partner John Fisher. “He has proven to be a team-first leader that cares first about the club, the fans, the staff, and our local community. I’m confident his leadership will be critical as we strive to be a top MLS club on and off the field.”

Shawlee, 39, enters his 15th season as a member of the Earthquakes organization. A native of San Jose, Shawlee was among the first employees hired ahead of the team’s return to Major League Soccer in 2008. Shawlee signed the club’s first-ever jersey sponsorship deal in 2009 and was promoted to Director of Corporate Partnerships a year later.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled to take on this new role with my hometown club and continue building on what we’ve started,” said Shawlee. “This club is in my blood, and I have been fortunate to be a part of its growth over the past decade and a half. I recognize that our people are what makes us special, both on the soccer and business sides, and we’ll continue to work on growing this club into something the entire Bay Area can be proud and excited to support.”

Shawlee took a one-year hiatus from the Quakes to pursue an MBA from Notre Dame’s Mendoza School of Business. He returned to the Earthquakes in May of 2011 as Senior Director, Ticket Sales and Strategy, later climbing to Vice President of the same department. Shawlee tripled the sales and service team, grew ticket revenue 420%, secured multimillion-dollar partnerships with Avaya and Sutter Health, and was integral in the development of the team’s privately financed $100 million venue. He was recognized as the MLS Corporate Partnerships Executive of the Year in 2015 before being promoted to Chief Operating Officer in November 2016.

He has since helped the club secure stadium naming rights and jersey partner deals with PayPal and Intermedia, respectively, as well as partnerships with prominent brands including Chevron, Coca-Cola, and Audi. Shawlee is overseeing the team’s pursuit of a new training complex and is part of the leadership group involved in the Bay Area’s bid to be a host region for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Shawlee will oversee both the business and soccer sides of the Earthquakes’ organization, reporting directly to the club’s Board of Directors.

“Jared’s passion for this club is tangible,” said Earthquakes General Manager Chris Leitch, who reports into Shawlee. “He’s been incredibly supportive of what we want to accomplish on the soccer side and I’m looking forward to working in tandem with him to move the club forward.”

Earthquakes Announce Partnership with Roku

The Earthquakes have also announced a partnership with Roku Inc. (NASDAQ: ROKU), the #1 TV streaming platform in the United States, Canada, and Mexico based on hours streamed (Hypothesis Group, October 2021). The partnership between two homegrown San Jose institutions will provide opportunities for Quakes fans and other PayPal Park guests to experience Roku’s award-winning streaming players and audio devices, and learn more about their easy-to-use streaming platform.

“We are thrilled to partner with Roku, our neighbor here in San Jose and a global leader in consumer technology products,” said Earthquakes Vice President of Strategy Ian Anderson. “We look forward to sharing Roku’s accessible products with our fans at PayPal Park, in addition to working together to invest in building a stronger San Jose community.”

As part of the partnership, Quakes fans will be able to experience Roku streaming devices and technology through one-of-a-kind activations and on Roku TVs throughout the stadium. Roku branding will be displayed throughout the stadium deck, field and concourse LEDs. On gamedays, Roku will be conducting sweepstakes and ongoing giveaway opportunities throughout the season where fans will have the chance to win Roku streaming devices.

“We are thrilled to partner with our hometown soccer team as they kick off the new season welcoming fans back to the stadium next door to our beautiful Roku headquarters in San Jose,” said Roku SVP of Corporate Affairs & Communications John Kelly. “Roku employees are big fans of the Earthquakes and we look forward to an exciting partnership!”

Quakes fans across the country can watch their favorite team through their Roku devices. Fans locally, with a traditional cable or satellite subscription, can stream matches through the NBC Sports app. Fans outside of the local market can utilize the fuboTV or ESPN+ apps.

Global Gaming Brand Evil Geniuses Select CSM Sport & Entertainment As Agency of Record

CSM Sport & Entertainment has secured global gaming and esports brand Evil Geniuses as its newest premier client, expanding CSM’s reach into the gaming and esports industry.

As the new agency of record of sponsorship sales for Evil Geniuses, CSM will assist the company in identifying, developing and securing commercial partnerships with high-profile brands that will further expand Evil Geniuses brand recognition with global audiences.

Evil Geniuses is a leading global gaming and esports company with teams competing in the world’s most popular esports titles, including League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, DOTA 2 and VALORANT. Led by CEO Nicole LaPointe Jameson, Evil Geniuses is an organisation that is bold without being bound by expectations as they plot their path to victory by developing world class talent through cutting-edge technology, health and wellness programs, and education. 

“Evil Geniuses is a true pioneer in the world of esports and gaming, with a long history of being at the forefront of the industry,” said Matt Grandis, Chief Commercial Officer at CSM Sport & Entertainment. “With CSM’s existing network and expertise in the commercial partnerships sector, we see this as a great opportunity to introduce Evil Geniuses to new brands and audiences across the world who share their values.”

As a globally recognised company in gaming and esports, Evil Geniuses has partnered with leading brands, including establishing itself as a top choice for those looking to enter the esports space for the first time. Evil Geniuses’ prior and existing partners include Monster Energy, Bud Light, TUMI, Coinbase, Absolut and English Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers FC.

”We’re thrilled to bring on CSM Sport & Entertainment as our new sponsorship sales agency as we leverage their expertise working with global brands to further expand our roster of commercial partners,” said Leonard Edwards, VP & Head of Global Partnerships at Evil Geniuses. “We’re always looking for the very best talent to be a part of the Evil Geniuses team and CSM Sport & Entertainment have the experience we crave while sharing our values and commitment to spreading the #LiveEvil mentality to new brands and audiences.”

For more information on CSM Sport & Entertainment, including a look at our services and past campaigns, please visit https://www.csm.com. You can also follow us on Twitter at @CSM_Worldwide or Instagram at @csm_worldwide.

McLaren Racing Expands Partnerships With Dell Technologies And Alteryx To Join Extreme E Programme

McLaren Racing today announced two partnership expansions with both Dell Technologies and Alteryx, Inc., with each becoming an Official Partner of the McLaren Extreme E (MX) team for the 2022 season.

Dell Technologies and Alteryx join the McLaren Extreme E (MX) programme for its inaugural season in the race series, with the Desert X Prix taking place in Saudi Arabia on 19 and 20 February. The series races in remote corners of the globe to promote climate awareness and insists on gender neutrality with each team consisting of one male and one female driver. Joining McLaren’s MX driving team of Emma Gilmour and Tanner Foust are female engineers and sisters, Leena and Teena Gade. 

Dell Technologies is a long-standing partner of the McLaren Formula 1 team, a partnership which has promoted STEM education pathways with programmes such as the McLaren Substitute Teacher series. By expanding the partnership to Extreme E, McLaren and Dell can continue to progress their united focus on promoting positive societal and environmental impact.

Alteryx became a partner of the McLaren Formula 1 team in 2021, providing an analytics automation solution to bring cutting-edge analytics and data science capabilities, delivering new insights and intelligence to the team. By expanding the partnership, Alteryx will now support the McLaren Extreme E race team as it looks to maximise performance in a new motorsport chapter.

Dell Technologies branding will be on the headlights of the No. 58 McLaren Extreme E race car, while Alteryx branding will be visible on the front headlights and rear tail lights of the No. 58 from the 2022 Desert X Prix in Saudi Arabia. Each respective brand will also be visible on the racing overalls of drivers Emma Gilmour and Tanner Foust, and on the McLaren Extreme E team kit.

Claire Cronin, Chief Marketing Officer, McLaren Racing, said:

“We’re delighted to expand our partnerships with Dell Technologies and Alteryx, two valued technology partners of the McLaren Formula 1 team. Extending these collaborations to join our McLaren Extreme E team means we can hit the ground running in a new race series with the support of familiar and trusted partners. 

“Racing in Extreme E is key for McLaren Racing’s efforts to elevate our sustainability and DE&I agenda, and we’re delighted that Dell and Alteryx are joining us on our journey.”

Liz Matthews, Senior Vice President of Global Brand, Dell Technologies, said:

“Our work with McLaren Racing goes beyond the racetrack. We have a responsibility to protect and enrich our planet, and we can’t do that without our customers and partners. We’re thrilled to expand our long-standing partnership with McLaren to drive the type of innovation that makes a lasting impact on our world.” 

Keith Pearce, Chief Marketing Officer, Alteryx, said:

“We are thrilled to extend our successful technology partnership with McLaren Racing – supporting the Formula 1 and Extreme E teams’ ability to analyze terabytes of racing data to deliver efficiencies at the the speed needed to maximize performance. Data-driven insights delivered through intelligent analytic automation will fuel the actionable decision-making that McLaren Racing needs to accelerate outcomes that make a meaningful impact across both motorsports.”

Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix Announces Hard Rock As First Founding Partner

South Florida Motorsports (SFM) and Hard Rock International announced today a multi-year Founding Partnership surrounding the Formula 1® Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix. Hard Rock is the existing naming rights partner of Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins NFL team, University of Miami football team and the Miami Open, whose home campus will host Formula 1® for the first time on May 6-8, 2022.

As a founding partner of the Formula 1® Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix, Hard Rock will have the unique opportunity to engage fans both onsite at the Miami International Autodrome and at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, home of the iconic Guitar Hotel. Part of the onsite activations for race weekend will include Hard Rock

Beach Club, which spans the area by turns 11, 12 and 13. A landmark feature of the campus, Hard Rock Beach Club will give guests a uniquely South Florida environment to enjoy all of the racing action, including a nearly 24,000 square-foot beach, resort-style pools and two levels of luxury cabanas plus special musical performances.

Located just 15 minutes from the Miami International Autodrome, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood will host the official kick-off party for race weekend on Thursday, May 5 and the official after parties of the Formula 1® Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix weekend. Known for its world-class entertainment, Hard Rock will bring globally recognized superstar acts to celebrate the inaugural race in Miami. A complete entertainment schedule across all Hard Rock venues will be announced at a later date.

Hard Rock will also receive enhanced brand awareness across the Formula 1® Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix digital network as well as TV-visible trackside signage.

To celebrate this special partnership, Hard Rock created a custom-made Formula 1® Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix light show theme on the façade of The Guitar Hotel. In a moment of connection across the city, both The Guitar Hotel and Hard Rock Stadium were illuminated in Formula 1® Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix colors and imagery. Video and photos of this unique moment, as well as renderings of Hard Rock Beach Club, are available to view and download here.

Jeremy Walls, Senior Vice President, Chief Revenue Officer of Hard Rock Stadium & Formula 1® Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix said: “We are excited to have Hard Rock’s global iconic brand as a founding partner of the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix.  The Hard Rock Beach Club will be a unique experience on the MIA campus, featuring International musical artists, and a high-energy Miami vibe with beach cabanas and resort-style pools.”

“Hard Rock is proud to partner with the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix on this international event,” said Jim Allen, Chairman of Hard Rock International. “With venues in 70 countries around the world, we welcome the spotlight right here in South Florida where our flagship Guitar Hotel is located.”

RLWC2021 And NuArca Labs Launches Digital Collectables Marketplace

Rugby League World Cup 2021 (RLWC2021) and their NFT Partner, NuArca Labs, have today (Feb 16) launched the Official Digital Collectables Marketplace, which sees the first RLWC2021 collectables (NFTs) becoming available online for fans globally. To mark the launch of this new online marketplace, the first 2,021 fans to create a RLWC2021 digital collectable account will receive a free commemorative NFT.

The first sets of collectable packs will become available for purchase online https://nft.rlwc2021.com/ in March. The first set will be called “The Power of Together” which focuses on the tournament’s trophies, nations, ambassadors, and hosts. The second set, “Rugby League World Cup: The Vault”, will be dropped at a later date and includes historical moments in previous World Cups, programmes and memorabilia. 

The collectables celebrate this year’s event as the biggest and best Rugby League World Cup as well as the history of the tournament. Taking a similar form to an online ‘sticker book’ where you can collect your favourite teams and players, fans will be able to acquire unique digital collectables, as well as purchase and trade them in the Marketplace.

Each pack, which will be available from £9.99, contains at least three NFTs and are easily shareable and tradable by fans. Designed by NuArca Labs, fans can buy the collectables with a credit card, or with cryptocurrency, and enjoy their digital collectables right away. They can play and keep track of the collectable challenges and display, share and trade the NFTs. Packs include fun challenges and the chance to win unique RLWC2021 experiences and merchandise, from merchandise discount to tickets, plus exclusive pitch-side moments during the tournament.

Fans can also look forward to a unique collectable pack that will become available at tournament time, which will focus on all action from the men’s, women’s and wheelchair tournaments taking place later this year. In addition to the collectable cards available within packs, RLWC2021 will be putting up for auction four key moments from Rugby League World Cup history that fans can bid on to become the exclusive owner.

Upon creation of their account the gifted commemorative NFT will appear on their ‘My Cards’ page within 48 hours as a badge of honour for their association with the tournament. These gifted commemorative collectables will not be included in on-sale packs or available to the general public.

Jon Dutton, Chief Executive of RLWC2021 commented: “Together with our partners NuArca Labs, we have created these digital experiences across a range of packs for our fans to enjoy. We have focused on being as inclusive as possible, ensuring our range of collectables can be purchased via a number of methods, and giving fans an additional way of interacting and owning a part of Rugby League history.”

Todd Cooper, CEO and Co-founder of NuArca Labs added: “These RLWC2021 digital collectables are made for the people who matter most – the fans. The Marketplace lets fans use the technology they’re already familiar with in their everyday lives and enables them to get even closer to the sport they love by owning a digital piece of the action.”

RLWC2021 kicks off on the October 15, 2022 and the Digital Collectables created by the tournament and NuArca Labs will champion the inclusivity and diversity of the tournament, with over 600 players representing 21 nations and participating in 61 matches.

Premiership Rugby Launches Match Streaming Service: PRTV Live

PRTV Live will give supporters the chance to watch all Gallagher Premiership Rugby matches not being broadcast on BT Sport or ITV, from Round 18 on Friday 25 February.

PREMIERSHIP Rugby is launching a new streaming service, PRTV Live, which means fans will be able to watch every Gallagher Premiership Rugby match live this season

  • A Match Pass is £4.99 to watch the game of your choice.
  • A Round Pass is £6.99 to watch all fixtures included for a round of Gallagher Premiership Rugby
  • All details from www.premiershiprugby.com/prtvlive

Starting this month as a pilot service, PRTV Live is streamed directly to fans via the Premiership Rugby mobile app and provides supporters with a comprehensive service. PRTV Live will show the games that are not broadcast by BT Sport or ITV, so fans will now have access to up to 480 minutes – eight hours – of pure rugby action over a weekend.

Simon Massie-Taylor, Chief Executive Officer at Premiership Rugby said:

“PRTV Live signals another step in our journey to grow the game and make Gallagher Premiership Rugby accessible to as many rugby fans as possible. Together with our partners BT Sport and ITV, PRTV Live will give supporters across the country the freedom to watch every game live, at home or on the go.

“Through this new platform, we want to create a deeper relationship with our current fans, who have asked us for this service and make the game as accessible as possible to new supporters. Having every match available to watch live is a crucial step forward for us.

“With 10 million rugby fans in England, PRTV Live will allow us to showcase the best of Gallagher Premiership Rugby to the widest possible audience, expanding our reach into the households of millions of other rugby fans. Not only that, but it’ll mean London Irish fans who can’t make the round trip of almost 600 miles to watch their team play Newcastle Falcons at Kingston Park, can still see the game live!”

The matches will be available to purchase via the Premiership Rugby website from 21 February 2022; the first matches will be streamed on the Premiership Rugby app on 25 February, kicking off with coverage of Bristol Bears v Wasps and Sale Sharks v London Irish, followed by Leicester Tigers v Gloucester Rugby and Newcastle Falcons v Bath Rugby the next day. From 25 March PRTV Live will also be available via desktop. A match pass will cost £4.99, and a full round pass will cost £6.99.

CGF Enter Exclusive Dialogue With Victoria, Australia On 2026 Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has entered an exclusive dialogue period with the State of Victoria in Australia and Commonwealth Games Australia (CGAus) to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games. 

The 2026 Games will be the 23rd edition of the major multi-sport competition, which first began in Hamilton, Canada in 1930. 

The CGF has been in discussions with multiple countries across the Commonwealth regarding hosting the 2026 Games, with negotiations accelerating following the launch of the 2026/30 Strategic Roadmap in October 2021. The Roadmap provides future hosts and sports with the renewed flexibility to be innovative and creative in delivering the Games.

Following ongoing discussions, the CGF, the Victorian Government and CGAus have signed a Heads of Agreement to formally enter an exclusive dialogue period to agree the parameters for a 2026 Commonwealth Games, to be hosted in the State in South-Eastern Australia.

Premier Daniel Andrews and the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula have confirmed that, if awarded, the 2026 Commonwealth Games would be hosted across the State. 

The Government and CGAus will now develop Victoria’s 2026 Commonwealth Games Submission. It will focus on a new way to host the Games, showing how events could be held in multiple locations across regional Victoria to showcase the best of what the State has to offer and ensure a uniquely Victorian experience for the athletes and spectators. The CGF will assess this submission prior to any decision being made to award the Games to Victoria.

Australia has staged the Commonwealth Games on five occasions, with Victoria playing host to the Melbourne 2006 Games; widely considered one of the most successful editions of the event in history.

The country has also staged the Games in Sydney in 1938, Perth in 1962, Brisbane in 1982 and most recently Gold Coast in 2018. The 2022 Commonwealth Games will be staged in Birmingham, England from 28 July – 8 August. 

Victoria is a world leading major events and tourism destination. The State has a strong track record for staging high profile sporting competition including The Australian Open tennis grand slam, the Melbourne Formula 1 Grand Prix and the Melbourne Cup. Victoria also regularly hosts elite cricket, golf and Australian Rules Football competition.  

Commonwealth Games Federation President Dame Louise Martin DBE said:

“We are pleased to have entered into an exclusive dialogue with Victoria and Commonwealth Games Australia to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Following months of positive discussions, it is clear that Victoria has an exciting vision for a future Games which will provide many benefits for the community whilst leaving a significant legacy for the state.

This vision is aligned with our 2026/30 Strategic Roadmap, which has proved to be a catalyst for positive and exciting conversations on how our event will look in four years’ time.

Victoria is one of the world’s greatest sporting States and there is no doubt it has the venues, infrastructure, and people to stage a world class edition of the Games. 

We are very excited to be working closely with Victoria and Commonwealth Games Australia to explore the potential staging of the event in the State.”

Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews said:

“Victoria is Australia’s sporting state, and, if awarded, the 2026 Commonwealth Games would demonstrate to the world a new way to deliver the competition. We would hope to have the majority of events in our regional cities – to display the best of Victoria, create jobs and housing and infrastructure that will deliver for the long term.”

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula said:

“Bringing the 2026 Commonwealth Games to Victoria will showcase our state globally, deliver major economic benefits and support jobs across our great state.”

Commonwealth Games Australia President Ben Houston said:

“Hosting Great Games is a key pillar in the Commonwealth Games Australia strategic plan and given our window for hosting the Games is 2026, we are thrilled to join the CGF in exclusive dialogue with Victoria to host the Commonwealth Games once again.

A home Games provides immeasurable benefits for our Member sports and athletes and we look forward to working with both the CGF and the Victorian Government to bring a final Games plan to life.”

Oracle Red Bull Racing Adds Bybit As Principle Team Partner

  • Cutting-edge cryptocurrency exchange platform Bybit joins the charge as Principal Team Partner in largest per annum cryptocurrency sports agreement to date.
  • Multi-year deal installs Bybit as the Team’s top tier ally behind Title Partner Oracle.
  • Bybit to also become Tech Incubator Partner, driving innovation through development of green technologies and focus on sustainability and inclusion programmes.
  • Partnership looks to boost fan engagement with scope for digital asset creation and social tokens in future.

Oracle Red Bull Racing are delighted to announce a wide-ranging partnership with leading cryptocurrency exchange platform Bybit, in a multi-year agreement, that represents the single largest per-annum cryptocurrency venture yet seen in international sport.  

Established in March 2018, Bybit has grown exponentially over the past four years and now boasts more than six million registered users worldwide. To recognise the scale of Bybit’s involvement, it will join the charge as Oracle Red Bull Racing’s Principal Team Partner, the first time such a partnership level has been created with the Team.

The new agreement will see Bybit work with the Team across a broad spectrum of its activities and in addition to its status as Principal Team Partner, the cryptocurrency leader will work with the Team in two expanded capacities – as exclusive Cryptocurrency Exchange Partner and as the Team’s Tech Incubator Partner.

As Tech Incubator Partner, Bybit will work with the Team on a range of crypto-inspired initiatives from crypto-literacy to promoting the growth of green technologies. The partners will also engage in the promotion of sustainability, diversity, STEM careers and recognition and support for women in blockchain as well as to introduce coding to new audiences.

The collaboration will also expand Oracle Red Bull Racing’s mission to grow fan engagement, with Bybit taking on the role of Fan Token Issuance Partner. This will give Bybit the scope, as a cryptocurrency trading platform, to support the Team with the distribution of its growing digital asset collections and also involve Bybit in education about the digital economy and its possibilities. Bybit’s core ethos is to support the Next Level of innovation, talent, and technology development – which aligns with Oracle Red Bull Racing’s own ambitions as the Team develops and expands their Red Bull Technology Campus in Milton Keynes.

Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Principal and CEO Christian Horner said:

“I’m delighted to welcome Bybit to the Team. It’s fitting too that, as we enter a new generation of competition of F1 in 2022, with an advanced and potentially game-changing new philosophy of cars taking to the track, that Bybit also exist at the cutting edge of technology. They share the Team’s passion to exist at the forefront of technological innovation, to set the competitive pace and to disrupt the status quo.

“Allied to that is Bybit’s commitment to enlivening the fan experience in F1 through digital innovation. This is also a key mission for the Team and Bybit’s assistance will help us build a deeper more immersive and unique connection with the team for fans around the world.”

Ben Zhou, co-founder and CEO of Bybit said:

“Oracle Red Bull Racing’s unique energy and creativity inspires us. The team has changed the game in the same way that digital assets have changed the global financial system. As a young platform we connect with Oracle Red Bull Racing at the core of our values — age doesn’t matter, hierarchy is of no significance, and legacy is not what is passed to you but what you make. Bull or bear, everyone has the opportunity to take financial freedom in their own hands at the dawn of the digital economy.

“Bybit has found our kindred spirit and the perfect harmony of speed, safety and reliability is everything our users are looking for on our platform. A moment on the track is made possible by tireless work to perfect the chassis, the engine, the craftsmanship, and by the racing drivers’ relentless pursuit for precision and focus in an adrenaline-fueled game.”

Socios.com Becomes The Official Fan Token Partner Of UEFA Club Competitions

UEFA is proud to announce that it has signed a Global Licensing and Regional Sponsorship agreement with Socios.com.

In doing so, Socios.com has become a Global Licensing Partner, making it an Official Licensed Product and the Official Fan Token Partner of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Europa Conference League and UEFA Super Cup. Additionally, Socios.com has become a Regional Sponsor of the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Super Cup for the 2021-2024 cycle in the United States. 

This new agreement follows a public RFP for blockchain-based products and will see Socios.com, the creators of Fan Tokens, become one of the first companies in the emerging blockchain space to partner with the governing body of football in Europe.

This new agreement will see Socios.com partner with UEFA to use their men’s club competition branding and exclusive experiences to further enhance the value of Socios’ Club Fan Tokens by awarding Club Fan Token holders with add-on Fan Tokens for UEFA men’s club competitions.

Through its UEFA Champions League Regional Sponsorship partnership, Socios.com will also benefit from brand exposure via Virtual Perimeter Boards, Broadcast Sponsorship Billboards, and Digital Sponsorship rights in the USA. 

“We are thrilled for a market leader like Socios.com to become UEFA’s first Fan Token partner,” said Guy-Laurent Epstein, UEFA marketing director.

“We are always looking for innovative partnerships, including with the growing cryptocurrency and blockchain-based fan engagement market. With rich experience working with some of the top sports organisations around the world, it is clear that partnering with Socios.com is an ideal fit. We look forward to a fruitful relationship over the course of the next three seasons.”

UEFA will reward Fan Token holders on Socios.com in various ways, including VIP trips to UEFA Season Kick-Off Events, the chance to visit UEFA’s HQ, virtual meet-and-greets with UEFA legends, match tickets, merchandise and memorabilia.

“This ground-breaking partnership is a result of UEFA and Socios.com’s shared commitment to embracing innovation and technology to enhance the fan experience in sport,” said Alexandre Dreyfus, CEO of Socios.com.

“Thanks to this new alliance, hundreds of millions of fans around the world will have the opportunity to become more than spectators and play active roles in the biggest club football competitions on the planet through Fan Tokens.”

Socios.com allows fans to purchase branded Fan Tokens from some of the world’s biggest and most renowned sports clubs. These Fan Tokens allow users to influence their teams via popular vote and become eligible for engagement-based team rewards and recognition.

To date, more than 120 major sporting organisations have partnered with Socios.com through Fan Tokens, including top football clubs, Formula 1, Ultimate Fighting Championship and various teams within the NHL, NBA, NFL and MLS.

McLaren Racing Announces Vantage As Official Partner Of The McLaren Extreme E (MX) Team, Plus Gopuff Partnership

McLaren Racing today announced a multi-year partnership with Vantage, the online trading platform, as an Official Partner of the McLaren Extreme E (MX) team from the 2022 season.

Vantage is a global, multi-asset broker offering clients access to a nimble and powerful service for trading Contract for Differences (CFDs) on Forex, Commodities, Indices, Shares, and Cryptocurrencies. The partnership marks the union of two brands who champion the empowerment of people, with Vantage valuing a trusting, human-focused approach to its services, and McLaren putting the fans at the heart of its team.

Vantage joins McLaren’s Extreme E programme for its debut season in the race series. Extreme E is the electric motor racing series which races in remote parts of the world to raise awareness of the issues of climate change.

The Vantage branding will be carried on the chassis side and roof of the McLaren Extreme E race car, and also on the racing overalls of drivers Emma Gilmour and Tanner Foust from the 2022 Desert X Prix in Saudi Arabia.

Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, said: 

“We’re delighted to partner with Vantage ahead of our first season competing in Extreme E. It’s crucial that we work with partners who reflect our team’s values, and Vantage shares our commitment to sustainability, innovation and performance. 

“Racing in Extreme E marks an exciting new chapter for McLaren Racing, and our partnership with Vantage supports us in taking this important step in expanding our racing portfolio while accelerating our learnings in sustainability.”

David Shayer, CEO, Vantage UK, said:

“The partnership with McLaren Racing is a big step for Vantage. The company values speed and innovation in the same way we do. Throughout the course of our rebrand, we did some soul searching about what kind of company we are. Now, as part of our expansion strategy, we decided to explore a sponsorship in a sport we felt would raise awareness of our upgraded services. 

“Considering we are a broker that provides unparalleled technology to allow for fast trading execution, it made sense to look at something in racing, which is when we discovered Extreme E and McLaren. It became clear immediately that there were some parallels between our brands and sectors, but we also decided we wanted to contribute to a sport that raised awareness of climate change as a means of showing our support for addressing this global issue.”

McLaren Racing announces partnership with instant delivery platform Gopuff

McLaren Racing has also announced a multi-year agreement with Gopuff, a US-based instant grocery and household essentials delivery service, as an Official Partner of the McLaren Formula 1 team. 

The multi-year agreement comes as Gopuff continues its rapid European expansion and will bring together the fastest in delivery with one of the most successful teams in motorsport to serve their growing customer base.  

The relationship will give fans the opportunity to win experiences and rewards via the Gopuff App throughout the year, with a key focus on races in the UK, US and France. 

Gopuff branding will be represented on the McLaren MCL36 race car during the 2022 Formula 1 season.

Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, said: 

“We are delighted to announce our partnership with Gopuff ahead of the 2022 season. Gopuff is the pioneer of the instant delivery category in the US, which has seen rapid global expansion over the past year along with remarkable growth in Europe. We look forward to collaborating on campaigns and going racing together”.

Daniel Folkman, SVP of Business, Gopuff, said:  

“Being the exclusive instant needs partner of McLaren Racing is a validation of just how quick, seamless and reliable the Gopuff experience is. Working with this prestigious race team creates a new opportunity to connect with our respective fans and customers and have some fun along the way.”