Reigning Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart has lost his primary sponsor for next season.

Office Depot, which was one of the team’s first sponsors and adorned Stewart’s car when he clinched last season’s title in a tiebreaker over Carl Edwards in the final race, will not renew its contract as primary sponsor on the No. 14 team, SHR spokesman Mike Arning said Sunday. The team is in discussions with the company regarding possible future roles.

“The decision to significantly curtail our relationship with Stewart-Haas Racing was very difficult and one that we did not take lightly. However, the changing business landscape warrants a realignment of priorities and resources,” said Mindy Kramer, senior director of communications for Office Depot.

“That being said, Tony Stewart has been an exceptional ambassador for our brand, and he has gone above and beyond in everything that he has done for our company. Being a part of his legendary 2011 championship run was a moment of tremendous pride for everyone at Office Depot. Regardless of what kind of role we’ll have with Tony and SHR, our support for them will not change. The Office Depot family will always be with Smoke, cheering him on to many more championships.”

Office Depot, slated to back more than 20 races this year on the No. 14, was one of the first sponsors to join forces with Stewart when the now-three-time NASCAR champion left Joe Gibbs Racing to form his own team beginning in 2009. The company’s departure leaves Mobil 1, which is backing about 15 races this season on Stewart’s vehicle, as the No. 14 team’s largest sponsor remaining for next year

Office Depot’s departure also comes as the organization is searching for a sponsor to keep Ryan Newman in the No. 39 car for 2013, given that the U.S. Army chose earlier this year to pull out of NASCAR sponsorship under pressure from two members of U.S. Congress. At the moment, the lone fully funded car for next season at SHR stands to be that of current full-time Nationwide driver Danica Patrick, who is on track to bring GoDaddy.com up to the sport’s highest level.

In an ESPN pre-race interview from Atlanta, Stewart commented on the loss of Office Depot.

“It’s going to be hard to lose them,but it’s a good spot for someone [else],” Stewart said.

“Starting the weekend with a pole, there’s no better way to show everybody what Stewart-Haas is about.”

Tottenham Hotspur FC today announced that StubHub, the world’s largest secondary ticketing marketplace, will become the Club’s first official secondary ticketing partner.

This three-year partnership will see StubHub, an eBay Inc. Company, receive brand exposure around White Hart Lane over the course of the coming season, ahead of launching a full ticket resale market for the 2013-14 season. StubHub will spend this season working closely with the Club to inform fans on how the model will work and to ensure a seamless ticket selling, buying and match-day experience for fans.

The resale element of the partnership will launch ahead of the 2013/14 season and enable season ticket holders to sell those match tickets they are unable to use to other Spurs fans once the Club has sold all its general admission tickets. There is no charge to list a ticket and all purchases are backed by StubHub’s FanProtect™ Guarantee – assuring fans that they will get the tickets they paid for, in time for the game, or receive replacements of equal/greater value or a full refund.

Commenting on this announcement Tracey Keenan, Head of Global Partnerships, Tottenham Hotspur said: “We’re delighted that StubHub is set to become one of our official partners and are looking forward to helping develop its brand internationally.

“StubHub enjoys enormous popularity with fans of all sports in the United States and this is built on an understanding that the fan experience is paramount – a principle we share at Tottenham Hotspur.”

Nick Harford, Head of International Business Development at StubHub added: “Just six months into our launch in the UK and days into the new season we are delighted to add Tottenham Hotspur to our roster of great, industry-changing partnerships. With more than a decade devoted to serving fans in the US across sports, music and live entertainment we are now looking to bring our fan-focused approached to the UK market.

“Our partnership with Tottenham Hotspur puts the power back into the hands of the season ticket holder, allowing them to set the price of the ticket they sell to other fans. We pride ourselves on our customer service, going above and beyond to ensure that both buyers and sellers are happy. We look forward to a great partnership in the coming seasons.”

Online sports betting and gaming business Williamhill.com has signed a two-year deal with the Scottish FA to become an official supporter of the Scotland national football team.

The company already sponsors the William Hill Scottish Cup and is the official betting partner of the Scottish Premier League. 

“It’s really exciting to be involved with the Scottish national team,” said William Hill chief marketing officer Kristof Fahy. “The road to Rio is going to be fascinating – and we’re hoping to support the Scottish national team all the way to a place in the World Cup finals in 2014.”

Campbell Ogilvie, president of the Scottish FA, said William Hill had now cemented its places as one of the biggest supporters of Scottish football.

The deal, which comes into immediate effect, will see William Hill benefit from a wide range of sponsorship rights, including advertising, branding, hospitality and exclusive Scotland imagery and content.

Caterham F1 Team has confirmed that EADS, the global aerospace and defence group corporation, has joined the team as Official Partner, with its logos appearing on the CT01 2012 race cars and across the whole team from the Belgian Grand Prix. 

EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. The Group comprises commercial and military aircraft maker Airbus, the European leader in space programmes Astrium, defence and security systems provider Cassidian and helicopter maker Eurocopter. In 2011, EADS generated revenues of €49.1 billion and employed a workforce of over 133,000. 

Team Principal of Caterham F1 Team, Tony Fernandes: “I am absolutely delighted that EADS has joined our team and I want to welcome them into our F1 family as Official Partner. EADS joins not only our F1 team but the whole Caterham Group as we evolve from an F1 team into the wider automotive and specialist consultancy service that the various arms of Caterham Group represent.

“The partnership with EADS and Caterham F1 Team is the first of a number of exciting announcements we will be making about projects that various arms of the Caterham Group are working with EADS on. Right now Caterham Composites and Caterham Technology and Innovation are involved in programs that utilise the specialist skills that both companies have in composite design and manufacturing, including a revolutionary lightweight aircraft seat and an in-flight entertainment system that will showcase the benefits composite materials provide on a global scale.

“This is a very exciting announcement and one that shows that world leading companies like EADS see the value that can be created from a partnership with Caterham Group and its various arms.” 

“We are proud to be associated with the Caterham F1 Team and hope this will enhance a very fruitful partnership between EADS and the wider Caterham Group,” said Tom Enders, Chief Executive Officer of EADS. ” With the range of skills and experience we now have at our disposal in both EADS and the various arms of Tony’s automotive, technology and consultancy businesses, I am confident that there will be many more opportunities to be looked at over the coming months and years that will showcase the potential our two companies have.”

Prince Global Sports, a leading tennis equipment and footwear company, announced today it has renewed a partnership with #1 ranked American tennis player, John Isner, who will continue to use his Prince EXO³ Warrior 100 racquet, and wear Prince footwear.

Since 1994, Isner has played with Prince products and continues to choose the leading tennis equipment and footwear brand to help take his career to the next level.

Active Brands Company, an Omaha based company, formed Prince Global Sports in 2012 as a wholly owned subsidiary to acquire all of the operating assets from Prince Sports, Inc. and exclusive global rights to the Prince brand from Authentic Brands Group with the exception of certain Asian markets.

“The company is committed to strengthening its long-term relationships within the global tennis community and to that end we are thrilled to have Isner, a 2012 US Open contender, as a part of the Prince organization and continuing his use of Prince products to support his game,” said John Schuele, Vice Chairman of Prince Global Sports.

Since his professional career began in 2007, Isner, the #1 ranked American tennis player, has been recognized as one of the future stars of American tennis. In 2012, his wins over Top 10 players include Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Janko Tisparevic.

Isner is also the winner of the longest professional tennis match in history – a 5 set, 11 hour, 5 minute marathon – over Nicolas Mahut at Wimbledon in 2010.

“I’m really excited to continue to work with Prince,” said John Isner. “I’ve been playing with Prince racquets since I was 9 years old, it’s the tool that I am comfortable with on the court.”

“Our group has had many positive discussions with the new owners and management of Prince Global over the past several weeks,” said Isner’s manager, Sam Duvall, of Lagardère Unlimited. “It is great to see the energy and passion that is going to be injected into Prince, one of the most long-standing brands in our sport.”

“Our partnership with John is a natural fit,” said Tyler Herring, head of Product Development for Prince Global Sports. “Our goal is to develop product that will improve each and every player’s game and John will be an integral part of this process moving forward.”

Die Corporate Planning AG wird zur Saison 2012/2013 Hauptsponsor des U-23 Teams, anesthetist sowie offizieller Nachwuchspartner des Hamburger SV. Bestandteil der Kooperation ist neben dem Sponsoring die Unterstützung der “Young Talents” durch die Bereitstellung von Praktikums- und Ausbildungsplätzen. Weiterhin bleibt Corporate Planning offizieller Statisik-Presenter in der Imtech Arena.

Als Symbol für eine erfolgreiche Fortsetzung einer langjährigen Partnerschaft überreichte HSV Vorstand Joachim Hilke am 17.08.2012 im Beisein von U23 Trainer Rodolfo Cardoso, dem Jugendkoordinator Bastian Reinhardt und dem Kapitän der U-23 ein Trikot an Peter Sinn, Vorstand der Corporate Planning AG.

Sinn: “Ich freue mich sehr, dass wir diese tolle Idee unterstützen können und drücke die Daumen, dass die handelnden Personen mit sportlicher und sozialer Kompetenz, Engagement und Herzblut den vielen Talenten weiterhelfen, und dass in Zukunft attraktiver und erfolgreicher Fußball gelebt wird.”

“Der Nachwuchs ist unsere Zukunft. In ihn müssen und möchten wir investieren. Deswegen freuen wir uns sehr über die Unterstützung des seit Jahrzehnten erfolgreichen Unternehmens Corporate Planning, mit dem wir schon seit vielen Jahren so positiv zusammenarbeiten”, so Hilke.

Corporate Planning ist ein führender Anbieter für Software zur Unternehmenssteuerung. Dazu gehören Lösungen für das Controlling in mittelständischen Unternehmen genauso wie spezielle Anwendungen zur Planung (Budgetierung), Datenanalyse und für das Reporting (Berichtswesen).

Deutsche Bank has Extended it’s title sponsorship of it’s PGA Tour event by a further four years until 2016.

The announcement comes as the Deutsche Bank Championshipt, the second of four FedExCup Playoff events, celebrates its 10 anniversary this week.

Deutsche Bank has been title sponsor since the tournament’s Labor Day Weekend debut at TPC Boston in 2003. EMC Corporation also has renewed as the local presenting sponsor through 2016. 

“We are extremely proud of the success and positive impact the Deutsche Bank Championship has had over these first 10 years,” said Seth Waugh, CEO of Deutsche Bank Americas. “The tournament’s growth and ascension to the FedExCup Playoffs is a testament to the great fans of New England and terrific partnership with the PGA TOUR and Tiger Woods Foundation, as well as EMC as the local presenting sponsor. We are delighted to announce the continuation of our title sponsorship through 2016.”

Since its inception, the Deutsche Bank Championship has generated more than $20 million for charity. The Tiger Woods Foundation serves as the tournament’s host organization and primary beneficiary and the event also benefits many charities throughout New England via various events, programs and its Birdies for Charity initiative.

“Deutsche Bank has been a valuable partner of the PGA TOUR and the Tiger Woods Foundation over the past decade and has helped to generate a significant impact on the region’s economy and charities through its sponsorship of the Deutsche Bank Championship,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem. “With today’s announcement, the Deutsche Bank Championship will continue its positive influence throughout the region and maintain its important role in the FedExCup Playoffs. We sincerely thank and congratulate Deutsche Bank for this new four-year commitment.” 

Traditionally concluding on Labor Day Monday, the Deutsche Bank Championship was elevated to a Playoff tournament when the FedExCup was introduced in 2007. It has provided outstanding drama over its first nine years, including a memorable introduction as a Playoff event. That year featured a classic Monday showdown between Phil Mickelson and defending champion Tiger Woods, with Mickelson eventually winning by two strokes. Woods would go on to capture the FedExCup title. 

The following year, Vijay Singh dominated the tournament with a five-stroke victory and virtually sealed the FedExCup title. Steve Stricker won by one stroke in 2009 and then Charley Hoffman equaled Singh’s dominating performance with a five-stroke victory in 2010. Last year provided one of the tournament’s most dramatic finishes, as Webb Simpson holed a long birdie putt on the 72^nd hole to tie Chez Reavie, and then made birdies on the first two playoff holes to claim the title. Simpson begins his title defense on Friday.

Betting firm, Betfair is to sponsor Europa League football on ESPN, which has also signed major deals with Land Rover and Amlin, the insurer, to back its rugby coverage.

The Betfair sponsorship starts on 30 August and will continue throughout the Europa League season, covering all live matches, repeats and highlights shows. 

Arena Media, Betfair’s agency, negotiated the deal, which also includes sponsorship of the Europa League section on ESPNFC.com.

Land Rover is to sponsor the Aviva Premiership on ESPN and Sky Sports. On ESPN, this will include all live coverage, highlights packages, end-of-season shows and repeats, as well as a prominent presence on the rugby website ESPNscrum.com. The Land Rover deal was brokered by Mindshare and Duke & Earl will develop the idents.

Separately, Amlin has signed a deal to sponsor all archive rugby programming on ESPN Classic, through a deal negotiated by MEC.

Sky Pro Cycling have strengthened their British allegiance by choosing Rapha over adidas as their official clothing provider from 2013, impotent in a four year deal.

As part of the agreement, apoplectic Rapha will develop a full collection of high-end racing and training kit and off-bike dress for both riders and staff.

Simon Mottram, advice founder and CEO of Rapha, said: “We are delighted that, after only eight years as a business, we have been chosen by Team Sky, the world’s number one team, as their partner. We share their passion for performance and team ethic and are enthusiastic to inspire and engage a wider fan base around the globe.”

Dave Brailsford, Team Principal of Sky Pro Cycling, added: “Team Sky has achieved this year’s level of success because of a strong and steady vision to find improvement at every level to help our riders win. I see Rapha joining us next year as another step in that direction. They share our ambition and vision for cycling.”

Rapha currently equips the Rapha Condor Sharp team, a UCI Continental team co-founded by Rapha.

National Rugby League (NRL) team, Melbourne Storm have renewed their sponsorship with Melbourne’s iconic resort, Crown for a further year.

The announcement sees two of Melbourne’s icons continue to forge a partnership that once again underlines the city’s status as Australia’s sports and entertainment capital.

As part of the partnership, the well-recognised Crown logo will continue to be displayed on the much coveted front of jersey position on all Melbourne Storm’s playing apparel. In addition, extending the agreement will provide Melbourne’s only NRL club with a superior off field home for its extensive national fan and membership base.

Crown Melbourne Chief Executive Officer, Greg Hawkins, said, “Supporting Melbourne Storm by extending this sponsorship agreement will assist in further delivering our strategy of attracting more interstate visitors to Crown in Melbourne.”

Commenting on the partnership, Melbourne Storm Chief Executive Officer, Ron Gauci, said: “Melbourne Storm is delighted to see the club’s partnership with Crown enter into its third year; it is a strong brand fit for Melbourne Storm and one that has offered an exceptional home away from home for Melbourne Storm fans and supporters.”

Melbourne Storm is one of Australia’s leading rugby league clubs, boasting a supporter base of over 1.6 million Australians. In the most recent gemba Asset Study, Melbourne Storm generated the highest levels of awareness and likeability of any NRL club nationally.

In 2012, Melbourne Storm has broken its membership record by over 30% and is tracking to increase its media exposure for Crown by nearly 10%.

As Australia’s leading luxury integrated resort, Crown attracts over 18 million local, interstate and international visitors each year. Crown is a major tourist destination in Melbourne and is a strong supporter of Victoria’s Major Events program.