The National Football League’s (NFL) Kansas City Chiefs and The University of Kansas Hospital have announced a 10-year partnership that brings a comprehensive healthcare program to the team, encompassing its players, staff, and fans. 

Soon, it will include sports medicine access for the entire community, making it one of the first of its kind in the National Football League.

As the Official Healthcare Provider of the Chiefs, The University of Kansas Hospital will provide a complete team of physician specialists for the Chiefs covering virtually every aspect of healthcare. As an academic medical center, The University of Kansas Hospital and its clinical partners will work with the Chiefs to provide education and research for innovative advancement in sports-related health issues affecting athletes. In addition, the hospital will continue to manage and provide care in the First Aid Stations at Arrowhead Stadium events as it has for the past year.

Showcasing the integrated approach of the partnership, the Chiefs Training Facility will be renamed The University of Kansas Hospital Training Complex. Within the training complex, the hospital will open a sports medicine clinic to provide on-site medical personnel and equipment to Chiefs players. The sports medicine clinic will be open to the public, serving athletes of all ages.

Expected to open in summer 2013, full details regarding the clinic will be released at a later date.  The clinic will occupy space in the current complex that houses the club’s administrative offices and the team’s indoor and outdoor practice fields. 

“We are extremely excited to announce this partnership with The University of Kansas Hospital,” Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. “Health and safety are very important issues, not only for our players, but also for our staff and fans. We challenged ourselves to find the best healthcare solution, and we believe that we will receive first-class healthcare and attention from The University of KansasHospital.”

“With this partnership, our goal is to be a leader in comprehensive healthcare in the National Football League,” Chiefs President Mark Donovan said. “The combination of on-site care for our team, our staff, fans at Arrowhead and athletes and their families in the entire Kansas City region creates a very valuable resource for us all.”

“The University of Kansas Hospital is honored to partner with the Chiefs to bring an all-inclusive approach to team healthcare,” said Bob Page, President and CEO of The University of Kansas Hospital. “As a hospital and in partnership with our physicians, we are making a major commitment to orthopedics and sports medicine. Our goal, which we believe we achieve with this partnership, is to provide the Chiefs with the most innovative and comprehensive healthcare program in the NFL.”

The University of Kansas Hospital, which is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation’s best hospitals, opened its Center for Sports Medicine at its Kansas City, Kan. campus in August 2011. The hospital is also the Official Healthcare Provider for the Kansas City Royals, Sprint Center and Kansas Speedway.

Dubai based airline Emirates has entered the American market by becoming an official sponsor of the Boeing Classic, a top Champions Tour Event in the Seattle area.

Emirates, which launched a non-stop service from Seattle to Dubai earlier this year, is the largest operator of Boeing 777s in the world. Last year, the airline signed an agreement for an additional 50 Boeing 777-300ERs worth $18 billion at list price.

“Boeing is a great partner for Emirates both on and off the golf course and this new partnership sees us expand our long-standing commitment to golf around the world,” said Orhan Abbas, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations for the Americas. “The United States is a key expanding market for Emirates and we are proud to launch our first US based golf program with The Boeing Classic on the Champions Tour.”

Emirates currently flies to six US gateways: Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Seattle, and will launch a non-stop service to Washington, DC, in September 2012. The airline’s relationship with The Boeing Classic provides an important platform to raise awareness and engage with existing and potential customers. This year, Emirates will develop a number of activation programs which will give spectators the opportunity to find out more about the award-winning airline’s brand and products.

“We are proud to welcome Emirates as a new corporate partner of the Boeing Classic and their sponsorship showcases the company’s confidence in, and long-term commitment to, the Greater Seattle community,” commented Michelle DeLancy, Boeing Classic Tournament Director.

The centerpiece of Emirates’ program at the Boeing Classic will be the Emirates Youth Clinic on Tuesday August 21. The youth clinic will be hosted by two-time major champion Sandy Lyle and will entertain kids from local organizations including The First Tee, Encompass, and the YMCA. The Boeing Classic supports dozens of local charities in greater Seattle, raising nearly $3.7 million since its inception in 2005.

Die Ford-Werke GmbH bleiben auch in der aktuellen Saison 2012/2013 Premiumsponsor des 1. FC Köln. Die Partnerschaft zwischen Ford und dem 1. FC Köln besteht seit 1994 und damit seit mittlerweile 18 Jahren. Seit 1995 stellt das Unternehmen Fahrzeuge für Spieler, pills Trainer und das Management.

“Mit großer Freude verkünden wir, dass Ford und der 1. FC Köln die Zusammenarbeit der vergangenen Jahre weiter fortsetzen. Der deutsche Automobilhersteller und der Kölner Verein sind nicht nur historisch eng verbunden. Die gute und fruchtbare Kooperation der Vergangenheit hat auch gezeigt, dass hier zwei Partner am Werk sind, die sich gegenseitig stärken und unterstützen”, sagte Bernhard Mattes, Vorsitzender der Geschäftsführung der Ford-Werke GmbH, anlässlich der Verlängerung des Engagements.

Als Fahrzeugsponsor stellt der Kölner Hersteller den Spielern, Trainern und dem Management des Vereins Fahrzeuge der Modelle Ford Kuga, Mondeo, S-MAX und Galaxy zur Verfügung. Die Fahrzeuge sind an dem Schriftzug “FC powered by Ford” und dem blauen Ford-Oval zu erkennen. Darüber hinaus können weitere Fahrzeuge vergünstigt geleast werden. Sie kommen oftmals bei der Nachwuchsförderung zum Einsatz. Im Gegenzug erhält der Automobilhersteller TV-relevante Bandenwerbung im Stadion, Logopräsenz in den Medienbereichen und PR-Termine mit den Spielern.

Aber nicht nur auf geschäftlicher Ebene gibt es Verflechtungen zwischen beiden Partnern: “Auch ich persönlich – als langjähriger Fan und Mitglied des Verwaltungsrats des 1. FC Köln – unterstütze die Entscheidung, das Sponsoring-Engagement zu verlängern, von ganzem Herzen. Denn nicht nur die Geschäftsführung der Ford-Werke GmbH ist mit dem Verein eng verbunden, auch unter den Ford-Mitarbeitern finden sich zahlreiche treue Fans des Clubs”, erklärte der Ford-Deutschlandchef. “Ich wünsche der jungen Mannschaft und dem Trainerteam daher viel Erfolg in der aktuellen Saison und freue mich auf begeisternden und leidenschaftlichen Fußball.”

National Rugby League Canberra Raiders will begin the 2013 season with their most lucrative playing uniform of all time.

The Raiders will sport a strip  with an extraordinary (Au) $1.7M in sponsorship branding” — the most the club has ever received for uniform sponsorship.

The Raiders have renewed their sponsorship deal with Local Liquor, which will switch from the jersey sleeves to the shorts this year in a deal worth an estimated (Au) $180,000 per year.

Canberra’s major sponsorship agreement with Chinese technology company Huawei will increase to (Au)$1M in funding next season, complementing new sleeve sponsor Defence Housing Australia ($350,000) and back-of-shorts sponsor ACTTAB (Au $85,000). For the first time in a decade, the Raiders uniform will not carry the logo of foundation sponsor Canberra Milk.

However, Canberra Milk GM, Garry Sykes helped the Raiders secure the deal with Local Liquor and will maintain a $180,000 per year interest in the Raiders for the next three years. And it has not stopped yet, with the Raiders reportedly set to announce a new $100,000-a-year jersey sponsorship on the top of the chest. {jcomments on}

Honda (UK) has joined the ISPS Handa Ladies British Masters as the official vehicle sponsor of the golf tournament.

The Ladies European Tour event, pharmacy will take place between 16-18 August at the Buckinghamshire Golf Club, tadalafil located just outside of London.

The new Honda CR-V, Civic and Accord are the vehicles of choice for ensuring players, officials and VIPs get to where they need to be in comfort throughout the three day event. These spacious and versatile cars will provide plenty of room to carry passengers along with golf clubs and other golfing equipment with room to spare. Honda will also be providing visitors of all ages with some extra entertainment in the form of the thrilling S2000 simulator.

Andrew White, Chief Executive of event promoter, WSM Communications said “We are delighted to have Honda on board to support the ISPS Handa Ladies British Masters. It was important that we have a fleet of cars which have room to transport our passengers as well as golf clubs and equipment safely and securely and the Honda Accord, Civic and CR-V fit these needs perfectly.”

Electronics giant, Hitachi has become exclusive premium partner for the newly promoted Fortuna Düsseldorf.

The contract was signed with Infront Sports & Media, marketing partner to the promoted team, and runs for three years. The partnership was announced today at a press conference. Tomorrow, at Fortuna’s preparation game against the reigning Portuguese cup winners and vice champions S.L. Benfica, Hitachi will be visibly present for the first time in the ESPRIT arena.

As a premium partner, Hitachi is entering directly into the second highest level of sponsorship at Fortuna Düsseldorf and will benefit from an extensive brand presence around the club. The package brokered by Infront provides attractive advertising space in the ESPRIT arena, including rotating and static boards in camera view. In addition, the company will receive promotional opportunities around the team together with a comprehensive ticket and hospitality contingent.

Akira Shimizu, Managing Director of Hitachi Europe, said, “Hitachi Europe has a strong presence in Dusseldorf and we feel an affinity towards Fortuna Düsseldorf football club, which enjoys strong support from the citizens of the city. The club is making a worthy return to the Bundesliga this season, and we have high expectations that it will breathe new life into Germany’s national sport. I look forward to sharing the club’s success with the success of Hitachi Group companies in Europe.”

Peter Frymuth, CEO of Fortuna Düsseldorf, added: “Through this partnership with Hitachi, one of the world’s largest companies has been secured to stand alongside our ambitious club. The long-term commitment, stretching beyond the current season, demonstrates Hitachi’s confidence in our club and in our team. Fortuna Düsseldorf’s surge in popularity and the strong media attention surrounding the Bundesliga will help us to repay that trust. In addition, this partnership positively reflects the efforts of the club’s dedicated ‘Japan desk’ in Düsseldorf – as it is one of the biggest Japanese communities in Germany.”

Ralf Koslowski, Managing Director of Infront Germany, said: ”The Bundesliga is the platform with the widest reach for brand communication in Germany and the fans are already looking forward to Fortuna Düsseldorf’s comeback in the German top tier league. With the ESPRIT arena, Düsseldorf has a state-of-the-art stadium – perfect conditions for Hitachi to build increased brand awareness in the German market. This additional high-profile sponsorship commitment once again confirms the successful development of the club and the marketing direction we are taking together.”

The Miami Dolphins have announced a comprehensive marketing and community partnership agreement with Doctors Hospital Center for Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, denture a division of Baptist Health South Florida.

The partnership includes the naming rights to the team’s training facility in Davie, Florida. Beginning today, the complex will be officially known as the Doctors Hospital Training Facility at Nova Southeastern University.

“As the Dolphins hold their 20th anniversary training camp on the campus of Nova Southeastern University, it is a great honor to expand our relationship with Doctors Hospital,” said Miami Dolphins CEO Mike Dee. “The common vision that our two organizations share with respect to athletics and community initiatives makes this progression of our three-year relationship a natural next step. Doctors Hospital is one of South Florida’s most revered brands in the field of sports medicine, and we are proud to have their name on our Training Facility.”

The multi-year partnership with the local South Florida company will also entail exclusive exposure throughout the team’s facility, including the main entrance, back facility walls, indoor practice field and media backdrops. Doctors Hospital will also be prominently placed on the team’s practice jerseys during the 2012 regular season.

“Doctors Hospital Center for Orthopedics & Sports Medicine is proud to partner with the Miami Dolphins in this venture,” said Doctors Hospital CEO Nelson Lazo. “This collaboration is a natural fit, joining two organizations that share the same commitment to our community.  The training facility is also a great way for us to support our local athletes and put focus on the importance of good conditioning.”

Doctors Hospital and Baptist Health South Florida will also have signage at Sun Life Stadium and will partner with several of the team’s community initiatives, including FinsWeekend, Alumni Weekend and the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce kickoff luncheon on August 28 at Jungle Island in Miami Beach.

Germany’s leading poultry brand, WIESENHOF has become the new main and shirt sponsor of SV Werder Bremen in a two-year deal.

“For us, the extensive advertising opportunities available as a main sponsor will build an important part of WIESENHOF brand communications,” says Dr. Ingo Stryck, Managing Director of Marketing at WIESENHOF. “We are convinced that the club will continue to make history in the Bundesliga and are delighted that from now on we will be a part of the success story.”

Klaus Filbry, Managing Director, Management and Finance at SV Werder Bremen, said: “We are delighted that with WIESENHOF we have secured a main sponsor from the Werder region for the first time. As a market leader, WIESENHOF continues the tradition of successful companies being associated with Werder. Our partner has made a courageous decision to enter into this sponsorship – choosing a very public platform. This shows how serious WIESENHOF is in terms of being a transparent company.”

The partnership was negotiated by Werder’s marketing partner, the international sports marketing company Infront Sports & Media. Ralf Koslowski, Managing Director of Infront Germany, added: “With WIESENHOF we have, after intense negotiations with several interested parties, secured a successful German brand with long tradition as the main sponsor for SV Werder Bremen. Both brands stand for entrepreneurial continuity and economic success, high reliability and sustainability. This is not least why they fit perfectly together.”

In the future, the Bundesliga team, the coaching staff and the U-11 to U-23 teams of the green-white club will wear the WIESENHOF logo on their chest. In addition, the green of the WIESENHOF logo and brand will shine at all home games in the Weser stadium. Besides other advertising spots, it will be positioned on the 240-meter-long LED board that runs along the length of the pitch as well as on the static second advertising board row and the four Cam Carpets next to the goals. The sponsorship ensures WIESENHOF a comprehensive logo presence both in and out of camera view, for example on the team coach, the training ground and in publications as well as through the websites of SV Werder Bremen.

Expedia, click the world’s largest online travel agency, has signed a deal to become the Official Sponsor of Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMO).

The deal will see the Expedia brand appear on the shirts of match officials at the Barclays Premier League, the npower Football League, The FA Cup with Budweiser, the Capital One Cup and other domestic, professional matches.

The partnership delivers a range of designation and promotional rights, including shirt and training-wear branding on all professional match referees, assistant referees and fourth officials, branding and accreditation on all publicity material, PGMO and all governing body websites, as well as match official and refereeing inventory.

The one year sponsorship will kick off this Sunday, at the Community Shield at Villa Park. The partnership gives Expedia access to over 2,500 professional football matches, with an estimated cumulative global TV audience in excess of five billion. 

Andrew Warner, Senior Marketing Director of Expedia EMEA said: “We’re proud to be the new sponsors of match officials. As the world’s largest online travel agent it seemed logical to associate with a sport that has a truly global audience. Travel represents one of the biggest online purchases an individual will make and this partnership celebrates the fact that, at its heart, Expedia supports good decision making. Both sporting and travel decisions can carry huge financial and emotional implications. At Expedia we have helped travellers make good decisions for over fifteen years and welcome the newly formed association with some of the highest profile decision makers from the world of sport.” 

PGMO General Manager Mike Riley said: “We are very pleased to welcome Expedia as PGMO’s new official sponsor, the support of partners significantly helps in the training and development of officials at all levels of the game. We have a world class team of decision makers in the Select Group, which is why there have been over 80 FIFA and UEFA international appointments for Select Group referees in the past year. We are also one of only three European nations with three Elite FIFA referees: Howard Webb and Martin Atkinson have respectively taken charge of UEFA Champions League and Europe League semi- finals, and now we have Mark Clattenburg officiating the Olympic Men’s Final. With the standard of officiating improving season on season, it’s a good time for Expedia to partner with us.” 

Expedia, which offers access to 300 airlines and 150,000 hotels together with advanced tools to help travellers make the right decisions, will use additional marketing spend to reinforce the positive impact of good decision making, highlighting how online travel technology has empowered people to take control of their own travel experiences. Through the partnership Expedia hopes to connect with customers and highlight how it can help people to make the right travel decisions for their unique needs. 

 

The German champions and cup winners Borussia Dortmund and the most successful football video game series, treat EA SPORTS FIFA have agreed a new partnership for the new season

The EA SPORTS Fanbank will be seen in the coming season at all 17 home games of the Bundesliga Dortmund at the Signal Iduna Park. 

“We are pleased that EA SPORTS known as a competent, creative partner and the brand par excellence in the virtual football are still on our side,” said Carsten Cramer, Director of Sales & Marketing of Borussia Dortmund.

“I can report that our players are excited for years by the realistic soccer simulation by Electronic Arts. Not a day passes without some of the guys that compete on the console. And now everyone is looking forward to FIFA 13,” he added.

“Borussia Dortmund have been impressive the past two successful seasons and have played modern and attractive football, “said Dirk Schülgen, Marketing Director CEE at Electronic Arts. “Our continuing partnership intensified EA SPORTS combining virtual and real football. Together with the BVB we will continue to delight football fans and still have an attractive partner for joint operations around the football.”

EA SPORTS FIFA like no other game has virtual links with the real football. Since 1994, the soccer simulation series brings the fascination of football into the living rooms of fans and, thanks to continuous further development is an authentic and unique gaming experience. EA SPORTS FIFA 13 will be released on 27 September 2012 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation 2, PSP, PSVita, Nintendo 3DS, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch.