Japanese powerhouses Honda have signed on to sponsor the Vierschanzentournee (Four Hills ski tournament).

Infront Sports & Media, seek marketing partner of the Vierschanzentournee, remedy has secured a two year partnership with the largest motor manufacturer in the world. In addition to the main sponsorship around the four traditional jumps in Oberstdorf, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Innsbruck and Bischofshofen, Honda will support the Vierschanzentournee as Official Car Partner with a fleet that includes new Honda CR-V vehicles.

Honda will receive an extensive advertising presence at all four venues of the Vierschanzentournee – including exposure on the state-of-the-art LED advertising boards in the stadium and on the starting numbers of the athlete’s bibs at the opening event in Oberstdorf. The vehicle manufacturer is also granted with the right to incorporate the Vierschanzentournee brand in its own communication activities. 

In addition, Honda will display their latest model – a Honda CR-V – highly visible in the run-out zone of the ski jumps. The overall winner of the Vierschanzentournee will be loaned the sport utility vehicle for a specific time period. In addition, each of the four events will be supplied with a further 15 Honda CR-Vs used as an official travel service for the athletes, officials and VIP guests. 

Gerald Heinecke, Deputy General Manager Advertising/PR Honda Motor Germany, said: “The Vierschanzentournee, with its spectacular jumps and thrilling competitions, attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators each year on television and in the stadiums. In German-speaking countries it is the undisputed highlight of winter sports at the turn of the year – and therefore the right platform for us to increase awareness of the Honda brand and the new Honda CR-V model in this important market significantly. We have deliberately chosen to activate our involvement not only as a Car Partner but also as Main Sponsor in order to build the strongest bond possible between Honda and the Vierschanzentournee.”

Alfons Schranz, President of the Vierschanzentournee, added: “Honda, as a Japanese company, originates in a country where the sport of ski jumping enjoys high popularity. The brand fits perfectly with our competition and we are confident that Honda will be able to use the high international reach of ski jumping – accumulating up to 200 million viewers – for pushing their own brand identity. We are pleased that Honda has opted for a substantial and multi-year commitment.”

English Premier League side Everton FC have announced it has signed a one-year deal with EA SPORTS, allergist following last season’s successful partnership.

The renewed deal will secure EA SPORTS as the Club’s official gaming partner for the 2012/13 season and as part of the partnership, price Evertonians will be able to download a special Everton sleeve for FIFA 13 on launch of the game on 28 September. Exclusive Everton digital content will also be available throughout the season.

As an additional benefit of the partnership Blues supporters can enjoy pre-match action in the EA SPORTS Dugout when it returns to Goodison Park for key fixtures throughout this term, sale including the visits of Southampton and Arsenal.

The special unit, which features two large dugout-style seats and contains PS3 consoles and iPads, will give fans the chance to try out the latest EA SPORTS games, including FIFA 13.

The Dugout will also visit Finch Farm during the season to host a pro-player tournament in a bid to determine which player is best at FIFA 13.

Everton Chief Executive Robert Elstone said: “We’re delighted to announce an extension to our agreement with EA SPORTS as an Official Club Partner. EA SPORTS are a fantastic brand to be associated with, they have a long standing relationship with the Premier League and we’re delighted to be able to continue our partnership at an individual Club level too.”

EA SPORTS Head of UK Product Marketing, Dan Holman, said:  “We are delighted to be renewing our partnership with Everton for another year. We’ve built firm relationships with both the club and fans and are looking forward to delivering a wide range of new and engaging initiatives throughout the coming season.”

When FIFA 13 is launched on 28 September supporters will be able to buy it with a special limited edition Everton cover from Everton One and Everton Two, and will have the chance to ‘upload their best FIFA 13’ goals during the season to win great prizes.

Taiwanese tire brand, click Maxxis Tires has jumped ship along with Jeremy Lin to Houston Rockets.

A company that became a sponsor of the New York Knicks thanks to “Linsanity” is following Jeremy Lin to Houston.

The company says it will be guaranteed one minute of television exposure through courtside LED signage during Rockets home games and, price as part of its contract, sale gets to sponsor a promotional night.

This past February, as the Asian-American point guard captivated the nation, Maxxis signed a deal with the Knicks.

Having a tire company sponsor the Rockets keeps the car theme going. The Rockets play in the Toyota Center and Lin himself is sponsored by Volvo.

Orrcon Steel have downgraded their sponsorship of Ford Performance Racing (FPR) going into the 2013 V8 Supercar Championship.

The steel company will wind back its involvement and no longer be naming-rights sponsor of Mark Winterbottom’s #5 Falcon.

Orrcon Steel, viagra sale which has been naming-rights backer of the #5 car at FPR since 2007 with Winterbottom at the wheel, and previously supported Larkham Motorsport and WPS Racing, will remain with the team in a reduced capacity.

“Orrcon Steel has been a loyal partner of our team for many years and while it is disappointing they will no longer be a naming rights partner, we are very happy we will continue our strong relationship,” said FPR Team Principal Tim Edwards.

“Orrcon Steel is the benchmark in trackside activation and must be applauded for their efforts as for the last decade they’ve kept raising the bar year-on-year and with it the profile of V8 Supercars.

“We look forward to their continued support though we are obviously focused on who will replace them as well as Tradingpost. There has been a high level of interest and we are pleased with how things are progressing.”

Orrcon Steel Managing Director, Leon Andrewartha, says the company is proud of its relationship with FPR and said the decision in no way was shaped by the team’s 2012 results.

“Orrcon Steel has enjoyed a successful relationship with FPR and Mark Winterbottom and that is why we are staying on with the team, albeit in a reduced capacity from next season,” he said.

“The team is enjoying its best ever season so our decision is in no way related to their performance.

“As a company we need to focus our efforts on our core business and after 11 years in the series we feel our program has reached its maturity.”

The Australian Open Squash Championships have announced HI-TEC Sports as the major sponsor of the 2012 HI-TEC Australian Open.

The HI-TEC Australian Open in Canberra will showcase world class squash, with over 100 of the best men and women competing to be the champion of this historic and prestigious title. The event will be played on the CSR Viridian Centre Court, an all-glass squash court in the Royal Theatre that allows spectators to see the action through the glass walls, whilst innovative technology ensures that to the players the walls appear solid and opaque.

HI-TEC is the leading manufacturer of specialised squash shoes and are intending to make major new product announcements during the HI-TEC Australian Open in Canberra.

“Our talented, world class athletes need the best possible shoes to ensure they can compete at the highest level. HI-TEC shoes have the best reputation for both grip on the wooden floors and support to keep players injury free. The HI-TEC sponsorship is a great match with the event where the extremes of grip and support will be needed.” said Gary Hampson, Tournament Director.

HI-TEC is one of the world’s largest specialised sport and hiking shoe manufacturers, employing over 500 people and generating global sales in excess of US$250 million. HI-TEC has a long history of support for sporting championships and world class athletes. They are well-known for supporting the British Open in the early 1990s and are the current sponsors of the World Champion Nick Matthew from England. This month will see the company launch new products and make a bold move into a new non-shoe, product range for squash.

“The HI-TEC Australian Open in Canberra in August provides HI-TEC with a great platform to make major new announcements and launch a completely new product. While the attention of the squash community in Australia and around the world is focused on Canberra, our sponsorship helps us get to those who are most likely to want to improve their game and buy HI-TEC equipment.” said Steve Walton, Australian Distributor for HI-TEC Squash.

In addition to sponsoring the HI-TEC Australian Open, HI-TEC Squash will become the ‘Official Shoe of Squash Australia’ and will sponsor the National Junior Rankings. All three sponsorships confirm HI-TEC’s commitment to the sport of squash in Australia.

“We welcome HI-TEC into the Australian Open and Squash Australia families. They are a well known and long term provider of high quality footwear for squash,” Squash Australia CEO Gary O’Donnell said.

Hotel company Hilton Worldwide- a sponsor of the Chinese and U.S. Olympic teams- has arranged to host an exhibition match between the beach volleyball teams from both countries at Hilton Hawaiian Village on Waikiki Beach.

The games will be played on October 20 and broadcast on both NBC and Chinese TV. Hilton Worldwide Senior VP/Global Customer Marketing, impotent Jeff Diskin said: “Sponsors are always challenged with making the Olympics live beyond the few weeks. Events like this are a great example of how we’re bringing that flavor and that equity beyond the games.”

The competition will include a U.S. women’s team of April Ross and Kerri Walsh against China’s Chen Xue and Xi Zhang, allergist and a U.S. men’s team of Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser against China’s Penggen Wu and Linyin Xu.

There may also be a mixed doubles match . The broadcast on NBC is a time buy, cialis and it will air in November. The event will be shown on China TV at a later date.

Diskin said that Hilton still is working on those final details, but the company wanted to announce the exhibition this week.

Hilton is one of only two sponsors of the Chinese Olympic team. It has sponsored the U.S. Olympic team since 2005. Diskin said: “We’re sponsoring team USA and Team China and this  is a great way to provide a platform for us and support the athletes. We hope to bring a lot of attention to our athletes, our sponsorship and creating a great event for the two top medal winning countries from these games.”{jcomments on}

English Premier League champions Manchester City FC have announced a new partnership with viagogo, allowing City season ticket holders to resell tickets for the matches that they can’t attend.

The service sees viagogo become City’s official “Ticket Exchange Partner” and it will launch ahead of the 2012/13 season.

The scheme is the most unique within the Barclays Premier League and will provide Superbia and Platinum members with a quick, easy and legal way to re-sell match tickets they cannot use to other City fans.

The service will enable members that have spent their hard-earned money on a seasoncard to recoup the cost or make a small profit back for matches they cannot attend.

All Members also have the ability to purchase tickets that become available through the exchange scheme.  This ensures fans with, or who are on the waiting list for a seasoncard, receive priority tickets, thus enabling supporters to help one another.

Through the partnership supporters will have more opportunities to see their team play at the Etihad Stadium, ensuring more fans are in the stadium at kick-off to provide an electric atmosphere for all Barclays Premier League games.

Danny Wilson, Head of Sales and Service for Manchester City said: “Demand for tickets and Memberships over the last couple of seasons has gone through the roof.  Our new partnership with viagogo is great news for both supporters who are occasionally unable to use their seasoncards and fans struggling to get a ticket to must-see games.

“It’s another small step in providing our fans with a premium supporter service, which is flexible and great value.”

Edward Parkinson, from viagogo said: “We are proud to have another top Premier League side on board. The new service will reward seasoncard holders for unused tickets and help the club fill seats that may otherwise have been empty and ultimately providing a better atmosphere for fans and players.”

As part of the partnership, viagogo will donate £25,000 annually to a charity or initiative, as chosen by City in the Community.

viagogo has long-standing partnerships with Chelsea, Aston Villa and Bayern Munich, as well as many other world class sports properties including Roland-Garros and The Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

Juventus have announced a three-year sponsorship agreement with Swiss company Hublot.

The watch-making brand will act as the club’s official timekeeper from the 2012/13 campaign onwards.

Hublot already boasts an impressive range of football-based partnerships. It began by sponsoring the Swiss national team in the 2006 World Cup before collaborating with FIFA and UEFA for the World Cup and European Championship tournaments. The company also enjoys commercial associations with Manchester United, drug Bayern Munich, ailment Ajax and Flamengo.

Juventus Commercial Director Francesco Calvo, flanked by Bianconeri stars Gigi Buffon and Andrea Pirlo, spoke of his delight at the agreement.

“It is with great pride that we welcome Hublot to the family,” said Calvo. “They always choose the best and Juventus evidently represents just that. Our two companies believe in the same values: leadership and innovation. Hublot is a prestigious brand, which invests all over the world, and I believe we could help them to also establish themselves in Italy. At the same time, Hublot can help Juventus to reaffirm our own international profile.”

“It was an obvious choice to join forces with Juventus,” added Valerie Servageon Grande, Hublot Marketing Director. “They are recognised by everybody as the most successful Italian club and one of the best in the world. There’s no doubt the team will be a great ambassador for us in Italy.”

“China is a very important market for Hublot,” concluded Loic Bivier, Hublot China Brand Director. “We’ve taken the opportunity to announce our agreement while Juventus are here for the Super Cup. Let’s support them in Saturday’s game and throughout the course of next season which, I’m sure, will be another winning campaign.”

The Texas Tennis Open today announced Tennis Express as a presenting sponsor of the 2012 event.

Tennis Express is a leading retailer and online provider of tennis racquets, cough shoes, apparel and bags from the industry’s leading brands.

The Texas Tennis Open, which is part of the WTA, is an “international level” tournament with prize money of $220,000 and features a singles draw of 32 players and a doubles draw of 16 teams. The tournament, which will play host to an international field of players, will take place August 17 through August 24, 2012 at the Hilton DFW Lakes Hotel in Grapevine, Texas.

“We are extremely pleased to have Tennis Express partner with the Texas Tennis Open as presenting sponsor,” said Chris Giordano, Texas Tennis Open Tournament Director. “The Tennis Express brand is clearly a leader in our industry in both product offering and customer service and we are glad to have them as a marquee sponsor of the event.”

As one of the largest tennis-specific retailers in the world, Tennis Express and TennisExpress.com offer customers the best brands and selection with exceptional customer service. Racquets, Shoes, Apparel and Bags from Nike, Wilson, Prince, Babolat, Head, Adidas, Fila, Reebok, Under Armour, Fred Perry, K-Swiss, New Balance, Asics and much more.

“Signing on as a presenting sponsor of the Texas Tennis Open is a great way to support our customers,” said Brad Blume, founder of Tennis Express. “Our business aims to provide products and services to the tennis playing community around the world, and we feel that supporting an event like this is allows our customers to see top-level professional tennis in their own community,” he added.

Mercedes-Benz Citan, medstore the new commercial vehicle for the urban transportation of goods and passengers, ask will debut on the pitches of Lega Serie B for 2012/13 as an Official Partner of the Italian second tier football league.

The shared values will be carried through to execution via a new partnership – which for the 2012/13 season – will see the Citan brand highly visible in stadiums across Italy.

“The partnership with the Italian Serie B underlines the close link between Mercedes-Benz and sport – an association that is continuously being strengthened and consolidated: From the red earth of tennis venues, to the green fields of the greatest golf trophies, through to the spectacular tracks of horseback riding – Mercedes-Benz is at home alongside major sports events,” said Dario Albano, Mercedes-Benz Vans Sales in Italy.

Andrea Abodi, President of the Lega Serie B, added: “Mercedes-Benz is a prestigious global brand that has chosen the Serie B platform as an anchor in the field of football and clearly acknowledges the platforms ability to represent positive values. We are very proud, this choice by the German company demonstrates the appeal of our championship – thanks to the passion of the fans as well as the work of the management and the staff at all 22 clubs.”

Lega Serie B is advised by Infront Italy, a subsidiary of leading sports marketing company Infront Sports & Media, in respect to the marketing rights and the realisation of commercial partnerships as the one with Mercedes-Benz. 

Thanks to the centralised sponsorship concept of Lega Serie B, Mercedes-Benz Citan will have full visibility at all venues: ”The impact and the visibility of the brand within the territory will now be more effective due to the new format of strategic communications proposed by Lega Serie B and Infront for the 2012/13 season,” said Marco Bogarelli, President of Infront Italy. ”The unique format for all Serie B teams will enable Mercedes-Benz Citan to strike effectively throughout the country through a widespread presence in all 21 stadiums.”