Under Armour announced their title sponsorship of high school basketball’s Under Armour Elite 24 Game.

Now in its seventh year, the game features the top 24 underclassmen from across the nation as selected by a committee of experts from ESPNHS, ESPN College Basketball Recruiting and other leading talent evaluators. Under Armour is the event’s official outfitter of performance basketball footwear, uniforms and training apparel. The game will air live on ESPNU on August 25 at 7 p.m. EDT. 

Taking place at the famed playground basketball courts in Venice Beach, California, Elite 24 is the only high school basketball event that brings together the nation’s best players, regardless of academic class.

“Over the past six years the Elite 24 has introduced the nation to high school basketball’s best young players, many of whom have gone on to great collegiate and professional careers,” said Matt Mirchin, Senior Vice President, Global Sports Marketing and Brand, Under Armour. “We are excited to elevate our support to title sponsorship and look forward to this year’s game adding to the event’s already rich legacy.”

A number of current NBA players, including Under Armour athletes Brandon Jennings, Kemba Walker and DeAndre Jordan, have participated in the Elite 24 Game. Other notable alumni currently playing in the NBA include Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving, John Wall, Tyreke Evans, Michael Beasley and incoming rookies Austin Rivers, Harrison Barnes and Bradley Beal.

“Having supported the Elite 24 Game since the inaugural event in 2006 at Rucker Park by providing the teams with base layer, we feel now is the right time to outfit the players from head to toe,” said Kris Stone, Elite 24 Founder and Director, Pro Basketball Sports Marketing, Under Armour. “It’s a natural evolution as we continue to push forward and show our commitment to the basketball category and the next generation of great basketball players.”

“I went out and made a name for myself by winning the MVP at the first game at Rucker Park in 2006 and in the 2007 game,” said Jennings. “The Elite 24 Game gave me a chance to show my skills in front of the toughest crowd in basketball and to compete against the best high school players in the country, including Kevin Love, Michael Beasley, Jerryd Bayless, Tyreke Evans, DeAndre Jordan, Kyle Singler, Donte Greene, and JJ Hickson to name a few.”

On Thursday, August 23, players will participate in an Under Armour Grind Session to prepare for the game. Grind Session is a skill development curriculum developed by Under Armour and the game’s best trainers, designed to teach young basketball players how to improve different basketball-specific skills and their overall physical ability. Renowned basketball trainers Jay Hernandez and Hanif Hill, both of whom work with NBA talent, will run the special Under Armour Grind Session for the Elite 24 players.

The brand is also the title sponsor of the event’s Under Armour Dunk Contest that will air Friday, August 24 on ESPNU at 7 p.m. EDT.

Innovative Health Solutions LLC (IHS), the maker of H2O Overdrive and H2O Overdrive HYDRATE, announced today that professional soccer player, Todd Dunivant, has signed on as an H2O Overdrive athlete ambassador.

“Soccer is a non-stop marathon. You’re always running, always battling for the ball,” said Dunivant. “When you’re going non-stop like that, you’ve got to have something fueling you. You’ve got to put the best stuff in you if you want to put the best you’ve got onto the field. That’s why I choose H2O Overdrive.”

One of the most dependable left backs in MLS, Dunivant currently plays as a defender for the MLS Cup champion, the LA Galaxy. He has won 3 MLS Cups and was a First-Team All-American at Stanford University. During his 10-year career as a professional soccer player, Dunivant has appeared in over 230 regular season games and has sported the colors of the US National Team, the LA Galaxy and the San Jose Earthquakes, to name a few.

“Every career has specific tools of the trade that are essential for peak performance. In Soccer, my tool of the trade is my body,” said Dunivant. “I have to keep it in pristine condition if I want to perform at my best. With H2O Overdrive, I can actually feel the positive effects on my body, and the results on the field are obvious.”

As an athlete ambassador, Dunivant will join a team of over 100 professional athletes and olympians who currently endorse H2O Overdrive and H2O Overdrive HYDRATE.

Randy Olshen, co-founder of IHS, said:”We’re honored to have so much support behind our brand. When we decided to break into nutritional hydration, we knew we had to deliver the absolute best thing on the market. That is why we have chosen to focus on one product. We’re hydration experts. We eat, sleep and breathe the science behind our product. That’s all we do, and that’s why we do it so well.”

ADAC und Red Bull engagieren sich auch weiterhin gemeinsam für den einzigen deutschenLauf zur FIA Rallye-Weltmeisterschaft. Im Vorfeld der ADAC Rallye Deutschland, die vom23. – 26. August 2012 im Großraum Trier stattfindet, haben der Allgemeine DeutscheAutomobil-Club e.V. und der österreichische Getränke-Hersteller ihre Sponsoring-Partnerschaft verlängert.

Das Engagement von Red Bull im Rahmen der ADAC Rallye Deutschland zielt auf die Akti-vierung von Rallye-Fans und Sport-Begeisterten durch kreative Marketing-Aktionen ab.Hierzu gehören attraktive Gewinnspiele auf den verschiedenen Kommunikations-Plattformenvon Red Bull und des ADAC ebenso wie eine aufmerksamkeitsstarke Promotion- undGastronomie-Präsenz vor Ort.

Verschiedene Aktionen befinden sich derzeit in der Phase derVorbereitung. Red Bull ist bereits seit zehn Jahren Partner des ADAC im Bereich Motorsportund engagiert sich seit 2003 auch bei dem deutschen Lauf zur Rallye-Weltmeisterschaft.

“Wir freuen uns sehr über die Fortführung dieser erfolgreich gewachsenen Partnerschaft mitRed Bull. Uns verbindet eine gemeinsame Leidenschaft für sportliche Leistung auf höchstemNiveau. Nicht zuletzt dank des Engagements so starker Partner wie Red Bull konnten wir dieADAC Rallye Deutschland in den vergangenen Jahren zu einer der größten und wichtigstenVeranstaltungen auf der Bühne des europäischen Motorsports entwickeln. 2012 hat der
deutsche WM-Lauf zahlreiche Neuerungen zu bieten, die ihn für die Zuschauer – aber auchfür die Teams und die Piloten – noch attraktiver machen”, so ADAC Sportpräsident HermannTomczyk.

REWE, der zweitgrößte Lebensmittelhändler in Deutschland, bleibt weltweit für weitere vierJahre exklusiv “Offizieller Ernährungspartner des DFB”. Das gaben der Deutsche Fußball-Bund (DFB) als auch REWE am 26. Juni 2012 bekannt. Damit ist REWE auch über diekommende Fußball-Weltmeisterschaft 2014 in Brasilien hinaus bis zur nächsten Fußball-Europameisterschaft 2016 in Frankreich Partner des deutschen Fußball-Bundes.

Bereits seit Sommer 2008 pflegen REWE und der DFB eine vertrauensvolle und aufDauer angelegte Partnerschaft zur gegenseitigen Förderung der Unternehmens- undVerbandsziele. Die seit Sommer 2008 laufende “Offizielle Ernährungspartnerschaft”wurde jetzt bis Sommer 2016 verlängert. Im Zuge ihrer gesellschaftlichen Verantwortungvereinbarten die beiden Partner ein gemeinsames Nachhaltigkeitsprojekt zu entwickeln.

“Wir freuen uns außerordentlich unsere erfolgreiche Partnerschaft mit dem DFB fortsetzenzu können. REWE und der Deutsche Fußball-Bund, das passt zusammen. Ziel ist es, sovielen Menschen wie möglich die Wichtigkeit von gesunder und ausgewogener Ernährungsowie Bewegung durch Sport näher zu bringen. Dazu bietet uns der DFB als Dachverbanddes Fußballsports in Deutschland eine ideale Kommunikationsplattform”, sagte LionelSouque, als REWE Group Vorstandsmitglied für die REWE Märkte in Deutschlandverantwortlich, anlässlich der Vertragsunterzeichnung. Besonders stolz sei er auf die überdie offizielle Ernährungspartnerschaft hinausgehende Intensivierung der Zusammenarbeitdurch ein gemeinsames Nachhaltigkeitsprojekt, so Souque weiter.”

Mit REWE verbindet uns eine vertrauensvolle und konstruktive Partnerschaft auf demFeld der gesunden Ernährung, das für den Spitzen- und Breitensport immer bedeutsamerwird. Gemeinsam mit REWE möchten wir weitere Projekte in diesem wichtigen Bereichumsetzen”, sagt DFB-Präsident Wolfgang Niersbach.

Als offizieller Ernährungspartner des DFB geht es REWE nicht nur um Spitzenfußball.Vielmehr wollen die über 3.300 REWE Märkte ihren Kunden vermitteln, wie wichtig nebengesunder Ernährung ausreichende Bewegung im Alltag ist. REWE bietet den Kunden auchin den nächsten Jahren wieder zahlreiche Aktionen mit Gewinnspielen, Rezepten, Tipps undTricks rund um gesunde Lebensmittel und Ernährung sowie sportliche Aktivitäten.

USA Basketball announced today a new partnership with 24 Hour Fitness that makes the fitness club industry leader an Official Partner of the USA Basketball Men’s and Women’s National Teams.

This marks the second time 24 Hour Fitness has partnered with USA Basketball.

24 Hour Fitness first partnered with USA Basketball in 2008, order just before the Olympic Games in Beijing when the victorious Men’s and Women’s National Teams won gold medals. To celebrate the new partnership, sale ed the company will host a tip-off event in London during the 2012 Summer Games with Jerry Colangelo, viagra USA Basketball Chairman and Mike Krzyzewski, USA Basketball Men’s National Team Head Coach.

“24 Hour Fitness has a proven history of helping world-class athletes train and perform at the highest levels,” said Colangelo. “By teaming with USA Basketball, 24 Hour Fitness will provide ‘best in class’ resources for the talented players from the USA Basketball Men’s and Women’s National Teams competing at the London 2012 Olympic Games this summer.”

As a proud official sponsor of the United States Olympic Committee and Official Fitness Center Sponsor of the U.S. Olympic Team, 24 Hour Fitness will host the tip-off event with USA Basketball at the USOC’s High Performance Training Center (HPTC) in East London. Sponsored by 24 Hour Fitness, the HPTC is where hundreds of athletes, including the USA Basketball Men’s and Women’s National Teams, will train and prepare for the 2012 Olympic Games. 24 Hour Fitness worked closely with the USOC to plan, develop and outfit the state-of-the-art facility, which was designed and built to meet the training needs of Team USA’s world-class athletes.

“In our 30 year history, 24 Hour Fitness has been fortunate to support many great teams and athletes,” said Carl Liebert, 24 Hour Fitness President and CEO. “We were there with USA Basketball in Beijing to celebrate their success in bringing home gold medals in 2008, and we are honored to continue this legacy as the teams prepare for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. We look forward to once again helping our national teams stay on top of their game and supporting their continued success.”

Through the partnership, 24 Hour Fitness, a health club industry pioneer with a rich basketball history including its recent partnership with the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters, will have the ability to promote the partnership in 24 Hour Fitness clubs and through USA Basketball games, media and special events.

In July, 24 Hour Fitness clubs across the country will post signs highlighting the exciting partnership. Additionally, the company will run an employee contest, awarding top-performing managers with tickets to one of the two U.S. exhibition games for the USA Basketball Men’s and Women’s National Teams.

English League Two team Northampton Town FC have welcomed Gala Casinos as the club’s new back of shirt sponsor for the coming season.

The partnership represents a significant deal for the club and will see the Gala Casinos logo on the back of the club’s new home and away kits, as well as taking advantage of the club’s highly rated hospitality at every game and various advertising benefits.

“I am delighted to welcome Gala Casinos to our ever growing portfolio of sponsors and partners,” said Commercial Manager Andy Wooldridge.

“We are delighted and proud that the players will carry the Gala Casinos logo on the back of our playing shirts this season.

“For Gala Casinos to choose to have their name on our shirts is a huge endorsement of our work and of our ever growing reputation of the service that we provide for sponsors and partners. I am pleased at how our relationship has developed during negotiations and look forward to working with them.”

Barry Carter, General Manager of Gala Casino at Regent Square said: “This partnership with Northampton Town Football Club is very important to us. Our aim was to increase our profile and to entertain our valued customers. We were very impressed by the club and how they were able to present a package that was ideal for our requirements. We are pleased to be supporting the club and the community in this way and we wish the Cobblers every success under Aidy Boothroyd in 2012/13.”

“In making our decision, we wanted to be sure that the Cobblers’ could provide a level of hospitality and service in keeping with the high standards we set at the casino. From our visits to Sixfields and experience when sampling the hospitality on offer, we can’t wait for next season to begin.”

Tobii Assistive Technology Inc., order global leader in eye-tracking-enabled augmented communication and assistive technology devices, denture today announced its partnership with world-class BMX rider Stephen Murray and the Athlete Recovery Fund (ARF) to promote the life-changing benefits of eye-tracking technology for those with spinal cord impairments.

Murray will be on-site at the Summer X Games Los Angeles, buy June 28-July 2, to meet with fans and promote his Stay Strong apparel line supporting those with disabilities.

“Using the Tobii PCEye gives me back some independence and privacy in my life. I had come to the point that I thought I would never be able to accomplish the things I can now do with Tobii’s technology,” said Murray. “It makes me excited to wake up each day and gives me new goals to work toward. The positive effects this has had on me psychologically are far better than anything that had ever been offered to me in the past.”

Murray, a multi-gold medalist and professional BMX rider, was critically injured while performing at a competition in 2007. The crash resulted in multiple fractured vertebrae and damage to his spinal cord, leaving him quadriplegic. Despite holding insurance that covered a significant portion of his immediate emergency care, Murray and his family realized that much of his long-term care needs would not be covered by his insurance. Many action sports athletes are unable to afford this long-term coverage due to the low income levels of the majority of action sports professionals.

This hurdle served as the catalyst for forming the Athlete Recovery Fund, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that assists athletes in BMX, skate and freestyle motocross (FMX) after a severe injury to provide charitable medical and education resources to aid in recovery and rehabilitation. The Athlete Recovery Fund is Stephen Murray’s legacy because of what was learned by friend Aaron Cooke, ARF executive director, while fundraising for Stephen.

“The ARF has made significant strides in assisting action sports athletes in their rehabilitation needs and continues to grow with support from numerous organizations, such as Tobii,” said Cooke. “It is our goal to continue championing these athletes as we push for more comprehensive insurance policies that will address their long-term care.”

Murray furthers his outreach to those with spinal cord and other debilitating injuries with the Stay Strong apparel line, focusing on maintaining a positive outlook despite the challenges associated with rehabilitation and traumatic injuries. Murray hopes to build a support community around Stay Strong that will allow others to communicate, motivate and encourage one another during their rehab efforts.

Utilizing the most advanced eye-tracking technology in the world, the Tobii PCEye allows for greater independence through the use of eye movement to navigate, select and scroll through desktop applications, the Web and other common computer functions. With the robust eye-tracking and eye-control capabilities of his PCEye, Murray is able to send emails to family and friends, make phone calls, chat on Skype, review personal bank accounts, log in to Facebook, communicate with his business partner on the Stay Strong brand, and browse the Internet to keep up on current happenings in BMX.

Time Warner Cable announced today that it has partnered with Victor Cruz, anabolics New York Giants wide receiver and Super Bowl champ, generic to bolster its Enjoy Sports Better initiative that helps customers enjoy the sports and teams they love even more.

The partnership will feature Cruz in a national advertising campaign and on regular segments on NY1 and NY1 Noticias as well as appearances by Cruz at community and philanthropic events.

“We at Time Warner Cable are extremely excited to have Victor on board. His participation is sure to take our Enjoy Sports Better efforts to new levels, erectile bringing our customers even closer to their passion for sports,” said Jeffrey A. Hirsch, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Time Warner Cable. “Victor is not only a sports phenomenon to New Yorkers; he is an established athlete across the nation among football fans.”

Beginning in September, Time Warner Cable customers across its footprint can view a new Enjoy Sports Better commercial featuring Cruz. Additionally, customers in New York City will enjoy watching weekly segments with Cruz on NY1 and NY1 Noticias, channels dedicated to 24/7 local news in English and Spanish. NY1 can be found on Channels 1 & 701. NY1 Noticias on Channels 95 & 801.

“I am pleased to join the Time Warner Cable family in a relationship that already feels like a true partnership. At the outset we have worked together closely to identify projects that are mutually beneficial, which has been a fantastic experience,” said Victor Cruz, New York Giants wide receiver. “As a professional athlete and sports fan at heart, I am excited about the opportunity to inspire people to enjoy sports ‘even better’ with Time Warner Cable.”

Time Warner Cable’s Enjoy Sports Better partnership with Cruz also encompasses online media including: Time Warner Cable’s YouTube channel, Twitter and English and Spanish Facebook pages, where fans will see the recently launched “Enjoy Sports Better” tab giving fans the opportunity to engage more deeply with the sports that they love. The terms of this deal were negotiated on behalf of Victor Cruz by IMG.

Invest in Africa has been unveiled as Sunderland’s latest principal partner and shirt sponsor in a two-year deal.

Invest in Africa is a not-for-profit business initiative that will promote Africa as a leading investment destination and actively challenge misconceptions about investing on the continent. Invest in Africa’s mission is to show that Africa is open for business, and that its further development is dependent on private-sector investment and partnerships with local businesses. The partnership with Sunderland AFC provides a high profile platform for the brand to take Invest in Africa’s message to a worldwide audience, the first time a not-for-profit initiative of this nature has appeared on a Premier League shirt. 

Invest in Africa is building a partnership of leading companies working in Africa to help inspire more investors to do business in Africa.Invest in Africa welcomes interest from likeminded potential founding partners and companies interested in joining this initiative. Africa’s largest independent oil company, Tullow Oil plc (‘Tullow’), is proud to be the initial Founding Partner of Invest in Africa.

Speaking at the Stadium of Light, Chief Executive of Tullow Aidan Heavey said: “At Tullow Oil we’ve known for years that Africa is a thriving and great place to do business. But potential foreign investors are still missing out because of outdated perceptions of what it’s like to work in Africa.

“Invest in Africa wants to bridge this gap by challenging misconceptions, showing that Africa is open for business and helping more investors into Africa in partnership with local businesses.

“Ultimately this will make Africa a more stable and attractive place to work, which is in everyone’s interests. Which is why we’re delighted to be partnering with Sunderland AFC who share Invest in Africa’s ambitions and desire to reach a global audience.”

Ellis Short, Chairman Sunderland AFC said: “We are very proud to have augmented our relationship with Invest in Africa through this wonderful agreement.

“It is a partnership which sets a new benchmark for the club commercially but what stands out is while doing so, it truly gives something back to both our own region and to a continent which has become a firm part of our club’s success story over recent seasons.

“Extending our relationship will enable us to put the club’s knowledge and experience – allied with its immense global reach as part of the Premier League – fully into practice. It fits perfectly with our own aims as we continue showcasing Sunderland AFC to a global audience which simply loves football.”

Sunderland AFC chief executive Margaret Byrne commented: “Africa has a wonderful passion for the game, something which is mirrored here in our own North East region. Both places are renowned for examples of how football can engage people and organisations to the extent where it changes lives.

“Sunderland AFC has established a reputation as a club which champions that idea. We take immense pride in using the power and pull of football responsibly to ensure it is driven towards strengthening our community and improving people’s lives.

“The club’s Foundation of Light has shown the benefits of encouraging new business partnerships and investment in the North East. With the Invest in Africa initiative, the club will continue to deliver the same positive impact to the local business community as well as communities across Africa.”

Rostelecom has been named the official Technical Partner for Sochi 2014’s Live Sites, sale after an agreement between the telecommunications company and the Winter Games Organizing Committee was signed at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

The first Live Sites will open in time to bring the broadcast feed of the Olympic Games in London to millions of spectators in some of the largest cities in Russia, and by 2014 there will be more than 25 in operation nationwide.

Rostelecom will provide the high-speed communication channels to connect the cities to its main network and will manage all technical aspects of the project. The Sochi 2014 Live Sites are entertainment venues located in city centers, featuring giant screens, sound, lighting and a stage, where residents can come together to watch live feeds of sports competitions.

President of Rostelecom, Alexander Provotorov, said: “Promoting the values of the Olympic Movement is of particular importance to Rostelecom’s Olympic plans. It is essential to have a live picture of thrilling Olympic events for those who are not at the stadium, and to give people a chance to see athletes from Russia and around the world win their medals.”

President of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee, Dmitry Chernyshenko, added: “Thanks to Rostelecom’s innovative technologies, the Olympic Games in London will be closer to millions of Russians. Modern technology will become of a driver of emotional moments for Olympic fans. Now we can unite people from a wider range of cultures and geographies than ever before, and ensure watching the Olympic Games is inspirational and unforgettable.”