After six years building on its stature as “Asia’s Major”, Singapore’s top golf championship will not have a title sponsor for the 2013 Singapore Open after Barclays pulled out.

Confirming talk that the British financial institution will not renew their sponsorship, Singapore Golf Association (SGA) president Bob Tan said on Monday he respected Barclays Capital’s decision and was hopeful of finding a new backer.

He said the British bank’s support since 2006 was pivotal in turning the Singapore Open into a global event that attracted some of the sport’s biggest names here.

Barclays head of South-east Asia corporate communications Darrel Wright said: “I can only confirm that we will not be renewing our contract for next year.”

The task to find a sponsor with equally deep pockets that can help the Singapore Open retain its reputation as Asia’s richest national open golf championship falls on event promoter World Sport Group.

When Barclays ended their decade-old 3 million-pound-a-year (S$6 million) partnership with the Scottish Open last year, organisers there managed to secure Aberdeen Asset Management as a replacement for this year’s event in July but at 500,000 pounds less.

Mr Tan said: “It is going to be tough getting the same amount of sponsorship for next year, but I am confident we can find a company who wants to ride on the success of the Singapore Open.”

News of Barclays’ impending departure came as a surprise to Mr Kyi Hla Han, executive chairman of Asian Tour, which co-sanctions the event with the European Tour, but he insists the show will go on.

“I didn’t expect this to happen, but the event has built a name for itself and it’s got a global following now. It is one of our biggest events on the Asian Tour,” he said.

Local pro Lam Chih Bing said the Singapore Open is a favourite stop for players on the Asian Tour circuit and was confident they will continue to back the event next year.

Mr Lam said: “I’ve not heard any negative comments from the pros who have played in it. I am confident, they will play for even less money because they like coming here.

The Senior Open Championship has announced The Lomond Audi Group as Official Car Sponsor of this year’s tournament at Turnberry.

Golf’s iconic names will take on one of the game’s most revered links courses when The Senior Open Championship returns to Turnberry from July 26-29.

The Senior Open Championship will now be the final Senior Major of 2012, as well as the only professional Major Championship in Scotland this year.

Scotland’s Sam Torrance, the victorious 2002 European Ryder Cup Captain, will be hoping to lead the home challenge on Turnberry’s Ailsa Course, which he ranks as one of his favourite golfing venues.

“I was at Turnberry a few weeks ago and it looked absolutely magnificent,” enthused Torrance. “I’m really looking forward to The Senior Open there. Aesthetically it is one of the most beautiful looking courses in the world, in one of the most beautiful parts of the world, and it is a great golf course.”

“The Senior Open is always special, no matter where it is played, but it is extra special when it is played in Scotland. I’m from that area – I was born about an-hour-and-a-half from Turnberry – so it will be special.”

The Lomond Audi Group add the championship to a wide portfolio of sporting partnerships and are delighted to be continuing to support golf in Scotland.Sarah Bell, Group Marketing Manager of the Lomond Audi Group commented: “We have a strong affiliation with golf and Turnberry is a fantastic venue for us to showcase our product and engage our customers.

The Senior Open Championship is a long standing and prestigious event and as the only professional Major Championship taking place in Scotland this year, we are delighted to supporting the tournament as official car sponsor.”

General Electric extended its sponsorship with the U.S. Olympic Committee through 2020 in a deal that provides U.S. team doctors with ground-breaking technology to manage the health care of the athletes.

The deal, financial terms of which were not disclosed, will put thousands of pages of medical records into a computerized database that will replace hundreds of pallets of paper records that used to have to be transported to the Olympics on a ship several weeks before the games.

The Centricity Practice Solution will put the athletes’ medical history at the fingertips of the USOC’s top doctor, Bill Moreau, and other staff. It will make it easier to keep track of their diets and determine if an injured or sick athlete is allergic to a certain medicine.

The deal, announced Thursday, will put thousands of pages of medical records into a computerized database that will replace hundreds of pallets of paper records that used to be transported to the Olympics on a ship several weeks before the games.

The Centricity Practice Solution will put the athletes’ medical history at the fingertips of the USOC’s top doctor, Bill Moreau, and other staff. Among other things, it will make it easier to keep track of their diets, find out if an injured athlete is allergic to certain medicines and determine treatment for athletes in urgent situations.

“Imagine the difference between using a club to pound on a log for communication versus using a smart phone,” Moreau said.

The GE-USOC project is a big-picture version of what doctors’ offices around the world have been trying to do for years — transfer paper records onto more accessible, less balky computer servers. The Olympic project has its unique challenges because of the more than 700 athletes on the team (more than double that when you consider the overall number of elite Americans in Olympic sports) and the worldwide travel that’s part of their life.

“Recently, we had a modern pentathlete who went to train in Poland for almost two months on her own,” Moreau said. “They don’t all travel with full-on medical staff. This allows us to take care of her every bit as well as we’d take care of someone who was working at one of our facilities. Every athlete is of equal importance to us.”

Red Bull Racing have continued to hit the heights following their Monaco win by announcing that AT&T will support the Team as an official technical supplier from the Monaco Grand Prix onwards, therapy giving Red Bull Racing enhanced connectivity around the world.

AT&T will provide the team with advanced network services focused on a high bandwidth link between the team working at the track and Red Bull Racing’s Factory back in the UK. The agreement builds on an existing relationship between the two companies, medic as Red Bull Racing has been a customer of AT&T for over a year.

As an official technical supplier to the team, capsule AT&T will offer: AT&T’s high-speed network to enable large amounts of data to be shared between race venues and the Team’s UK HQ in Milton Keynes, allowing real time collaboration between the Factory and Paddock during race weekends, High-speed bandwidth at all grand prix venues and The use of high definition video conferencing and remote access to graphically intensive technical applications

Frank Jules, AT&T President Global Business Solutions welcomed today’s announcement: “Red Bull Racing has the reputation for being one of the most innovative teams in Formula One, ‘leading from the front’ and I believe their use of AT&T technology is further proof of that. AT&T has more than a decade of involvement with Formula One and this agreement shows how our technology can provide a real value added component to such a highly competitive sport where fractions of a second can be the difference between success and failure. Our high speed technology will play a key role in supporting Red Bull Racing during the high pressure environment of a race weekend as well as give the team the digital infrastructure they need to run a nimble, savvy and responsive enterprise.”

Christian Horner added: “Red Bull Racing is excited to work with an innovative, global and reputable brand such as AT&T. We were already an AT&T customer and, as such, we have experienced the real benefits of the solutions they offer so we now look forward to building on those technologies that will benefit us on track and during grands prix weekends.”

English Football League team Chesterfield FC will have a new name on their football shirts next season following the announcement that long-standing shirt sponsor Global Brands Ltd is to switch its brand promotion from VK Vodka Kick to another of its global successes, Kick Energy. 

Global Brands National Account Director, Santiago Garcia Perez said: “We’ve been proud sponsors of the Spireites for over a decade with VK and are now entering a new era by switching to our major portfolio player, Kick Energy.”

“Kick is a global success and the brand is available in over 40 countries worldwide, including the United States, where Kick Energy is a sponsor for the Chicago Inferno soccer team.

“We’re honoured to be continuing our sponsorship of Chesterfield Football Club and look forward to watching the Spireites ‘Kick-Off’ the new season in some style.”

Chesterfield chief executive Chris Turner added: “Global Brands is a Chesterfield based company which reaches out internationally and we are delighted they are to maintain their long-standing sponsorship arrangements with the club.”

Recently, the Spireites revealed a major change of kit supplier for next season following the signing of a four year partnership with Puma, one of the world’s leading sportswear providers.

Fans will get their first glimpse of the new Puma strip later this week when mock-ups of Chesterfield’s new home, away and goalkeepers’ kit, sponsored by Kick Energy, will be revealed on the club’s website for the first time.

Global Brands is one of the UK’s leading drinks brand development businesses that owns, markets and distributes a range of brands across the spirit, beer, RTD and soft drinks categories. These brands include VK, Corky’s, Kick Energy, Amigos Tequila Beer, Four Roses Bourbon, Goldschläger, Myers’s Rum and Sobieski Vodka.

The America’s Cup has agreed a aprtnership with SportsMark to be the Official Corporate Hospitality Management Partner and “exclusive global sales agent” of the America’s Cup hospitality program, doctor the America’s Cup Club.

The company, allergist which has a great track record with major events like the Olympics, the Superbowl and rights holders like FIFA, have been given exclusivity by ACEA.

Although the sailing will take place in the ‘stadium sailing‘ venue of San Francisco Bay and broadcast using the best TV coverage ever in the history of the event, organsiers will be selling corporates who want to pay the hospitality mark-up an “unparalleled view of the sailing action.”

Of course hospitality is not about the sailing really. It’s about the networking and the deal-making that happens in the elitist marquees.

Stephen Barclay, who is still the interim CEO of ACEA said: “We are very pleased to have SportsMark, a leader in global sports hospitality management, join us as a partner. There will be strong demand for America’s Cup Club hospitality packages, as this is one of the most exciting sailing racing series in the history of the sport and San Francisco is one of the most beautiful sailing locations in the world. The America’s Cup Club will offer the best waterfront viewing for the landmark events in San Francisco in 2012 and 2013 and all the benefits of an official America’s Cup experience.”

SportsMark President Keith Bruce commented:“SportsMark is honored to be partnering with the America’s Cup to produce, manage, and sell the America’s Cup Club at these prestigious sailing events in San Francisco in 2012 and 2013. The America’s Cup aligns perfectly with SportsMark’s existing portfolio of world-class global sports properties and brands. We look forward to showcasing all of the racing excitement from the only hospitality venue positioned in the official race village in San Francisco.”

The America’s Cup Club will be an exclusive, land-based waterfront venue “in the vicinity of the Golden Gate Yacht Club”. America’s Cup Club ticket will include a gourmet dining experience, hosted bar, preferential parking, and direct viewing of the sailing competition.

The America’s Cup Club is being pitched at individual sailing enthusiasts as well as corporate groups.

Australian Rugby Union have announced long-term partner Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts will continue as the official hotel partner of the Qantas Wallabies until the end of 2013.

For more than 10 years Crowne Plaza has supported the Qantas Wallabies with quality accommodation in Australia and New Zealand.

ARU Managing Director and CEO, discount John O’Neill AO, said: “All of our partners play a vital role in supporting the Qantas Wallabies and Rugby in Australia and Crowne Plaza is no exception,” Mr O’Neill said.

“For over 10 years Crowne Plaza has ensured the Qantas Wallabies have had the very best accommodation in Australia and New Zealand, which plays a vital role in the team’s preparations.

“Crowne Plaza’s decision to extend its partnership for a further two years is great news and we are very grateful for their support.”

IHG Australasia’s Director of Operations, Bill Edwards, added: “You can’t put a price on the quality of expertise that comes from being the home of Australian Rugby for more than a decade.

“The players and support crews have very specific needs when they go into camp and travel throughout the season, and our hotels have become exceptionally good at predicting and meeting those needs.

“This is a long-standing, close partnership that we’re all happy to see continue.

“I know I speak for all of my colleagues across the country when I say we’re proud this iconic Australian team will continue to call Crowne Plaza home.”

The new deal will see Crowne Plaza remain the Official Hotel Group of the Qantas Wallabies until at least the end of 2013, which will include the upcoming Castrol EDGE Rugby International in Scotland, the Castrol EDGE Wales Tour, The Castrol EDGE Rugby Championship in 2012 and 2013 and next year’s highly anticipated British and Irish Lions Tour in June-July.

The Singapore Sports Hub has named 100PLUS, herbal Southeast Asia’s favourite isotonic beverage as the Official and Preferred Sports Drink of the Singapore Indoor Stadium (SIS).

Produced and distributed by local food and beverage company Fraser & Neave, 100PLUS will enjoy exclusive pourage rights and strong brand presence throughout the venue.  SIS patrons can also look forward to participating in exclusive activities being offered by the brand including a Twitter contest with attractive prizes up for grabs.

“100PLUS is a natural fit for Singapore’s premier destination for live entertainment and sports events. Spectators can enjoy the world class high energy shows, cheer harder and be assured of remaining hydrated and refreshed with 100PLUS,” said Jennifer See, General Manager, Corporate Marketing, Fraser and Neave, Limited (F&B Division).

“We are very happy to welcome 100PLUS as the isotonic beverage sponsor at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.  100PLUS fits in very well with the fun and excitement surrounding the events we host at our venue and I am pleased that the patrons will be able to enjoy Singapore’s well-known beverage while attending events at the Singapore Indoor Stadium,” said Mark Collins, Managing Director, Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Additionally, the Singapore Indoor Stadium has announced that for the first time in its history, it will be opening its doors to the public with a series of community sports events from May to July 2012. 100PLUS has also been named the exclusive official hydration partner for this inaugural pilot project to encourage and promote community and participatory sports at the venue which includes 3on3 basketball, Futsal or street soccer, indoor cricket and the latest craze in dance for fitness, Zumba.

100PLUS’s sponsorship adds to the SIS’s growing roster of partners which includes Carlsberg, Jack Daniel’s and MasterCard.

Australian national men’s hockey team have gained a new partner in iron ore production company, Fortescue Metals Group.

Fortescue becomes a Gold Partner of the world champions Kookaburras for the next two years which will see the world number one ranked team involved in a range of activities with Fortescue employees and management.

CEO Nev Power, who presented the players and coach Ric Charlesworth with their Fortescue caps today, said he was delighted to welcome the Kookaburras into the “Fortescue Family”.

Mr Power said: “Fortescue and the Kookaburras are iconic Australian brands which share  a strong culture of success through teamwork, high performance, well being and resilience.

“Fortescue’s most important value is that we are a family so it’s tremendous to bring the world’s best hockey team, the Kookaburras, into the fold.

“With excitement building as the team prepares to head off to  take on the world’s best, and hockey being such an important part of the Australian sporting landscape, this partnership gives the Fortescue Family  another reason  to cheer on the Kookaburras.

”Fortescue already enjoys a strong association with hockey through its National Indigenous Program with Hockey Australia. A  key feature of the program is to link high performance athletes to local indigenous communities. Students at RoebourneDistrict School have been involved in clinics promoting positive behavioural change such as improved school attendance, student achievement and wellbeing.

Kookaburras coach Ric Charlesworth also presented Mr Power with his own Kookaburras playing shirt at the partnership announcement today in Langley Park near the Fortescue Centre in East Perth.

Mr Power said the partnership with the Kookaburras would inspire the company’s workforce in Perth and the Pilbara community. The arrangements will see “live sites” with big screens established at Fortescue work sites for Kookaburras matches, and team members will visit Fortescue sites to share their experiences.

BNP Paribas and the French Tennis Federation (FFT) announced a five-year extension of BNP Paribas’ role as “Major sponsor” of Roland-Garros. 

“The partnership between BNP Paribas and the FFT will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2013, representing 40 years of shared joy and passion thanks to the magnificent sport of tennis. Roland-Garros has played a decisive role in building our visibility. It remains the “flagship” event of our tennis sponsoring programme. Our loyalty to this sport in all of its dimensions reflects the core values that are essential to a bank operating on the ground: local presence and support over the long term”, said BNP Paribas CEO Jean-Laurent Bonnafé.

FFT President Jean Gachassin said, “It is a tremendous privilege for the French Tennis Federation to know that it can count on such a loyal and involved partner. BNP Paribas’ investment is not limited to its substantial involvement in our major tournaments, such as Roland-Garros and the BNP Paribas Masters. But it is also committed to all areas of tennis in France, and this is extremely important to us. Thanks to this unflagging support, French tennis is so strong today, it has international coverage, it is expanding, and it guarantees us a promising future”.