Jack Wolfskin, the outdoor apparel company, has entered the world of winter sports by inking a two-year deal with the International Biathlon Union to become the main sponsor of the IBU World Cup and IBU World Championships Biathlon.

 

The sponsorship agreement was handled by international sports marketing company Infront Sports & Media, partner of the International Biathlon Union (IBU) and national associations to collectively market the IBU World Cup Biathlon.

 

The agreement covers all races starting with the 2012/13 season as well as the 2013 IBU World Championships Biathlon in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic.

Marcus Pieker, Sponsorship & Events Manager at Jack Wolfskin, said: “By expanding our winter sport portfolio through sponsorship of the IBU World Cup Biathlon, we see great potential to sustainably strengthen our brand in the German market through an authentic and credible environment. Additionally, on an international scale we can now set a course for markets such as Scandinavia and Russia.”

The IBU World Cup Biathlon stretches out over the entire winter sports season and consists of nine events, held mainly in the strong winter sport markets of Europe. As a sponsor of the IBU Biathlon events, Jack Wolfskin will benefit from prominent brand positioning around the sports venues. This includes boards in stadiums and on the track, the placement of logos on athletes’ bibs as well as various promotional opportunities on site.

Michael Witta, Managing Director Infront Austria, said: “With these two most recent sponsorship commitments – at the IBU World Cup Biathlon and the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup, Jack Wolfskin is activating two of the world’s largest winter sports series as platforms to leverage brand communication. The new, comprehensive sponsorship package includes all nine IBU World Cup events as well as the prestigious 2013 IBU World Championships Biathlon in Nove Mesto. It guarantees Jack Wolfskin continuous visibility over the entire season.”

Major League Lacrosse (MLL), medical the premier professional outdoor lacrosse league, pharmacy announced Tuesday that Moe’s Southwest Grill will be dubbed the official presenting sponsor of the 2012 MLL All-Star Game to be held on June 30 at FAU Stadium in Palm Beach County, asthma FL.

The event will take place at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be aired live on ESPN2.

MLL Commissioner David Gross, said: “We are excited to partner with Moe’s Southwest Grill for the 2012 MLL All-Star Game. Moe’s is getting behind the sport of lacrosse and lacrosse fans have always been supportive of those brands that are helping to grow the game.”

The partnership will provide Moe’s with corporate visibility including their logo being prominently displayed on team uniforms, field signage board, video board commercials and in-stadium banners. Moe’s will participate in the MLL Fan Zone and local Moe’s franchises will run in-store contests leading up to the event.

Paul Macaluso, vice president of marketing for Moe’s Southwest Grill, added: “As lacrosse continues to build momentum across the nation, we at Moe’s want to be there to support the passionate, hardworking community that is making that happen. We can’t wait to be a part of the fun and excitement of the All-Star Game.”

The MLL All-Star Game boats the top lacrosse talent in the world and has become the league’s marquee event since its inception in 2001. It has been hosted in Connecticut, Maryland, New York, Colorado and Massachusetts. This year will mark the first ever event to be held in the state of Florida in addition to the first non-university sporting event to be held at FAU Stadium.

Swiss watch manufacturer, medic IWC Schaffhausen, has announced a new global partnership with the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team.

The Swiss watch manufacturer embarks on a three-year term as Official Engineering Partner of MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS, beginning in January 2013.

 

When IWC Schaffhausen and AMG, the performance brand of Mercedes-Benz, signed a long-term partnership agreement in 2004, their cooperation was founded on a shared commitment to pushing back the boundaries of mechanics and high technology. Both companies looked back on a long and fruitful history in precision engineering to the highest degree.

 

Since then, they have consolidated their positions at the top of their respective industries and the partnership is set to move to a new level. As an indication of the foundation the two companies have in common, IWC Schaffhausen and the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team are joining forces in a venture that confirms the Swiss watch manufacturer as the Official Engineering Partner of the team. The agreement becomes effective in January 2013,two months before the first race of the 2013 Formula One season in Melbourne, Australia.

Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen, commented: “The partnership with MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS will enable us to share our passion for high-level engineering, our quest for ultimate perfection and our aim for top performance with a global audience. We look forward to being part of Formula One.”

Nick Fry, CEO of MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS, added: “It is a privilege to find another company that espouses the same principles, with the same insistence on absolute perfection, as our own. We firmly believe that the partnership with IWC Schaffhausen will be enormously beneficial to us both.”

MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Team Principal Ross Brawn emphasized the advances in engineering made by Formula One in the past few years: “It is widely recognized that motorsport serves as a testing ground for technologies that ultimately benefit us all. As the pinnacle of global motorsport, Formula One is at the forefront of such development, and that leading role is set to continue in the years ahead,” he added.

JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd.  one of the world’s leading vertically integrated solar power product manufacturers, has announced today that the company has renewed its sponsorship for two more seasons with Valencia Club de Futbol (V.C.F.), one of the top three football teams in Spain.

For the second year in a row, the company will act as the team’s main sponsor, with its logo to be displayed on the team shirts for both home and away games. Valencia Club de Futbol will be playing in the European Football Champions League (UEFA) next season.

“Continuing our partnership with JinkoSolar is a reflection of our ongoing joint commitment to integrate sustainable energies into our facilities wherever possible,” stated Manuel Llorente, President of Valencia (V.C.F) “Our new stadium is a catalyst to promote urban regeneration, and partnering with leaders like JinkoSolar helps spread awareness of the benefits of solar.”

Valencia (V.C.F) is in the process of reconstructing its home stadium, which is one of the biggest in the world. The 75,000 seat stadium in Valencia, Spain features state-of-the-art design and includes numerous facilities to house catering, food service, parking, conference rooms and shops.

“Jinko is one of the leading providers in advancing solar power. IMS Research Institute also ranked Jinko Solar as one of the top 6 crystalline PV manufacturers globally in their latest report. Collaborating with a team that has such international prestige like Valencia (V.C.F) is a great way to augment the visibility of these efforts,” said Arturo Herrero, Chief Marketing Officer for JinkoSolar. “We are honored to work alongside Valencia (V.C.F) again and look forward to an exciting year of football.”

Der Düsseldorfer Mobilfunkkonzern Vodafone wird neuer Hauptsponsor des vor den Relegationsspielen zur ersten Bundesliga stehenden Fußballclubs Fortuna Düsseldorf.

Dies berichtet die in Düsseldorf erscheinende “Rheinische Post” in ihrer Dienstagsausgabe und beruft sich auf informierte Kreise. Fortuna Düsseldorf wird für die Diskountmarke von Vodafone, physician Otelo, Trikotwerbung machen. Der Vertrag gilt auch, wenn Fortuna den Aufstieg in die erste Bundesliga nicht schafft. Ziel des Sponsoring ist für Vodafone, Otelo zu einer ähnlich bekannten Diskountmarke

aufzubauen, wie es Aldi-Mobil oder Simyo sind. Vodafone-Deutschland hat die Markenrechte für Otelo schon seit vielen Jahren, weil der frühere Festnetzableger Arcor Otelo im Jahr 1999 übernommen hatte. Otelo war in den 90er Jahren in Düsseldorf als Tochterfirma von RWE und Eon (damals Veba) gegründet worden und war früher Sponsor von Werder Bremen gewesen.

Major global airline, Emirates, has become the presenting sponsor for Arsenal’s summer tours to Africa and Asia.

The Arsenal 2012 tour, presented by Emirates, will provide an opportunity for many of the club’s huge following of international supporters to see the likes of Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott in action for the first time. The tour kicks off in Malaysia on July 24 when the club plays a Malaysia XI in Kuala Lumpur. 

Arsenal will then travel to Mainland China, a country Emirates serves with 35 weekly flights to three cities, including Beijing where Arsenal face Manchester City at the “Bird’s Nest” Stadium on July 27. 

Arsenal’s final match in Asia will take place in Hong Kong against the local champions Kitchee FC on July 29. 

The London club will then make their first visit to Africa when they travel to Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, to play a game on August 5, giving Arsenal’s large Nigerian fan base the chance to watch their team play. 

Boutros Boutros, Emirates’ Divisional Senior vice-president, Corporate Communications, said: “Emirates and Arsenal started their journey together back in 2004 and our aim has always been to bring Arsenal closer to its millions of loyal fans across the six continents that we fly to.

“With this in mind, we are delighted to announce that Emirates will be the presenting sponsor of the Arsenal 2012 Tour.

“The tour will make it possible for Arsenal’s loyal supporters in Nigeria, Malaysia, Mainland China and Hong Kong to see their heroes in action.

“Coincidently, in the same year that we began our relationship with Arsenal, we launched our first service to both Nigeria and China. And like Arsenal, we have enjoyed a strong and growing relationship with both of these countries ever since.”

Arsenal’s chief commercial officer Tom Fox, said: “Arsenal Football Club is delighted to be expanding our long-term partnership with Emirates through our 2012 tour. We are fortunate to have such a strong global partner who is as committed to these key markets as we are. We are all excited to be visiting Malaysia, China including Hong Kong and Nigeria, countries with many loyal Arsenal fans, who will now have the opportunity to see their team play live in the summer.”

English Premier League team, Stoke City FC, have confirmed that bookmakers bet365 will replace Britannia as the Premier League club’s shirt sponsors from next season in a three-year deal.

Britannia, part of The Co-operative Bank, will reduce it’s role as official Banking and Community Partner of the club after 15 years as the shirt sponsor, and will also retain naming rights for the Britannia Stadium.

“This is a very exciting development for the football club which gives us every chance to continue progressing forward,” said Stoke chief executive Tony Scholes.

“We have the opportunity now to work closely with two very successful local companies on two different fronts.

“We received a number of offers from potential sponsors, but bet365 were the highest bidders, arguably further underlining their commitment to the club.”

Denise Coates, joint chief executive of bet365 and daughter of Stoke City chairman Peter, added: “We are delighted to have reached an agreement to become Stoke City’s shirt sponsors.

“It is a perfect fit for us as a Stoke-on-Trent-based company with a global reach and international markets to become shirt sponsor of our local Premier League club.

“This builds upon the extensive sponsorship, LED and advertising we are already committed to at many Premier League clubs and within the sports industry in general.”

Ebix, Inc., a leading international supplier of On-Demand software, today announced a multiyear global partnership agreement with rising American tennis star John Isner, currently ranked #10 in the ATP world rankings.

Isner will act as an Ebix, Inc. brand ambassador effective immediately.

Ebix, one of Fortune’s Fastest Gowning Companies in 2011, is excited to align with a similar rising star on the ATP tour. In addition to partnering with Ebix on customer engagement opportunities both on and off the court, Isner will also wear an Ebix branded patch on the right sleeve of his athletic apparel as part of the partnership agreement. Ebix will also act as the title sponsor for Isner’s annual charity event, an exhibition tournament played in Isner’s home state of North Carolina.

Isner’s accomplishments include winning 3 ATP tour titles, leading the United States to the 2012 Davis Cup semifinal, winning the longest match in tennis history at Wimbledon in 2010 and defeating world #1 Novak Djokovic and former world #1 Roger Federer during the first half of the 2012 season. Isner has also recently broken into the ATP top 10 for the first time in his career and is considered a future Grand Slam contender.

“I am really excited to align with a global services brand such as Ebix,” said Isner. “I look forward to a very successful partnership with Ebix and to build on the momentum I’ve gained this year.”

“We are excited to have John as an Ebix ambassador,” said Robin Raina, President & Chief Executive Officer of Ebix. “He is one of the most talented and popular players on the ATP circuit, and he personifies the same winning attributes — such as persistence, passion and performance — that make Ebix the leading provider of insurance software services around the world.”

Isner will be looking to continue his winning momentum while championing the Ebix brand as he prepares for the summer season, starting at the Mutua Madrid Open in Madrid, followed by the Internazionali BNL Ditalia in Rome and the French Open in Paris. John will also be a member of the U.S. 2012 Summer Olympic team in London, England.

Sportswear brand  Nike has replaced Umbro as Manchester City’s official kit supplier from the start of the 2013/14 season.

The Umbro deal, which has been in place since June 2009, will continue to the end of the 2012/13 season, after which all kit, training wear and related products will be designed, manufactured and distributed by Nike. The contract will run until 2019.

“We’re excited by the opportunity to further develop the relationship between City and Nike Inc, which builds on the successful partnership the club has already enjoyed withUmbro, and reflects both the ambitions of the club and the Nike brand’s position within the world of football”, commented Nike Brand President, Charlie Denson.

John MacBeath, Interim Chief Executive Officer of Manchester City Football Club added “We are delighted to have further strengthened our relationship with the Nike family.

“Nike’s deserved reputation as the leading global sports brand, its unparalleled R&D capacity, leading global retail distribution networks and award winning marketing capabilities mean that this is a very important step forward in the evolution of Manchester City.”

Subaru of America, abortion Inc. has announced sportslifestyle brand PUMA will sponsor the Subaru PUMA RallyCross Team.

As part of the multi-year sponsorship agreement with Subaru, ampoule PUMA becomes the official supplier of team and racewear and an exclusive licensing partner to the team for footwear and apparel. As part of the team sponsorship PUMA has developed custom graphics for the three Subaru WRX STI program cars.

The Subaru PUMA RallyCross Team is the factory backed rally team for Subaru of America, clinic Inc., managed by Subaru technical partner Vermont SportsCar. The all-star team consists of BMX legend and professional Rally athlete Dave Mirra; Professional skateboarder Bucky Lasek; and three-time European RallyCross champion Sverre Isachsen. The team will be competing in the six-round Global RallyCross Championship (GRC) series.

“I am stoked to have Sverre and Bucky join the team,” said rally veteran Dave Mirra “Sverre has been an unstoppable force in European rallycross and will definitely be an asset to the team with his experience and talent. I have known Bucky for years on the X Games circuit, it is great to see another extreme athlete cross over to rallycross; his enthusiasm for racing and fearlessness should be great to watch.”

Sverre Isachsen, aka The Viking Warrior, has been a motorsports addict his whole life. After competing in local autocross and rallycross events in his native Norway, he set his sights on the European RallyCross Championship. After a strong debut in 2002 he dominated the series and was crowned its champion in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

New to the team, 12 time X Games Skateboarding Vert Medalist Bucky Lasek, is no stranger to the world of automotive racing. Bucky has competed in the Mustang Challenge series as well as a handful of Porsche Cup races. He began intensive rally training at Dirtfish Rally School where he honed his all-wheel drive skills behind the wheel of a Subaru WRX STI.

The team will compete in 2012 Subaru WRX STI rally cars that have a fresh new look for rallycross featuring a unique Zombie Cat graphic. PUMA brings a fun and colorful design aesthetic that, when mixed with the adrenaline of the sport, is sure to excite drivers, fans, and spectators alike. Mirra, Lasek, and Isachsen will sport official fireproof PUMA racing suits emblazoned with Zombie Cat graphics, and a new performance-racing shoe called the PRX Subaru. PUMA will be releasing lifestyle footwear, tees, and accessories inspired by the team and rally cars beginning in June.

“The sportlifestyle that PUMA represents is a great fit for Subaru, owners, and motorsport fans”, said Dean Evans, Chief Marketing Officer for Subaru of America, Inc. “We are pleased to align with another global brand, and one that will enhance the image and awareness of our rallycross team.”

“Subaru builds incredible sports performance vehicles and in working with them, we were able to apply our creative design approach with the graphics and color application,” said Antonio Bertone, Chief Marketing Officer for PUMA. “We are thrilled to be working with Subaru, they have a long, successful motorsports history that matches well with our brand.”

Rallycross debuted in the United States at Summer X Games 16 in 2010. Modeled after the popular European sport of rallycross, the US version pits drivers against each other for side-by-side racing on surfaces that vary from dirt, asphalt and a 70-foot gap jump. Competitors progress through a series of timed heats to the final race where winner takes all. Multiple drivers start at once and fight for position in the final four-lap race. The GRC takes the best attributes of circuit, off-road, and rally racing that results in intense competition in venues that are fan-friendly.

The six-round 2012 GRC will be in venues across the United States including the Charlotte Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and Summer X Games 18 in Los Angeles. GRC has teamed up with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and the IZOD IndyCar Series at popular racetracks to provide weekends of action-packed, racing excitement for the fans. ESPN will broadcast the races live, channel information and times to be released at a later date.