Under Armour, seek the leader in performance apparel, thumb footwear and accessories, today announced a new multi-year partnership with undefeated boxing World Champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.

At just 21 years old, the hard-hitting virtuoso from Mexico has taken the boxing world by storm after turning pro in 2005. Conquering all challengers with an entertaining and aggressive style, Alvarez is the current WBC LightMiddleweight Champion. He will wear custom Under Armour boxing shorts and boots in the ring and train in the brand’s innovative performance footwear, apparel and accessories.

“Everyday I focus on getting better and Under Armour is the perfect partner to help me improve my training and performances,” said Alvarez. “I look forward to the advantages Under Armour products will provide and working with the brand to help motivate athletes in Mexico, and across the world, to reach their fullpotential.”

Alvarez had his first professional fight just months after turning 15. Since then, the Golden BoyPromotions fighter has maintained a blistering fight schedule on his way to a 39-0-1 record with 29 knockouts.

“Our desire to partner with Canelo grew from seeing his unrelenting commitment to training,” said Matt Mirchin, Senior Vice President, Global Sports Marketing, Under Armour. “He is a special fighter and together we’ll have a huge impact on making young athletes in Latin America and beyond realize what it takes to perform your best.”

Alvarez will be featuredin Under Armour’s Latin American marketing initiatives this year. He is the latest addition to the brand’s roster of world-class athletes including Olympians Michael Phelps and Lindsey Vonn, MMA superstar Georges St-Pierre, NFL MVP Tom Brady, record-breaking NFL phenom Cam Newton and gifted NBA rookie Kemba Walker.

by Ismail Uddin

Rokform, generic a local manufacturer of active-use iPhone accessories, pills has signed on as a sponsor of Team Sho-Air’s 2012 pro mountain bike racing team.

Founded by the owners of Two Brothers Racing, stuff the Santa Ana-based company launched in January 2011 and so feels at home in the powersports industry. 

“We’re excited to bring a world-class Cycling Team like Sho-Air/Specialized together with Rokform,” Vice President of Rokform Jeff Whitten said. “Rokform is proud to associate itself with such a high level cycling team as Sho-Air. The partnership is a perfect blend of innovation, performance and commitment.”

Craig Erion, president of Rokform, said, “It’s great to give back to cycling; a sport that I enjoy on almost a daily basis, being able to partner with Team Sho-Air/Specialized will raise Rokform’s presence in the industry up a notch.”

Team Sho-Air is currently comprised of riders Pua Mata, Ben Bostrom, Eric Bostrom, Lana Atchley, Cody Phillips, Brendon Davids, Manuel Prado, Ty Kady, John Muller and Justin Rosen. The team is set to race at the U.S. Cup Triple Crown West Coast Series and the Rock N’ Road Cyclery Cup West Series throughout California.

“We are excited to have a partner like Rokform whose brand stretches across a broad base that Team Sho-Air/Specialized and its athletes can build on,” said Team Manager Ty Kady. “Surrounding ourselves with world class sponsors such as Rokform has been instrumental to our success now and will continue to be in the future.”

Rokform designs and manufactures products for the iPhone and iPad, including cases, stands, screen protectors, lanyards and other accessories. The Rokbed Fuzion, Rokmeister, Rokpod, Rokgard, and Rokstand are just some of the products available. The Rokmeister involves a sport clip that can be hooked onto the pocket and turn into a bottle opener for multiple purposes. The Rokbed is designed as a functional case with a lock mechanism, slip grip and lanyard with a separate aluminum tripod adapter. The Rokbed Fuzion serves as a protective case and the Rokstand operates as a secure iPhone and iPad stand. Team Sho-Air/Specialized will have the opportunity to test out these products under the sponsorship of Rokform.

Southern 100 Racing have announced that Petrochem Carless Racing Fuels are to continue their involvement with the Steam Packet sponsored Southern 100 International Road Races.

 

Petrochem Carless Racing Fuels will once again add their name to the prestigious Sidecar Championship race which traditionally brings the curtain down on the meeting known throughout the world as ‘the friendly races’.

 

Graham Eden – Marketing Manager, pill Performance Fuels, sale Petrochem Carless said: “Petrochem Carless continues to see great merit in supporting the Southern 100 International Road Races.

 

“Our Hiperflo product range is the fuel of choice for road racers across Europe including most of the top performers in the TT’s and whilst it may seem logical for a manufacturer of world class racing fuels to involve ourselves more closely with the event, generic buy we remain very particular about sponsorship investment.”

 

Mr Eden continued: “Petrochem’s association with the Southern 100 began in 2008 and it continues due to a combination of strong product sales, the professionalism of the organisers and working alongside good people. There is a camaraderie at this event that other motorsports could take note of and we once again extend our best wishes to everyone associated with the ‘friendly races’ and look forward to another compelling four days of racing.”

 

Club Chairman Phil Taubman added:”We are very appreciative of the continued support we receive from Petrochem Carless and Graham in particular.

 

“The competitors also recognise the value of having such high profile sponsors involved with the Southern 100 and are grateful of their continued support and presence at Billown during the races.”

by Ismail Uddin

Major League Lacrosse (MLL), pill the premier professional outdoor lacrosse league, adiposity has announced that Coke Zero, the leader in zero-calorie soft drinks, has been named an official league sponsor for the 2012 and 2013 seasons.

As part of the new relationship, Coke Zero becomes the title sponsor of all 14 nationally televised CBS Sports Network games.

“The Coca-Cola family of products are amongst the most globally recognized brands and having Coke Zero as a partner fits perfectly with the MLL fan base. We couldn’t be more excited to have them on board,” said MLL Commissioner David Gross.

MLL Founder Jake Steinfeld, added: “Coke Zero is part of an iconic brand that everyone in the world knows. I’ve had an amazing relationship with the Coca-Cola family of products over the years and I’m pumped that they are now part of the MLL in such a big way. There are a handful of brands that really legitimize a sport and Coca-Cola is obviously one of them.”

“We are pleased that Coke Zero will now be a part of the MLL family,” said William White, Group Brand Director, Coca-Cola Zero. “Coke Zero is liquid proof that you can have it all – great Coca-Cola taste with zero calories.  We look forward to helping lacrosse fans across the nation enjoy everything a little bit more.”

Under terms of the agreement, Coke Zero will become the title sponsor of each game televised on CBS Sports Network, which will be named the “Coke Zero MLL Game of the Week.” Coke Zero will also become the associate sponsor of special events including the MLL All-Star Game, to be played in Palm Beach County, FL on Saturday June 30, and the MLL Championship Weekend, to be played on August 25 and 26 at Harvard Stadium in Boston, Mass.

As part of the sponsorship, the Coke Zero logo will be prominently displayed on the expansion Charlotte Hounds’ team uniform, including the lower back, the left shoulder, and game shorts. Coke Zero will also receive commercial units, in-game features and billboards during the 2012 MLL season.

MLL and Coke Zero will also work together to create both national and grassroots activation programs specifically designed to grow the sport of lacrosse. Coke Zero delivers the great taste of ‘Coca-Cola’, with zero sugar.

by Ismail Uddin

Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Pittsburgh Pirates and Skyview Networks have announced the expanded scope of their multi-year partnership.

Skyview Networks, shop an integrated professional sports broadcast service company specializing in play-by-play systems, pills will now also provide its Satellite Distribution Service to the Pittsburgh Pirates radio network. The service includes wise satellite receivers that give affiliates the broadcast reliability of a back-up streaming audio feed and the team the expanded sales opportunity of spot localization.

“Skyview has been a valued partner for our inventory management needs, rx so upgrading to Skyview’s Distribution Service was a natural next step,” said Marc Garda, director of broadcasting for the Pittsburgh Pirates. “We are proud to offer Skyview’s distribution platform to our affiliates and we look forward to a successful season ahead.”

Skyview Networks has begun distribution and installation of the wise satellite receivers to the Pittsburgh Pirates radio network of 36 stations. With these receivers spread across the network, the Pittsburgh Pirates command the inventory control to copy split spots by market.

“We have worked closely with the Pirates through our F.A.S.T. Inventory Management system and I am confident the franchise will also enjoy the dependability and flexibility of our satellite distribution platform,” said Matt Stys, Vice President of Business Development for Skyview Networks. “We look forward to taking our partnership to the next level of service.”

by Ismail Uddin

INDYCAR, the sanctioning body for the IZOD INDYCAR Series, Firestone Indy Lights and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (“IMS”) have announced today a first-of-its-kind movie-themed collaboration with DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. for the Company’s upcoming animated feature film “Turbo,” which is scheduled to be released on July 19, 2013.

DreamWorks Animation’s “Turbo” is the story of an ordinary garden snail with an impossible dream: to win the Indy 500. When a freak accident gives him extraordinary speed, Turbo sets out to try to make his impossible dream come true.

“The Indianapolis 500 is a one-of-a-kind live event that has fascinated people of all ages for many, many years and Turbo is a character whose biggest ambition is to add his name to its list of international champions,” commented Jeffrey Katzenberg, Chief Executive Officer of DreamWorks Animation. “DreamWorks Animation’s alliance with the INDYCAR team represents an authentic tie-in between a real-life race and an imagined adventure that is certain to culminate in a thrilling ride for the whole family next summer.”

Randy Bernard, CEO of INDYCAR, commented: “Today is a very exciting day for us, as we announce our collaboration with the DreamWorks Animation team on ‘Turbo’. We’re very honored to work with Jeffrey, his team and the incredible star power of the cast to bring the Indy 500 to the world in such a unique and engaging format. We believe new and existing fans of all ages will be captivated by the animated depiction of Indianapolis Motor Speedway as well as the wonderful characters that inhabit the universe of DreamWorks Animation’s Turbo. “

“For more than 100 years, the dream of competing in the Indianapolis 500 has attracted some of the greatest drivers to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” added Jeff Belskus, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation president and CEO. “Legendary names like Mario Andretti, Jim Clark, A.J. Foyt, Emerson Fittipaldi, Helio Castroneves and Dario Franchitti all have been fast and fortunate enough to win it. We are excited to work with DreamWorks Animation’s creators, staff and cast and look forward to seeing Turbo himself race at Indianapolis in 2013!”

In addition to DreamWorks Animation, INDYCAR’s entertainment division is tapping into the home entertainment and sports video arenas by forming alliances with Circle King Networks, Inc., known for their work with the Full Throttle Video series and El Jefe Entertainment (producers of Jesse James video content), as well as CineSport Video Network.

Circle King Networks will reach millions of motorsports fans through traditional and non-traditional home video outlets, including at mass retail in automotive and convenience stores, and on digital formats. CineSport will produce and syndicate original, exclusive highlight videos and programming to more than 100 premium local/national media web sites.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has announced a four year extension to its worldwide partnership with the Russian bank, order VTB.  

As for the previous term, therapy this extension has been brokered by Dentsu, allergist the IAAF’s worldwide exclusive marketing partner.

In 2006 VTB became the first Russian company ever to sign with the IAAF. The original five year deal – 2007 through 2011 – which included the sponsorship of the key events of the IAAF World Athletic Series (WAS) marked a significant step in the global diversification of the IAAF’s sponsor portfolio.

The new four year contract, 2012 through 2015, again covers the key WAS events including the next two editions of the IAAF World Championships – 2013 and 2015 – and the  IAAF World Indoor Championships – 2012 and 2014. Most significantly for VTB the 2013 IAAF World Championships, the largest single sporting event taking place in the world that year, will be hosted in the Russian capital of Moscow.

For the first time VTB also joins the growing and successful  IAAF Continental / National Sponsorship Programme which was created to financially support the IAAF Family through sponsorships. VTB’s support of this programme will include Area Association Championships and one day meetings in selected locations.

“The extension to the VTB partnership is a further endorsement that the IAAF and the sport of Athletics remain extremely attractive to major corporations,” confirmed IAAF President Lamine Diack. “It is extremely encouraging to find that 18 months ahead of the next IAAF World Championships, Moscow 2013, that the pinnacle event of our competition programme can already boast six Official International Partners, adidas, Seiko, Sinopec, TDK, Toyota, VTB, and an Official Supplier Mondo.”

VTB is the second biggest domestic Russian bank providing a large range of banking products and services. The leading international financial group of Russian origin VTB has ambitious global expansion plans. It is currently present in 19 markets across the CIS, Western Europe, Africa and Asia.

by Ismail Uddin

The Jaguar Academy of Sport has announced that current 400m hurdles World Champion Dai Greene has been named an Ambassador of the Jaguar Academy of Sport.

In recent years, story Dai Greene has transformed himself into a world-class athlete. Race-by-race, his rise to the top has been remarkable and with the European, Commonwealth and World titles under his belt, the Welsh born athlete has truly established himself in the world of athletics. Striving for success, Dai has just one major conquest left – to win gold this Summer.

Dai has overcome many challenges as an athlete and developed great self-belief along the way, emerging as one of the best of the best. His success is truly inspirational and something which all of our Jaguar Academy of Sport Rising Stars hope to achieve. 

Dai, who is currently training hard in the build-up to the Games, took some time out in his hometown of Bath to work with 2010 Rising Star sprinter, Danny Talbot. Danny is also looking ahead to this summer and hoping to represent Great Britain in the 200m and 4x100m relay. 

Wiltshire born Danny, who trains at the University of Bath alongside Dai, has had some great achievements to date, including winning the 2011 Senior UK Indoor Championships in the 200m and taking silver medal in the European U23’s. 

Jaguar Academy of Sport Ambassador, Dai Greene, commented: “I am delighted to be an Ambassador of the Jaguar Academy of Sport, the work the Academy does to support our next generation of sporting talent is just fantastic, I can’t wait to meet more Rising Stars and support them on their journey.” 

Jaguar Academy of Sport, Global Sponsorships Director, Geoff Cousins, added: “Dai is a fantastic athlete and his achievements to date make him a great role model for our Rising Stars. I’m sure he will inspire them to achieve at the highest level.”

by Ismail Uddin

The Jaguar Academy of Sport has announced that current 400m hurdles World Champion Dai Greene has been named an Ambassador of the Jaguar Academy of Sport.

In recent years, story Dai Greene has transformed himself into a world-class athlete. Race-by-race, his rise to the top has been remarkable and with the European, Commonwealth and World titles under his belt, the Welsh born athlete has truly established himself in the world of athletics. Striving for success, Dai has just one major conquest left – to win gold this Summer.

Dai has overcome many challenges as an athlete and developed great self-belief along the way, emerging as one of the best of the best. His success is truly inspirational and something which all of our Jaguar Academy of Sport Rising Stars hope to achieve. 

Dai, who is currently training hard in the build-up to the Games, took some time out in his hometown of Bath to work with 2010 Rising Star sprinter, Danny Talbot. Danny is also looking ahead to this summer and hoping to represent Great Britain in the 200m and 4x100m relay. 

Wiltshire born Danny, who trains at the University of Bath alongside Dai, has had some great achievements to date, including winning the 2011 Senior UK Indoor Championships in the 200m and taking silver medal in the European U23’s. 

Jaguar Academy of Sport Ambassador, Dai Greene, commented: “I am delighted to be an Ambassador of the Jaguar Academy of Sport, the work the Academy does to support our next generation of sporting talent is just fantastic, I can’t wait to meet more Rising Stars and support them on their journey.” 

Jaguar Academy of Sport, Global Sponsorships Director, Geoff Cousins, added: “Dai is a fantastic athlete and his achievements to date make him a great role model for our Rising Stars. I’m sure he will inspire them to achieve at the highest level.”

by Ismail Uddin

Kent County Cricket Club announced today the signing of a five year partnership with Maidstone-based company LED Sport Europe, herbal a trading division of digital out-of-home media owner Maritime Media Services Ltd.

LED Sport Europe has been formed specifically to service the sports market, supplying permanent and temporary perimeter boards, scoreboards and replay screens.

An aspect of this new partnership package is for LED Sport Europe’s logo to appear on all players training kit. “This new package means that LED Sport Europe will become one of our main Club partners,” said Kent Cricket CEO Jamie Clifford, “they join Spitfire, Cardy’s and Demelza as one of the Clubs’ major sponsors.”

Clifford added: “The Club is thrilled to have formed this new partnership. LED Sport Europe are a Kent-based company with very ambitious goals, with products that enhance the live sport experience. We look forward to working closely with them and taking good care of their clients, showcasing their products and hosting top quality cricket at the newly redeveloped St Lawrence Ground.”

LED Sport Europe Managing Director Ed de Lucy said: “We are a local business, pushing out into the UK and European market, showcasing our digital signage and big screens. Just like the Club, we see ourselves as a flag bearer for the County, taking on all opposition and are proud to be associated with an organisation of such long standing.”

by Ismail Uddin