Paddy Power’s Australian subsidiary Sportsbet has signed a two year deal to become the official betting partner of Australian football club Newcastle Jets and National Rugby League side Newcastle Knights.

Sportsbet signed the sponsorship deal with Hunter Sports Group, ed pills owner of both of the New South Wales-based teams.

The two-year sponsorship deal will see Sportsbet benefit from brand coverage through stadium signage, ed online advertising and member promotions. Both the Knights and Jets plays their home games at the 33, medstore 000 capacity Ausgrid Stadium.

“We are extremely pleased to be partnering with the Hunter Sports Group and look forward to contributing to the many charity groups that will be involved in this partnership,” said Sportsbet CEO Cormac Barry.

The partnership also includes a Jets and Knights player placing a bet each week via Sportsbet.com.au during their respective season, with all winnings donated to their chosen charity at the end of the season.

“It is fantastic to secure another major national brand across the Knights and Jets,” said Hunter Sports Group CEO Troy Palmer. “We are sure our celebrity tipsters will have a great time picking their winners each week and raising valuable money for their chosen charity.”

Sportsbet joins the likes of QR National, Hunter Ports, Klosters, Wests, ISC, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, NBN, The Herald, Tooheys and CUB, as major sponsors of the Knights and Jets.

Hunter Sports Group purchased the Newcastle Jets football club, which plays in the Hyundai A-League, in September 2010. The company then acquired National Rugby League club Newcastle Knights in March 2011.

by Ismail Uddin

Carhartt, America’s premium work wear brand since 1889, has signed a multi-year sponsorship agreement with sport fishing industry leader, B.A.S.S. LLC.

Carhartt is now the Official Apparel Sponsor and Official Supporting Sponsor of the annual Bassmaster Classic and two B.A.S.S.-owned circuits: the top-level Bassmaster Elite Series and the three-division Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series. In addition, Carhartt will become the title sponsor of the growing tour for college fishing teams, College B.A.S.S.

The multi-year agreement includes Carhartt as the sponsor of a multi-faceted awards program, Carhartt Big Bass.

“We’re very excited to join B.A.S.S. to support some of the very best anglers in the world,” said Tony Ambroza, Carhartt’s Vice President of Marketing. “Carhartt makes durable apparel for active men and women who work hard and play hard outdoors. Partnering with B.A.S.S. is the perfect opportunity for Carhartt to continue to celebrate the successes that come from hard work, perseverance and fun in the rugged outdoors.”

Bruce Akin, CEO of B.A.S.S, added: “Carhartt and B.A.S.S. are a perfect fit. We are very proud to team up with a company with such a stellar reputation for quality products and a deep commitment to customer trust. We here at B.A.S.S. hold those same core values. We are especially pleased that competitors in B.A.S.S. events can look forward to a new big-bass award program at such a high level.”

In the top tier of bass fishing competition, the kickoff of the Carhartt Big Bass program will begin at the Feb. 24-26 Bassmaster Classic. Competitors will have the ability to win up to $2,500 if they weigh in the largest Red River bass on the Classic stage. The Carhartt Big Bass program will continue into the 2012 Bassmaster Elite Series, which will begin in March providing anglers the ability to win up to $1500.

Elite pros that opt into another element of the program can compete for additional big-fish awards over the eight-event regular season. For the season’s heaviest bass, a participating Elite pro will collect $2,000. Awards are also available to participating Elite anglers for second-, third-, fourth- and fifth-largest bass. Those bonuses range from $500 for fifth-largest bass to $1,250 for second-largest bass.

Open-level anglers can look forward to Big Bass awards too. All anglers in each of three of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open divisions — Northern, Southern and Central — have a shot at a $500 bonus through Carhartt Big Bass. Bonuses will be given in both the pro and co-angler entry levels, and in all three events within each of the three divisions, for a total of 18 awards at $500 each. The first awards will be presented at the April 5-7 Southern Open on Lake Norman out of Charlotte, North Carolina.

In 1889, Carhartt Inc. was established in Detroit, Michigan by Hamilton Carhartt. Today, the company remains privately held by the Carhartt family to ensure its founder’s mission is carried through in every garment it produces. For more than 120 years, Carhartt has been delivering best-in-class enduring apparel that respects the hard-earned dollars of America’s hard working men and women.

by Ismail Uddin

Australian Rules team Melbourne Football club will start this year’s AFL preseason competition without a major sponsor on its jumper.

The Demons have opted to partner with The Reach Foundation, the charity established by former Melbourne president Jim Stynes which aims to help Victoria’s disadvantaged youth, for the preseason competition.

“Here was an opportunity where we’ve come into our pre-season program without a major sponsor on our jumper, and we took our inspiration from FC Barcelona, which for many years had Unicef on the front of their shirt,” Demons chief executive Cameron Schwab said.

“So we thought – let’s put the Reach logo on our jumper in recognition of the unbelievable work they do with young people. We can wear it proudly, and recognise that the relationship is even more tangible and public than perhaps it’s ever been.”

Current Melbourne president Don McLardy also worked alongside Stynes at Reach.

Schwab is confident the club will have a playing strip sponsor in time for the start of the season proper.

“We think we’re still very much on track with our sponsorship. There’s no panic stations,” he said.

“We’re having some really important and major discussions with our major sponsorship. We weren’t prepared to compromise those at such an important time, as part of the long-term growth of the club.

“We’re very confident that we can work through and get a very good outcome.”

The Demons were in a dire financial position in 2008, but wiped off $5 million in debt in two years under the leadership of Stynes.

by Ismail Uddin

Tata Communications, a leading provider of The New World of Communications, have announced today a multi-year technology service and marketing agreement with Formula One.

The agreement will see Tata Communications delivering connectivity to all 20 Formula One race locations over its global network, the largest in the world. 

It will also provide hosting and content delivery services to Formula1.com, which is accessed by tens of millions of fans around the globe. 

The innovative deal positions Tata Communications corporately as a Technology Supplier of Formula 1 with category exclusive designations as Official Connectivity Provider of Formula 1 and Official Web Hosting and Content Delivery Network of Formula1.com. 

Formula One group businesses and race locations will now be connected to the Tata Global Network (“TGN”), supported by secure MPLS connectivity. Formula One Management’s IT infrastructure and Formula1.com will be co-located and hosted in Tata Communications’ data centres. 

“Formula 1 requires fast and secure connectivity, because even a split second of downtime can have huge repercussions for its business, brand and reputation,” said Vinod Kumar, Managing Director and CEO of Tata Communications. “This delivery is at the heart of our organisation and working with one of the world’s most highly technical and innovative organisations is an exciting opportunity for Tata Communications. The collaboration leverages our technology leadership and vision for emerging markets and represents a tremendous opportunity for growth and innovation for both companies.”

Bernie Ecclestone, CEO of Formula One group, added: “I’m pleased to welcome Tata Communications into the Formula 1 family and I hope this is the start of a long and successful relationship. Connectivity and content delivery are critical issues for Formula 1 and working with the best in the business is a priority for us. This is a collaboration that will help us stay at the technological cutting edge in these categories.”

Tata Communications’ capabilities in video and content delivery networks (“CDN”) will enable uninterrupted, high-quality connectivity to the multi-media portal on Formula1.com. The (TGN) has Trans-Atlantic and Trans-Pacific data transfer capacity of one terabit per second. This capacity will ensure Tata Communications is able to fully support Formula1.com during race weekends, when the site gets on average four million unique visits per weekend, peaking at seven million over some events. Tata Communications’ infrastructure will enable the sport’s official website to instantly scale up to cope with these significant and sometimes unpredictable traffic spikes. 

Tata Communications will also provide Formula1.com with a new Managed Security Suite and will apply an additional layer of managed security monitoring to ensure an increased level of protection to Formula One Management’s IT infrastructure. 

Looking ahead, Tata Communications and Formula One Management will also work in close collaboration on research and development around connectivity and the latest video technologies.

The PGA TOUR and FedEx Corp. have announced today a five-year extension of the shipping giant’s umbrella sponsorship of the FedExCup, ed effective 2013 through 2017.

The FedExCup, which fundamentally changed the PGA TOUR structure by introducing a season-long competitive and promotional platform in 2007, will continue to offer $35 million in total bonus money to players based on their finish in the points standings, including $10 million to the winner. Beginning in 2013, the four-tournament PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup will be officially called the FedExCup Playoffs.

“Since its inception in 2007, the FedExCup has transformed the competitive landscape on the PGA TOUR and significantly benefitted all of our stakeholders,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem. “It makes every FedExCup event more meaningful, adding substantial value to our tournaments, title sponsors and television partners. Most importantly, the FedExCup offers our fans more ways to engage in our sport and get excited about our players week in and week out.

“We are thrilled that FedEx has had such a positive experience with the FedExCup and will continue its sponsorship through 2017, we look forward to working with FedEx to continue the growth and impact of the competition in these coming years.”

T. Michael Glenn, executive vice president of Market Development at FedEx, added: “The FedExCup has been a very effective way for FedEx to engage in the community and reach our customers over the last five years. One of the most significant dividends of our FedExCup commitment has been that it allows us to support national and local charities, such as the St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital through the FedEx St. Jude Classic, in a very hands-on manner.”

FedEx has built advertising and promotional campaigns around its sponsorship of the FedExCup as well as creative activation surrounding the Playoffs. As part of the extension, FedEx will continue to advertise in PGA TOUR telecasts and other media outlets and become further integrated into the PGA TOUR’s digital and global endeavors. FedEx also plans to continue its business-building initiatives at tournaments in key markets.

The FedExCup Playoffs have provided fans the opportunity to see golf’s greatest players compete at the highest level in four Playoff events that result in a climactic and exciting conclusion to the season.

“We’ve had a terrific list of champions with two-time winner Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Jim Furyk and 2011 champion Bill Haas, who won in such dramatic fashion last year in a playoff at the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola,” Finchem noted. “We look forward to more exciting finishes to the FedExCup in the years to come.”

In addition to the FedExCup, longstanding involvement with FedEx and the PGA TOUR dates back to 1986 when it became title sponsor of the FedEx St. Jude Classic. FedEx announced last May an extension of its tournament sponsorship through 2014. FedEx expanded its involvement with the PGA TOUR in 2002 by becoming an Official Marketing Partner and then added the FedExCup in 2007 with the original six-year agreement.

by Ismail Uddin

Sechs Mal heißt es in diesem Jahr “Vorhang auf für den Breitensport”: Mit Magdeburg, clinic Bochum, buy cialis Sindelfingen, order Berlin, Kiel und Salzgitter laden sechs deutsche Städte 2012 zum Festival des Sports, um Menschen durch sportliche Präsentationen und Unterhaltung zum Mitmachen zu bewegen und für einen aktiven Lebensstil zu begeistern.

Den Auftakt jeder Veranstaltung bildet der Schulsport am Freitag, bevor am Wochenende eine ganze Stadt und ihre Region Sport in verschiedensten Variationen erleben wird. Die regionalen Vereine präsentieren ihre Sportarten und laden zum Mitmachen ein, dabei gibt es in diesem Jahr viele Trends wie den Fitness-Tanz Zumba oder Slackline zu entdecken.

Das Programm für Jung und Alt zieht jährlich knapp eine halbe Million Besucher in den Bann der Festivals. Mehrere Hundert Vereine werden auch in diesem Jahr für die Höhepunkte der Veranstaltungen sorgen. Schließlich sind das Engagement und die Ideen der lokalen Vereine das Erfolgsgeheimnis der Festivals des Sports, denn jedes Festival erhält durch die lokalen Sporttraditionen ein ganz eigenes Flair. In Bochum plant man etwa die Einbindung des altehrwürdigen Lohrheidestadions und in Kiel wird der Wassersport eine besondere Rolle spielen.

Bereits im 25. Jahr verwandelt der Deutsche Olympische Sportbund (DOSB) in Zusammenarbeit mit den Landessportbünden und den Veranstaltungsorten deutsche Innenstädte zu den größten Sportplätzen Deutschlands.

Samsung unterstützt im vierten Jahr als Premiumpartner die Veranstaltungsserie, um Menschen jeden Alters von einem sportlichen Lebensstil zu überzeugen.

Als Partner des DOSB ergänzt der Konzern sein seit Jahrzehnten gewachsenes Sponsoring im Spitzensport durch eine aktive Förderung des Breitensports. Erstmalig wird Procter & Gamble (P&G) als Premiumpartner die Festivals des Sports fördern. Der Konsumgüterproduzent, der Marken wie Ariel, Pampers und Gillette unter seinem Dach vereint, knüpft mit dem Engagement im Breitensport an seine “Danke Mama!”-Kampagne an. Exemplarisch unterstützt P&G die Mütter aller Sportler, die durch ihr Zutun, etwa mit sauberen Trikots, Fahrdiensten oder Verpflegung, den Sport im Alltag ermöglichen.

Haier America will be center stage for the NBA All-Star 2012 festivities in Orlando, Florida once again as the title partner of the Haier Shooting Stars competition, and will serve as the presenting partner of the NBA Development League Dream Factory.

“NBA All-Star continues to be a showcase for the Haier brand as we tip-off on Saturday night with the Haier Shooting Stars competition and launch a new television commercial,” said Richard Block, Vice President of Branding & Creative for Haier America. “We introduced the Haier brand to the NBA audience a few years back and felt the need to re-introduce our product line in a more modern and relevant fashion, keeping in line with the brand’s attributes.”

For the sixth consecutive year, Haier will lead off NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm with the Haier Shooting Stars competition which features NBA players, WNBA players and NBA Legends in a shooting contest. The Haier Shooting Stars airs live at 8:00pm ET on TNT on Saturday, February 25.

During NBA All-Star action on Saturday night on TNT, Haier will also launch a new television commercialthat will run through the rest of the NBA season. The spot, created by Los Angeles based 3 Ring Circus, highlights Haier’s full product lineup from appliances to televisions with a fresh look and feel that displays the evolution of the brand.

“We’re excited about this year’s spot,” says John Sideropoulos of 3 Ring Circus, who serves as Haier’s creative and production agency. “It is very dynamic and sure to stand out with its bold, bright colors.”

For the first time, the Dream Factory Dunk Contest presented by Haier will take place at halftime of the 2012 NBA D-League All-Star Game presented by 26 Seconds, which begins at 2pm ET Saturday, Feb. 25, and will be broadcast live on NBA TV. The 3-Point Competition and the Shooting Stars, both also presented by Haier, will take place following the conclusion of the NBA D-League All-Star Game and will be streamed live on nba.com/futurecast.

As the Official HDTV of the NBA, Haier has achieved noteworthy success through the “Haier Play of the Day,” a feature found on NBA.com. Fans visit the website to see a selected highlight video of a play sponsored by Haier. With tens of millions of page views throughout the year, the “Haier Play of the Day” is one of the top destinations on NBA.com but there seems to be some confusion about how to pronounce Haier. Hopefully, this video can help straighten out how to pronounce Haier (higher).

by Ismail Uddin

Triple-A Baseball have inked a multi-year agreement with Gildan to make the leading supplier of t-shirts, activewear, underwear and socks an official national sponsor of Triple-A Baseball.

In addition to its sponsorship across all 30 Triple-A clubs, the three-year agreement means Gildan will be the Title Sponsor of the 2012 GILDAN Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game and telecast, which will be televised on the NBC Sports Network. In 2013 and 2014, Gildan also will be a presenting sponsor of the Triple-A All-Star Game currently on the MLB Network.

The national sponsorship includes an in-park presence at every stadium throughout the season as well as integrated media components such as programs, website banners, radio and television advertising in addition to game tickets and more.

Recognized for quality, comfort, durability and value, the Gildan(R) brand is worn by active families, aspiring athletes and enthusiastic fans on the playing fields and in the stands everywhere. Gildan’s partnership portfolio emphasizes engagement in fun family events. With its nationwide reach and loyal fan base, the Triple-A Baseball sponsorship is a valuable addition.

“Triple-A Baseball is a great American tradition. Generations have grown up feeling they’re an intimate part of this accessible experience. At Gildan, we have been part of fun family events in our customers’ lives since the early 1990s,” said Rob Packard, Vice-President Marketing and Merchandising, Gildan Retail. “This partnership, supporting 30 talented teams bringing home runs to hometowns with dedicated and passionate fans in great cities across America, is a perfect fit for our brand.”

Randy Mobley, CEO, Triple-A Baseball, said: “We are excited to partner with Gildan. We view this sponsorship as a brand match on numerous levels as both organizations are value-driven and heavily associated with great times and special family memories.”

With a history dating back over 125 years, Triple-A Baseball has been in existence longer than the NFL, NBA, and NHL. Today, you’ll find 30 teams across two leagues throughout the United States developing talent for major league affiliates while providing affordable, family entertainment for fans of all ages. 

by Ismail Uddin

The British & Irish Lions have appointed Rhino, ambulance one of the world’s leading supplier of contact and training equipment for rugby, as an Official Supplier to Lions 2013 Australia Tour.

Similar to the Lions 2009 Tour to South Africa, Rhino has a dual role, the Somerset based company is to supply not only the training equipment the squad will use at each training venue in the UK & Ireland, Hong Kong and Australia, but also the Official Training Ball and commemorative ball collection for the Tour.

Rhino CEO Reg Clark said: “we are thrilled to once more be a part of The Lions family for this Tour and are pleased to note the continuity in terms of personnel and other Tour sponsors. We are looking forward very much to working with them all again. Heritage is a major part of Rhino’s brand and it is hard to find a rugby entity more imbued with this than The Lions.”

Tour Manager Andy Irvine, himself a legendary British & Irish Lions player from the 1974, 1977 and 1980 Tours commented: “The British & Irish Lions are delighted to welcome Rhino Rugby back as an Official Supplier for the 2013 Tour. The quality of their equipment is well known and was much appreciated by the 2009 Tour management and players. Rhino is well known for being a cutting edge developer of innovative new products and is additionally now an established performance ball manufacturer.”

by Ismail Uddin

Canadian Solar Inc., one of the world’s largest solar companies has announced today that it has become a sponsor of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Los Angeles Kings.

The Los Angeles Kings are based out of the world famous Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, also home to NBA’s LA Clippers, LA Lakers and WNBA’s LA Sparks and host site of more than 250 events annually.

“Given Canada’s rich hockey heritage, it was a perfect fit for Canadian Solar to become a first-time sponsor of the Los Angeles Kings,” said Dr. Shawn Qu, chairman and CEO of Canadian Solar Inc. “The Los Angeles Kings have already made exemplary efforts in sustainability. This latest partnership highlights our commonality and provides a meaningful platform for a strong brand and renewable energy message.”

According to the California Solar Statistics, in 2011, more than 100 MW of solar power were contracted to California home owners seeking to reduce their carbon footprint, reduce energy costs and contribute to a cleaner environment. Southern California ranks as one of the top solar markets in the country as residents rapidly adopt renewable energy to power their homes. This sponsorship will enable Canadian Solar to increase its visibility in the U.S. and spread its message of sustainability and clean energy to customers, partners and project stakeholders.

Bill Pedigo, Senior Vice President, Corporate Partnerships from the LA Kings, said: “At AEG, we pride ourselves on being a sustainable organization. Partnering with a preeminent sustainable company like Canadian Solar is a no-brainer. The Los Angeles Kings are committed to sustainability, and this sponsorship with Canadian Solar furthers our track record of support of both renewable energy and solar, helping us achieve our goals.”

AEG, owner and operator of Staples Center, released an environmental sustainability report in 2010, outlining strategies for energy, water and waste reduction. With nearly 4,000,000 visitors a year the Staples Center’s high visibility makes it well positioned to inspire environmental responsibility and social change.

by Ismail Uddin