British Speedway team, allergist Redcar Bears, malady which has a small but loyal following from around the Whitby area, has announced new sponsors for the coming season.

Practical Car and Van Hire, which has branches in Redcar plus Durham and Peterlee, has been confirmed as team co-sponsors of the Bears for the Premier League season which commences at the South Tees Motorsport Park on Thursday 15 March with a Northern Challenge match between the Bears and Newcastle Diamonds.

Practical boss Darren Lee said: “The company have been an individual sponsor of Bears club captain Gary Havelock in recent seasons plus a programme advertiser.

“With the improved facilities at the speedway arena we have taken the opportunity to step up to team sponsorship and entertain our clients to an exciting night out in style.

“The Bears are a high profile sports team in the north east and that matches our ambition as we open a new branch at Peterlee in County Durham.’

The deal as a package is worth five figures and Practical Car and Van Hire join Simpson Racing UK as co-sponsors.

This boost was underlined by Bears boss Brian Havelock, who said: “On behalf of the consortium I welcome Practical as team sponsors and I know our faithful fans will support them in return.

“This is great news in touch economic times.’

Mage Solar, order the international photovoltaic system components provider based
in Germany, prostate has become a premium partner of Belgian club RSC Anderlecht.

The agreement was facilitated by the internationalsports marketing company Infront Sports & Media. Mage Solar, order order | which is already involved in German club football, is now expanding its sponsoring activities internationally in a process to further promote its brand.

As premium partner the global photovoltaic company made its first appearance in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League yesterday, when RSC Anderlecht beat Club Brugge 3:0.

The Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht is the most successful football club in Belgium in terms of national as well as international titles. The team is currently ranked first in the Jupiler Pro League, therefore attracting particular attention in and outside of Belgium.

As premium partner, Mage Solar will benefit from wide-reaching advertising space in camera view, including significant presence on the LED boards, as well as from a comprehensive hospitality package that the company will have at its disposal. With RSC Anderlecht, Mage Solar will gain exposure across all home games of the regular season, the play-offs, home games of the Belgian Cup as well as selected preliminary games for the UEFA Europa League. 

The involvement follows the successful introduction of Mage Solar to German football at the popular SC Freiburg – an agreement, which was also negotiated by Infront.  MAGE SOLAR is a premium partner to SC Freiburg and name giver for the club’s stadium. Given how football commands such a strong interest across all of Europe, as well as on a global level, the exceptional experience with the sponsorship in Freiburg can now be noted as the start of Mage Solar’s full
commitment to this captivating sport. 

Dr. Markus Feil, CEO of Mage Solar AG, said: “There is one club that stands out throughout the entire Benelux region. A football club with a long and impressive list of international successes across Europe – the distinguished RSC Anderlecht. With this sponsorship we have scored our second goal in the quest to align the Mage Solar brand with an equally prominent football club within Europe.”

Roger Vanden Stock, President and Chairman RSC Anderlecht, added: “Sustainability in player development and sporting performance is what characterizes our club. Sustainability in energy solutions is what represents our new partner. We consider this partnership an excellent fit and welcome Mage Solar at Belgium’s most successful club.”

Buxton Natural Mineral Water will continue to be official water supplier to England cricket teams for a further two years, the ECB announced today.

The company, which first became an ECB partner in 2008, will continue as the exclusive supplier of bottled water to the England men’s and women’s cricket teams for all home international matches until the end of the 2013 season.

In return Buxton receives a comprehensive range of commercial assets that includes access to England cricketers for promotional purposes, specific branding opportunities around England cricket teams, in-stadia advertising and a variety of rights across England’s fan community, TwelfthMan.

ECB head of commercial partnerships Mark Pearce said: “We’d like to thank Buxton for their continuing support for English cricket. This is the second time in four years that the company has renewed its agreement with ECB and their nationwide in-store marketing activity has played an important role in raising the profile of our England teams.”

Jenny Bond, head of marketing and CCSD, Nestlé Waters UK, added: “We are proud to continue as the official water supplier to England men’s and women’s teams. Like cricket, Buxton Natural Mineral Water is quintessentially British, and the sponsorship remains a fantastic opportunity to promote Buxton and drive sales for our retail partners.”

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Is Buxton’s sponsorship of English cricket the most ironic in sporting history? Have your say here

The PGA TOUR has signed a sponsorship agreement with Allegheny Sports Medicine, a leader in orthopedic care and rehabilitation services for a four-year deal.

Allegheny Sports Medicine, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa., will become the “Official Sports Medicine Sponsor.” As part of the agreement, Allegheny Sports Medicine will sponsor the PGA TOUR and Champions Tour Mobile Health and Fitness Program that features state-of-the-art fitness and therapeutic trailers that are available to players at more than 70 tournaments throughout the season. The facilities, which will be branded with the Allegheny Sports Medicine logo, are staffed by professional physical therapists, chiropractors and athletic trainers who assist players in rehabilitative and preventive care, as well as personal conditioning programs.

“With health and fitness being top of mind among our players, it is essential that we continue to provide the best services possible when they are on the road,” said Tom Wade, Chief Marketing Officer of the PGA TOUR. “We are extremely pleased to announce this new relationship with Allegheny Sports Medicine and to utilize its expertise in these areas.”

Patrick J. DeMeo, MD, chairman of Allegheny Sports Medicine, added: “This partnership is a natural extension of our program’s nationally recognized quality and our commitment to providing the highest level of sports medicine care. We are pleased that our therapeutic trailers will continue this tradition of excellence.”

Further details of the sponsorship will be highlighted during a press conference at the Pittsburgh Convention Center, scheduled for January 25 that will feature PGA TOUR member Jim Furyk and have one of the mobile facilities on display.

Also the PGA Tour simultaneously announced that Avis Rent A Car has been named the “Official Rental Car Company” of the PGA TOUR.

The new multi-year agreement provides Avis with the opportunity to promote its products and services to millions of golfers and golf fans around the world through PGA TOUR telecasts and media assets.

In addition to prominent Avis logo placement on the LED scoreboards throughout the PGA TOUR regular season, PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup and Fall Series, the program includes business development opportunities for Avis in addition to unique promotions. Avis will also have placement on the official PGA TOUR website (www.pgatour.com), tie-ins to television programming and national advertising opportunities in print and broadcast channels. PGA TOUR tournaments are broadcast to approximately 715 million households in 225 countries and territories in 29 languages annually.

“Reaching customers through partnerships with world-class brands like PGA TOUR is part of our integrated marketing strategy,” said Jeannine Haas, chief marketing officer for Avis Budget Group, parent company of Avis. “We look forward to driving rentals and generating new business leads while providing the PGA TOUR and golf fans around the globe with high-quality vehicles and a consistently outstanding rental experience.”

Tom Wade, chief marketing officer of the PGA TOUR, added: “We are excited to announce this new long-term marketing partnership with Avis. Avis has an outstanding reputation as a leader in the car rental industry, which is important in our efforts to provide the best possible benefits to our players and their families. We look forward to working with Avis to build its presence on our three Tours and to develop exciting new programs that are mutually beneficial to Avis and the PGA TOUR.”

The PGA TOUR partnership builds upon Avis’ commitment to excellence and ‘trying harder.’ In July, Avis teamed up with Steve Stricker, an eleven-time champion on the PGA TOUR, who serves as an advocate for Avis and wears the iconic Avis logo on his shirts and outerwear.

“It’s great to see Avis expand their involvement in golf by becoming an official partner of the PGA TOUR,” said Stricker. “I look forward to seeing my name on the Avis scoreboards throughout the season.”

Fila has extended its endorsement agreements with long-time WTA Tour stars and Grand Slam champions Kim Cljisters and Svetlana Kuznetsova.

“We are thrilled to extend our relationship with Kim Clijsters and Svetlana Kuznetsova, abortion ” said Gene Yoon, unhealthy Chairman of Fila. “Both players are longtime members of the Fila family and have played an important role in Fila’s rich history in tennis. Kim and Svetlana, mind who are joined by new brand ambassadors Vera Zvonareva and Jelena Jankovic, are ideal representatives of Fila’s core values. Their athleticism, drive and passion exemplify the true beauty of sport that has inspired our brand for over a century.”

Kim Clijsters, who is an inspiration to tennis fans and mothers around the world, has won 41 Sony Ericsson WTA Singles titles and 11 WTA Doubles titles so far in her career. In just her third tournament after returning to tennis in 2009, she turned a US Open wildcard into a history making win to become the first unseeded player to win the US Open and the first mother to win a Grand Slam since Evonne Goolagong-Cauley in 1980. With a renewed passion for the game, Kim went on to win the 2010 Australian Open and WTA Championships. In 2011, she won her fourth Grand Slam in Australia.

Svetlana Kuznetsova has been a consistent and formidable competitor on the WTA Tour since her break-out, Grand Slam title winning season in 2004. Since then, she has ranked in the Top 20 for seven out of the last eight seasons and has won 13 Singles titles and 14 Doubles titles. In 2009, Svetlana won her second Grand Slam at Roland Garros and captured her 14th Doubles title with Mauresmo.

Kim and Svetlana will debut Fila’s spring 2012 Center Court apparel collection at the Australian Open in Melbourne.

Fila has a long and distinguished history in the world of tennis that continues with endorsements and sponsorships that include agreements with ATP Tour and WTA Tour athletes. Fila is a sponsor of the Sony Ericsson Open, the BNP Paribas Open and the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships. Fila is also the footwear licensee of The Championships at Wimbledon.

Gaspari Nutrition, apoplectic a globally distributed sport nutrition company, price has agreed a sponsorship deal with American mixed martial arts fighter and UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie “The Answer” Edgar.

The brand has embraced the fervor of mixed martial arts as it diversifies its global brand strategy to encompass some of the best functional strength and conditioned athletes on the planet.

CEO of Gaspari, anesthetist Rich Gaspari, said: “The first time I saw Frankie fight was against Gray Maynard and the kid showed more heart than any athlete I had ever seen before in any competition. I knew from that point he’d make an excellent addition to Team Gaspari.”

Frankie is a graduate of Clarion University and wrestled for the Golden Eagles from 2001-2005. During his career as a Golden Eagle, Edgar was a two-time PSAC Champion (2004, 2005), an EWL Champion in 2005 at 141-pounds, and was a 4-time NCAA Div. I National qualifier. Currently, he is the UFC lightweight champion having successfully defended his title three times with one split decision. Being true to his wrestling roots, Frankie is currently an assistant wrestling coach at Rutgers University.

In the Octagon, Frankie’s accolades include winning Fight of the Night three times and Knockout of the Night once. Edgar was also the recipient of the 2011 World MMA Awards Fight of the Year for his showing at UFC 125 against Gray Maynard, which has been regarded as one of the greatest fights ever.

Under the deal Frankie will appear on both Gaspari TV and Gaspari’s global advertising campaign representing a new breed of Team Gaspari athletes alongside fellow MMA rising star “All American” Brian Stann and a few more unnamed MMA rising stars. He will be actively blogging at Frankie.gasparinutrition.com and making appearances with Team Gaspari around the country. Gaspari Nutrition is known for hard-hitting and clinically validated products. Frankie also has the advantage of living only 10 minutes away from Gaspari Nutrition’s global headquarters.

Skate Canada has made Triple Flip the Official Teamwear Supplier for the male and female athletes in the Section, and a Gold Sponsor, supporting young athletes from the development stages through to competitive levels.

Triple Flip is one of Canada’s leading activewear brands, with Triple Flip retail stores across the country catering to pre-teen girls, and Triple Flip TEAM serves the need of athletic teams by outfitting them with training, competitive and warm-up gear, for men and women from youth to adult.

Sharon Dingle, Chair of Skate Canada: Alberta-NWT/Nunavut, said: “The brand’s focus on promoting a healthy lifestyle, positive self-image and having fun, makes Triple Flip the perfect partner for our Section, which focuses on participation in skating for fun, fitness and achievement. Triple Flip’s products are made with premium technical fabrics, with the style and fit that our athletes and coaches want. They are proud to wear the Triple Flip brand.”

Triple Flip will be flipping out Skate Canada: Alberta-NWT/Nunavut skaters headed to the 2012 Skate Canada Figure Skating Championships from January 16 – 22, 2012 in Moncton, New Brunswick. Section athletes will be easy to spot, sporting their Triple Flip Teamwear.

Both Triple Flip and Skate Canada: Alberta-NWT/Nunavut see this partnership as an opportunity to create a unique identity for Section athletes, showcasing their skills and official Triple Flip apparel at such prestigious events as the Canadian Figure Skating Championships and the Skate Canada Synchronized Skating Championships. Triple Flip’s support also extends to the Junior Development Team and Select Team, as well as providing an innovative recognition program for Program Assistants, who are young athletes donating their time to teach beginner skaters in their communities and clubs.

“As an Alberta-based company committed to supporting young athletes, Triple Flip is highly motivated to make an impact from the grass-roots level, right up to our elite athletes,” said Linda Maslechko, President, Triple Flip. “Skate Canada: Alberta-NWT/Nunavut is a great advocate for the sport of skating, and we feel privileged to be their partner and teamwear supplier of choice for the next four years.”

Tap It Brewing Company has announced it will be the primary sponsor on the Jim Dunn Racing fuel funny car for the 2012 National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Full Throttle season.

Tap It Brewing Co., located on California’s central coast, is the maker of fine handcrafted ales artfully brewed in a variety of flavors from bold and intense to cool and refreshing.

Jim Dunn is one of the original pioneers of NHRA Drag Racing. He began his career as a competitor in 1950 when the popularity of the sport was starting to take hold on local strips throughout Southern California. Over the years, the acclaimed driver/crew chief/team owner has accumulated numerous wins and performance records and in 2011 was named to the NHRA’s all time top 50 driver’s list.

“We’re proud to have Tap It Brewing team up with us for the 2012 season,” said team owner Dunn. “We have been in NHRA drag racing for a long time and we know what it takes to make the sponsor experience highly successful. Our car and crew are seasoned veterans and we’re all looking forward to kicking off the season and showcasing our partnership with Tap It Brewing and all of our sponsors.”

Tap It sales manager Robert Garcia, added: “The shift in American beer tastes continues to head more and more toward micro and handcrafted beers. Our teaming up with Jim Dunn Racing is the perfect opportunity for us to expose the Tap It Brewing name to millions of NHRA fans and distributors around the country and we’re excited to be on board,” added Garcia.

Team manager Jon Dunn announced that driver Todd Lesenko will be behind the wheel when the Jim Dunn Racing/Tap It Brewing funny car lines it up to kick off the season at the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, CA, February 9-12, 2012. “We’re extremely pleased to have signed Todd on as our driver of the Tap It Brewing funny car,” said Dunn. “Todd is a great addition to the team. Fans and sponsors alike are going to enjoy watching Todd race this year and he will do a great job on and off the track representing Jim Dunn racing as well.”

Along with Tap It Brewing, team sponsors for 2012 include: Canidae Natural Pet Foods, Lincoln Technical Institute, Kymco, Moon, Lucas Oil, Bumper to Bumper, Lescure Fuel Oil Equipment, Fountain Tire, Blaze Technical Services, Antrim Construction, Ashton Transport, Active Group.

World Snooker has announced that BGC Partners will become the new title sponsor of the Masters.

World Snooker have secured the deal with the leading global brokerage company just days from the start of the event on Sunday, January 15th at Alexandra Palace.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn gave his response to the BGC deal as follows, “It gives us great pleasure to bring in a new title sponsor for one of our biggest tournaments, especially one as prestigious as BGC Partners.

“This is a huge step forward for our sport and demonstrates the growing appeal of snooker on a global scale. Snooker is on the rise and the momentum built by a tremendous UK Championship last month will be continued at the BGC Masters as we already have outstanding ticket sales”.

The President of BGC Partners, Shaun Lynn, added, “The Masters is one of the most prestigious and well-recognised events in the snooker industry’s calendar and BGC Partners is proud to be title sponsor for the first time this year. BGC prides itself on the excellence of the services our world-class brokers and state-of-the-art technology provide to clients around the globe.

“We are delighted to join with the world’s top snooker players in presenting this championship event to snooker enthusiasts and sports fans worldwide”.

The BGC agreement is another boon for the Snooker world this week after the announcement of a third major event in China, the Haikou World Open, which further establishes the sport’s presence in the Chinese market.

Live coverage of the BGC Masters, which runs through until to January 22nd, will be available on CCTV5, GSC Shanghai and Now TV Hong Kong as well as the BBC and Eurosport. Highlights will also be shown in Australia, India, Thailand, Malaysia and the Middle East.

McDonald’s has officially announced the extension of its worldwide Olympic sponsorship until 2020.

The declaration of the deal had been expected since Tuesday of this week.

The IOC and McDonald’s chose to publicly showcase their renewed partnership at the first ever Winter YOG (Youth Olympic Games) in Innsbruck, Austria.

The new $100 million deal will cover Sochi 2014, Rio 2016 and Pyeongchang 2018 as well as the 2020 Olympics (and the Youth Olympic Games across the period) after the current agreement expires after London 2012.

The relationship between the IOC and McDonald’s dates back to 1968 when the fast-food chain dispatched hamburgers to feed American athletes competing at the Winter Games in Gernoble.

The official association was first established in Montreal in 1976 and McDonald’s then became a worldwide sponsor of the Games in 1997.

IOC (International Olympic Committee) President Jacques Rogge and McDonald’s President and CEO Don Thompson have both expressed their contentment with the agreement.

Rogge stated, “We are delighted that McDonald’s, our long-time and valued Olympic Partner for more than 35 years, is continuing its ongoing commitment not only to help fund the Olympic Games but also to support the Olympic Movement around the world and ultimately the athletes themselves”.

Thomspon added, “We share the Olympic ideals of teamwork, excellence and being your best. Those ideals are at the heart of what McDonald’s stands for and how we’ve brought the Games to life. Feeding the athletes is a tradition we are extremely proud of, and we look forward to continuing our role in helping to make the Games possible”.

The chairman of the IOC’s Marketing Commission, Gerhard Heiberg, also offered his take on the deal.

“We are very pleased to continue our long-standing relationship with McDonald’s, and we appreciate the quality menu that McDonald’s delivers at the Olympics as the Official Restaurant of the Games.

“We believe that the long-term agreements we have in place with leading companies are a testament to the continued strength and appeal of the Olympic Games as a global marketing platform for sport”.