MMA lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez has agreed to an exclusive equipment endorsement deal with fitness apparel company Everlast.

Under the agreement, ampoule Melendez will continue to exclusively use Everlast equipment for his training needs, generic while also playing a role in direct-to-consumer/retail marketing initiatives . The fitness apparel company will also become the official equipment sponsor of Melendez’s gym — El Nino Training Center.

Matt Cowan, herbal VP of Marketing and Products for Everlast, said: “Gilbert Melendez is the perfect athlete to add to the Everlast stable of fighters. He is focused, driven and at the apex of the sport of mixed martial arts. His dedication and strength make him a natural fit for our brand.”

“Becoming a member of the Everlast team is the next step toward realizing my goals in this sport,” said Melendez. “Having the support of such a great company both personally and at the gym level has relieved some of the stress of training and allowed me to primarily focus on my upcoming title defense. I am excited to be a brand ambassador for the best fight sports brand in the world!”

Bookmaking giant Sportingbet Australia have agreed a multi-million dollar sponsorship with the W.S. Cox Plate, an Australian Thoroughbred Horse Race held in Melbourne every October by the Moonee Valley Racing Club for the next five years.

Club chairman Bob Scarborough described the relationship with the corporate bookmaker as a massive coup for the club.

“It’s an exciting partnership that will greatly benefit both organisations and, importantly, will ensure that the W.S. Cox Plate remains as the Australian weight-for-age championship,” Scarborough said.

Tatts ended its sponsorship of the Cox Plate with the running of this year’s race, won by Pinker Pinker.

It’s the second major metropolitan club sponsorship Sportingbet Australia has secured in the past week.

Sportingbet has secured the naming rights for Sandown from the Melbourne Racing Club from January 1.

Sportingbet Australia has sponsored Moonee Valley’s premier sprint, the Manikato Stakes, and is heavily involved in its night racing season.

Sportingbet Australia’s involvement with the two clubs is further evidence of its commitment to plough money back into the industry.

Sportingbet Australia CEO Michael Sullivan said: “I have always said Sportingbet would contribute well over the product fee we pay to RVL and this is another example of how committed we are to ensuring racing in Victoria continues to grow.”

Sports marketing firm Five West have announced their performance partnership with CaterhamComposites, the parent company of Caterham F1 with Sailing’s Alex Thomson Racing the first to benefit. 

The partnership will see Caterham Composites, a division of the Caterham Group, working with Five West ‘s grand prix yacht racing campaigns.

Caterham Composites is the design and performance specialist division of Caterham Group, the parent company of the Caterham F1 Team and Caterham Cars. Caterham Composites will lend their expertise in building technology solutions for carbon fibre structures in the motor-racing and airline industries to Five West’s ocean racing campaigns.

The partnership is an unprecedented move in competitive sailing, combining great British ocean racing talent and the technology and performance management expertise of Caterham Composites.  Alex Thomson Racing will be the first to benefit from the partnership.  Following his recent 2^nd place finish in this year’s Transat Jacques Vabre and 4^th place completion of the Transat B to B, Alex Thomson now has his sights set on being the first British sailor to win the solo, round-the-world Vendée Globe, which
starts on November 10^th, 2012.  The partnership with Caterham Composites will facilitate the performance optimisation of Alex’s Open 60 yacht, HUGO BOSS, using advanced research andmethodology not previously available to sailing teams.

Mike Gascoyne, CEO of Caterham Composites and Chief Technical Officer of Caterham F1 Team, said: “We are very excited to be sharing our research and the outstanding expertise of
our technical team with Alex Thomson and the 5West team. This is a great opportunity to apply our knowledge to a different sport and to test our systems, while working with Britain’s best solo ocean skippers.”

Stewart Hosford, Managing Director, 5 West, added: ‘Formula 1 and ocean yacht racing teams face many of the same challenges. Reliability, performance, weight and safety are all similar concerns and like all high technology sports it is about having the best team and realising that the decisions you make six, and twelve, months in advance of a big race are as important as those made on the race course itself’.”

English Championship side, Crystal Palace Football Club (CPFC) have renewed their long-standing shirt sponsorship deal with GAC until June 2014.

The agreement, which started in 2004, now represents a decade-long uninterrupted relationship between the south London club and the global shipping, logistics and marine services provider.

Under the new deal, which was finalised in October, GAC continues as the club’s main sponsor and its logo will be featured prominently on CPFC’s first team and replica shirts, as well as on media backdrops, pitch perimeter advertising boards and club literature.

Crystal Palace’s Chief Executive, Phil Alexander, said: “This re-signing is a testimony to the quality of our relationship and mutual objectives. We are proud to have GAC as our main sponsor and we are working hard to repay the company’s loyalty by once again gaining Premier League status.

“The national and international coverage we receive across all sectors of the media is a key element of our relationship, as are the business values we share. GAC is a great partner and we look forward to working together for many more years to come.”

GAC’s long-term association with Crystal Palace has given it a range of benefits, according to Bill Hill, GAC’s Executive Group Vice President.

He said: “Our affiliation with the club has delivered a significant boost to our brand visibility, bringing the GAC logo to the attention of football fans, both at the stadium and watching on TV screens around the world. Further, it is a successful platform for B2B opportunities for the GAC Group’s global shipping and logistics businesses.

“This latest renewal marks the continuation of a mutually beneficial partnership, in line with our philosophy of continuity and commitment to building long-lasting relationships.”

GAC have been busy commercially in the last couple of weeks by securing deals with the Extreme Sailing Series and Houston Rockets.

BP America have announced its support for nine U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes as they prepare for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, including financial commitments to them and to charities of their choice in communities across the country.

BP America first announced its sponsorship of the 2012 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams in February 2010, and earlier this year the company extended its partnership with the U.S. Olympic Committee as its official energy partner through 2016. The announcement signals the company’s additional commitment to nine athletes who are training in hopes of representing Team USA in archery, cycling, gymnastics, track & field and swimming.

Steve Williams, Head of U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Programs, BP America: “These athletes personify courage and dedication. Many have had to overcome tremendous adversity, which we find inspirational as individuals and as a company. As a proud partner of the U.S. Olympic Committee, BP America is honored to help bring this partnership to life by sponsoring these nine athletes as they pursue their Olympic and Paralympic dreams.  We are committed to providing these premiere athletes with the opportunities, support and critical funding necessary to help fuel these outstanding athletes at the London 2012 Olympic Games.”

In 2012, the company will also support charities related to the athletes’ personal causes, as well as local sports clubs to nurture the next generation of Olympians and Paralympians.

“If it weren’t for companies like BP making the commitment to the Olympics and to individuals like me, I would not be able to do what I do,” said Bryan Clay, a decathlete and one of the BP America-sponsored athletes. “They are making it possible for me to go out and represent my country and hopefully, win another medal for the United States.”

Rudy Garcia-Tolson, a world-class swimmer and BP-sponsored athlete making a bid for the 2012 Paralympics, added: “BP’s impact on my life is huge. I’ve always wanted to be the best, and they are able to help me in that pursuit. I’ve always believed you can do anything you want to do, and BP is helping me make this a reality.”

The athletes will train and compete in qualifying rounds in 2012 ahead of the London Games next July and August.

The nine athletes are Brian Clay, track & field, decathlon, Rudy Garcia-Tolson, Paralympic swimming, 100m and 200m swimmer, Jonathan Horton, gymnastics, Lolo Jones, track and field 100m hurdler, Tatyana McFadden, Paralympic cycling, wheelchair, Sanya Richards-Ross, track & field, 400m sprinter, Jerome Singleton, Paralympic track & field, 100m and 200m sprinter, Rebecca Soni, swimming, 100m and 200m breaststroke and Matt Stutzman, Paralympic archery.

Irish Throwers have received a welcome boost from a new sponsorship agreement with Polanik – ProSportEurope.com, denture  Athletics Ireland have announced.

Ireland has had a rich history in throwing particular in the Hammer from Olympic Gold Medallist, doctor Pat O’Callaghan right through to World Track and Field Finalist, Eileen O’Keeffe who retired this year. The support received from prosporteurope.com will help the next generation of throwers such as Junior Record Holders Killian Barry and Cara Kennedy to fulfil their potential on the International stage.

National Throws Coordinator David Sweeney said “The support received from ProSportEurope.com will assist in coach education with athletes already benefiting from Discus clinics hosted by Vesteinn Hafsteinsson (coach to Olympic Champion Discus thrower Gerd Kanter) in October”. The funding will also support athletes in the newly named Polanik Throws Squad through the provision of throwing equipment, funding for competitions or training and provision of throwing equipment.

Brian Price of prosporteurope.com added: “We are very excited about the future prospects in the Junior age groups in Ireland and strongly believe that the future looks very bright for Irish throwing. We are also delighted to announce that 5% of all on-line sales on our website will go towards the future funding of the development of Throws in Ireland”

prosporteurope.com are sole Irish agents for ‘Polanik’, the world renowned Polish company that supply top class athletic equipment for Javelins, Discus, Hammer, Shot Put, Sprints, Hurdles, High Jump, Long Jump, Triple Jump and Pole Vault as well as general athletics track equipment.

NRG and New Meadowlands Stadium Company have announced a new sponsorship agreement that will bring sustainable solar power to MetLife Stadium, generic home of the New York Jets and New York Football Giants, two iconic National Football League franchises.

Under the agreement, NRG will design, install and operate a custom solar power generating system—the Solar Ring—that will add a striking visual element encircling the top of the stadium. The Solar Ring will have the ability to display team colors and an array of additional hues to meet the needs of visiting events, including concerts and college sporting contests. Construction will begin in the spring of 2012, with an expected completion date of August 2012, prior to the first pre-season football game.

In addition, NRG will provide all of the additional electricity for the 82,500-seat stadium starting in June 2012.

Mark Lamping, President and CEO of MetLife Stadium, said: “A ‘green vision’ for MetLife Stadium dates back to the very beginning phase of our initial development. In 2012, sustainable solar power will become an actuality, and we are pleased to enter into this significant endeavor with NRG Energy.”

NRG, one of the largest power generation companies in the nation, is a leader in providing cleaner energy solutions to American businesses and consumers. It is also the largest solar power company in the United States with more than 900 megawatts of solar generation in operation or under construction by the end of 2011 with an additional 1,000 megawatts in development.

David Crane, President and Chief Executive Officer of Princeton, N.J.-based NRG, said: “This extraordinary installation on the biggest stadium in the NFL, home to two of America’s most iconic sports franchises, will create a unique solar imprint on the consciousness of sports fans across the greater New York region and nationwide. We are pleased to be partners of the Giants and the Jets in demonstrating for millions to see the innovative ways that solar energy can be used to help power our nation.”

The solar power system, consisting of approximately 1,500 individual panels manufactured by Atlantis Energy Systems of Poughkeepsie, New York, will be able to generate nearly 25 times the amount of electricity needed to power the integrated LED lighting and display system.

The panels will be assembled into 52 modules that will be raised to the top level of the stadium and bolted into a steel superstructure which will also provide shelter from rain and snow.

“Our goal is to provide our fans with the best possible game-watching experience, one that is exciting, enjoyable and environmentally conscious,” said Woody Johnson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the New York Jets. “Our partnership with NRG illustrates our commitment to this cause as we continue to explore eco-friendly initiatives to make MetLife Stadium the best in the world.”

John Mara, President and Chief Executive Officer of the New York Football Giants, added: “We are pleased to team up with NRG, a company that possesses the power to improve our Stadium’s environmental impact. NRG provides the necessary skills and experience to execute this game-changing endeavor, which has a welcomed place at MetLife Stadium.”

“MetLife Stadium is no stranger to unique, trendsetting innovation,” commented Steve Tisch, Chairman and Executive Vice President of the New York Football Giants. “The largest football stadium in the NFL—the only to house two teams—also proudly displays the most technologically advanced infrastructure and now dedicated to the identification and exploration of new, cutting-edge eco-friendly ventures.”

Northwestern University and Under Armour, Inc. have announced a new multi-year partnership that designates Under Armour as the official outfitter of the university’s athletic program.

The partnership represents Under Armour’s first outfitter agreement with an athletic program that competes in the Big Ten Conference.

Under Armour, the leader in performance apparel, footwear and accessories, will outfit all of Northwestern’s 19 men’s and women’s varsity athletic teams beginning in the 2012-13 season. The comprehensive partnership also includes marketing and promotional rights.

Kevin Plank, Founder and CEO of Under Armour, said: “Under Armour highly values our new partnership with this prestigious institution and we look forward to working with Northwestern University to advance their distinguished athletic tradition.”

Matt Mirchin, Senior Vice President of Global Sports Marketing, Under Armour, added: “We’re proud to mark our first Big Ten Conference partnership with a program built on strong values. With a passionate fan base and a commitment to winning, Northwestern University is an ideal partner for the brand.”

“We’re thrilled about our new partnership with Under Armour,” commented Jim Phillips, Northwestern’s Director of Athletics and Recreation. “It’s a marriage of two world-renowned brands that will greatly benefit our student-athletes and our programs as they compete to win Big Ten and national championships. Under Armour apparel, footwear and equipment offers our teams the best innovations and latest technologies to ensure we have a competitive advantage on the field of play.”

Under Armour’s first partnership with an athletic program in the distinguished Big Ten Conference extends the brand’s commitment to growing its on-field presence and showcasing its products at the highest levels of athletic competition. The brand currently outfits Division I varsity collegiate sports teams in the SEC, ACC, Big East, Pac 12 and the Big 12.

The radio home of the LA Dodgers, hospital Dodgers Radio AM 570 FOX Sports LA, has secured a partnership with 1-800LoanMart.

This strategic partnership brings the title loan company to the baseball fans of Los Angeles and opens up a new source of exposure for 1-800LoanMart.

1-800LoanMart will be advertised throughout the entire Spring Training season, the 162 game regular season and a potential playoff season for the Dodgers on their radio station Dodgers Radio AM 570 FOX Sports LA. With this partnership, Dodger Radio earns a reputable and established corporate sponsorship for the season and 1-800LoanMart earns a partnership with one of baseball’s largest radio market’s audience of fans.

Vick “The Brick” Jacobs, co-host of The Loose Cannons sports talk radio show on FOX Sports Radio AM 570, said: “1-800LoanMart fans, welcome to the Dodger Family! We are partners and we are humbled and honored to be part of this beautiful blue revival at Dodger Stadium. It’s going to be an amazing season!”

Colby Estes of 1-800LoanMart is excited to be a part of the Dodger Radio Family as this will bring increased exposure to the 1-800LoanMart brand and perhaps bring in some additional customers for title loans in Los Angeles and the greater area!

“The Dodger fans are some of the most passionate in all of baseball and we are excited to be a part of the radio home to one of baseball’s largest radio audience. We hope this partnership helps in getting the name of 1-800LoanMart out to fans of the Dodgers and hopefully we can help fans who need help with their cash emergencies should the need ever arise,” he said.

Warrior Rx, troche a topical muscle and joint pain relief rub specifically formulated for athletes, decease has partnered with Alchemist Management to sponsor a team of professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters, pills comprised of Jared Hamman, Vladimir Matyushenko and Ovince St. Preux.

Warrior Rx, developed by Top Form Research LLC, is rapidly becoming a favorite of MMA and extreme sports athletes due to its unique ability to ease the most painful aches and pains.

Tom Jankowski, Chief Marketing Officer for Top Form Research, said: “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to sponsor this outstanding team of MMA athletes. Warrior Rx has been specifically formulated for individuals who live a high-impact lifestyle, and the MMA athlete is the prime example. They use this product because it works.”

Warrior Rx itself has been developed by a team of MMA athletes, who set out to find a solution for the bruises, muscle aches and joint pain they experienced on a regular basis.

Warrior Rx made its debut at UFC 140 on December 10 with an appearance by Hamman. St. Preux will fight in Strikeforce on December 17, while Matyushenko is scheduled to compete in UFC 141 on December 30.

“We are happy to be working with these top-tier fighters who are competing in some high-profile events,” said Jankowski. “We look forward to partnering with these athletes to expand the scope of Warrior Rx and help more individuals get the all-natural muscle and joint pain relief they need to compete and reach their true athletic potential.”