Car manufacturing giant Ford has renewed its sponsorship agreement with the UEFA Champions League from seasons 2012 to 2015.

Ford continues its long association with Europe’s biggest and most prestigious club football competition. As a founding partner, Ford has been an official partner and official vehicle supplier for the UEFA Champions League since 1992. In renewing the partnership with UEFA, Ford will celebrate 20 years of being a sponsor. This will be further communicated in the official designation, “Ford, sponsor since 20 years”.

David Taylor, chief executive of UEFA Events SA, said: “We are delighted that Ford have chosen to extend their agreement with UEFA and the UEFA Champions League for another three years. They have been a valuable partner of ours since the inception of the competition back in 1992. This renewal in our partnership further strengthens the close relationship we have.

“The UEFA Champions League continues to go from strength to strength and we are confident that it will carry on providing Ford with excellent opportunities to connect and engage with fans on a global basis.”

Stephen Odell, chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe added: “This shows how strongly we feel about this partnership. For a global company like ours, the UEFA Champions League is an ideal platform to connect with millions of consumers around common values. It is all about the best of the best on the ultimate stage and that’s why Ford wants to be part of it.”

Ford is the third of six official sponsors to have concluded an agreement with UEFA for the 2012–15 period of the UEFA Champions League.

The specialized logistic service provider Conceptum Sport Logistics remains a partner of the leading International Luge Federation (FIL).

The ongoing long-term collaboration between Conceptum and the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (FIBT) has also been extended. This means that all members of the Federations as well as all athletes will have access to the services of Conceptum Sport Logistics during the Olympiad in preparation of the 2014 Olympic Games in Russian city Sochi.

The German-based company, which has an international logistics network at its disposal, will be responsible for smooth transport between the teams’ home bases, training sites and competition venues. This ensures that all athletes can concentrate on the competitions. Conceptum also offers integrated services for the pre-season preparations as well as for the support throughout the whole duration of the Olympiad. The range of logistic services, however, goes well beyond taking care of sports equipment – the committed company also arranges for hotel bookings or rental cars and makes travel arrangements for the athletes.

Sebastian Stah, Conceptum CEO, said: “It is our aim to cater to the athletes’ needs in a way that allows for them to focus on training and competitions. Therefore, our team manages the entire logistics chain for both athletes and equipment.”

World 100-metre champion Yohan Blake has signed a multi-million dollar sponsorship deal with Jamaican distribution and manufacturing firm Wisynco Group Limited.

The sponsorship is valued for three years. Blake will play a pivotal role in marketing the company’s Wata brand.

Wisynco managing director William Mahfood did not disclose the value of the deal. He, drugs however, cough says the value of the contract is on par with those signed on the international scene.

Blake’s countryman and training partner Usain Bolt, the world 100 and 200-metre record holders, has signed the biggest sponsorship deal in athletics history in 2010.

That deal expires in 2013 and sources say the deal is comparable to star footballer Cristiano Ronaldo’s four-year contract with Nike, worth $32.2 million.

Blake will also receive incentives for special performances such as breaking a record and winning gold medals.

Mahfood says his company decided to sign Blake because of his dedication to the sports.

Blake ended his 2011 season on a high in Brussels on September 16 by running the second fastest 200-metre ever. He surpassed Michael Johnson’s former world record with a time of 19.26 seconds.

Only the time of 19.19 seconds that won Bolt the world title in Berlin two years ago is faster.

UCI ProTour Cycling team GreenEdge has signed a two-year sponsorship deal with Car manufacturer Subaru

Subaru will also assist AustCycle – an Australian Federal Government initiative to train the public in cycling skills – and aid the safety message championed by the Amy Gillett Foundation.

GreenEdge General Manager Shayne Bannan said that the deal was a significant one for his team on several levels.

“With Subaru, we have access to the perfect vehicles for all our different purposes and demanding tasks throughout the season. From the cobbled paths of Paris-Roubaix to the alpine roads in the Tour de France, we’ll be driving great cars that suit the task at hand.

“Also, and just as importantly, we’ll be part of a great initiative promoting sustainability, safety and the joy of riding bikes. It’s great to see a big, international brand like Subaru support such a valuable cause and we are very happy to be a part of it too.”

Technical sponsors Scott Sports and Santini were signed in March and April respectively.

Bannansaid on Tuesday following confirmation of GreenEdge securing a ProTour licence that the job of selling to potential sponsors has just become a whole lot easier.

“We took the philosophy that we were really going to focus on the brand GreenEdge, we were going to focus on getting the license and now we’ve done that we’re in a position to create a really good image for the team which will hopefully entice a major partner over the next year or so.”

The team’s financial backer, Melbourne-based businessman Gerry Ryan said in October that they were looking to the Asian markets for additional funding, most likely starting from the 2013 season.

“We haven’t had a great deal of support from Australia but we are very close to a couple of Chinese companies,” Ryan confirmed. “What we’re trying to do, it’s about a partnership, not a sponsorship. And what we want to try and do is get the sponsor, the partner to fit into the culture that we’ve developed.

“I’m not concerned but my son Andrew whose role is sponsorship, has the greatest incentive to go out there and make it happen because it’s his inheritance that I’m spending.”

Cricket South Africa (CSA) and the Willowton Group, clinic manufacturers of Sunfoil Pure Sunflower Cooking Oil, have extended the Sunfoil Test sponsorship to the three-match series between South Africa and Sri Lanka, starting at SuperSport Park on December 15.

The sponsorship will have the same elements of the deal that the CSA struck up for the Sunfoil Test Series between the Proteas and Australia which took place last month.

CSA CEO Gerald Majola, Said: “We were delighted to welcome the Willowton Group to the CSA family for the Sunfoil Test series against Australia and we are equally delighted that they have extended their commitment to our great game.

“Their commitment isn’t just to cricket. They are also involved in cricket development at grassroots level and in education through their own Trust fund.

“Test cricket is currently flourishing very strongly as has been seen through recent results between the Proteas and Australia as well as the series between India and the West Indies. The Sunfoil sponsorship will help the five-day game to continue to flourish as we embark on an exceptionally busy period with successive series against Sri Lanka, New Zealand, England and Australia.”

Abdul Razak Moosa, Willowton Group CEO added: “We are delighted to be back on board again with the CSA and the Proteas Test Cricket team for the series against Sri Lanka.”

“The previous test series was a huge success for our brand Sunfoil and we wanted to show the loyal Proteas supporters that we are not a “flash in the pan” and here to support Cricket on a National level long term, whether it be from a team of development perspective.

Action plans have already been set in place for the R300 000 ($37,046) raised for the Sunfoil Education Fund in the last Test series. Every rand makes a great difference to each young cricketing life and application forms for bursaries have already been sent out to the Unions participating in the Sunfoil development programmes around the country, so keep an eye out in the media for the progress of this exciting initiative. We are hoping to have boys and girls benefiting from this foundation by the beginning of next year.”

University of Nebraska new Basketball arena under construction at Lincoln Haymarket has gained a namings right sponsor in a $11.25 million, 25-year deal.

Mayor Chris Beutler announced at a press conference Tuesday that Nebraska’s Pinnacle Bank has secured the naming rights of the new arena, making Pinnacle Bank Arena the official name of the development.

“This long-term partnership is a positive reflection of Pinnacle Bank, the new arena and the future of our community,” Beutler said.

Pinnacle Bank signed a $11.25 million, 25-year contract for the arena naming rights. This amounts to $450,000 a year. This is one of the highest naming rights in Nebraska, said Dan Marvin, arena project manager.

The bank will have the option to negotiate for renewal after 25 years, Marvin said. The contract Pinnacle Bank signed to get the naming rights will be released to the public and online in the next few days.

Marvin said the agreement with Pinnacle Bank was a negotiation process. The group with the arena identified prospective candidates early in the process, he said. The group then had discussions with those candidates before choosing Pinnacle Bank as the title sponsor.

The city broke ground on the arena in September. Pinnacle Bank Arena is expected to be completed in September 2013.

The 470,400 square-foot arena will cost $179 million to build. Lincoln voters approved the funding of the arena in May 2010.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s basketball teams will play home games there, and the center will seat more than 16,000 people.

The NU Athletic Department will pay $750,000 a year for 30 years beginning in 2013 for use of the arena. This is part of an agreement by UNL and the city that the board and council approved in 2010.

Pinnacle Bank chairman Sid Dinsdale said the company was excited to be become the title sponsor of the arena.

The Dinsdale family started Pinnacle Bank in 1938.

“It’s much more about the appreciation of our company in Lincoln and the state of Nebraska,” Dinsdalesaid.

The family has run the bank for more than 70 years. It is this stability that makes Pinnacle Bank a good company to have the naming rights, Marvin said.

NU Regent Tim Clare said the state has a “local Nebraska leader” in the bank.

“It is only fitting it is named as such,” he said. “I believe Pinnacle Bank Arena will be a spectacle and point of pride for Nebraskans.”

Claire said construction of the arena was ahead of schedule and on budget. The project has provided internships for college students, he added.

“We’re experiencing a lot of momentum and our new partner, Pinnacle Bank, will only boost our momentum,” he said.

IMG Academies, one of the world’s largest and most advanced multi-sport training and educational institution, has announced its sponsorship of an American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) preseason series.

The course is designed specifically for first-time AJGA members and those members who have not yet participated in or qualified for another AJGA event.

The IMG Golf Academy Preseason Series will include 10 events in 2012 and will offer 960 playing opportunities to aspiring junior golfers, ages 12-18. Participation for eligible juniors is limited to one IMG Golf Academy Preseason Series event per calendar year. Top finishers in the Preseason Series events will earn exemptions into select IMG Junior Golf Tour events. The IMG Junior Golf Tour is in its second season operating events on championship courses throughout the Southeast.

Jason Etzen, AJGA chief business officer, said: “The AJGA is very excited to team up with the IMG Golf Academy. The IMG Golf Academy Preseason Series will offer great playing opportunities to the AJGA’s first-time members.”

David Whelan, Director, IMG Leadbetter Golf Academy, added: “The IMG Leadbetter Golf Academy has long been dedicated to developing the complete player on and off the course. We consistently look for opportunities to support the development of talented juniors here on our campus and beyond. Sponsoring the IMG Golf Academy Preseason Series presents us with the unique opportunity to provide competitive playing opportunities to young players not only in our system, but throughout the country.”

The IMG Leadbetter Golf Academy, located in Bradenton, Fla., is one of the world’s leading development schools for the aspiring junior player. Student-athletes representing more than 40 nations call the IMG Leadbetter Golf Academy home, while countless professionals return for off-season training and pre-season preparation.

Over the years the Academy has helped students enroll in the nation’s top collegiate golf programs, while also producing amateur and professional champions, including current world No.1 female professional Yani Tseng, 2010 U.S. Women’s Open champion Paula Creamer, 2010 U.S. Amateur champion Peter Uihlein, two-time Rolex Junior Player of the Year Victoria Tanco and 2010 U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur champion Doris Chen.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced that supermarket chain ASDA have renewed their long-standing title sponsorship of Kwik Cricket for a further three calendar years.

ASDA will continue to support the Kwik Cricket National Girls Primary Schools Competition along with the National Kwik Cricket mixed competition open to school boys and girls in years five and six.

Since ASDA began sponsoring Kwik Cricket in 2006 the competition has continued to grow with 139, ed 000 children taking part in 2011. Over the last six years there has been a 55 per cent increase in participants in the girl’s competition alone.

ASDA Kwik Cricket is designed to provide children, between the ages of seven and 11, with an introduction to cricket and can be played either indoors or outdoors.

The ECB, in conjunction with the 18 first-class counties and ASDA, will continue to support a series of recreational junior cricket festivals in communities across the country. These festivals will be attended by high-profile professional cricketers who, in addition to passing on coaching tips, will also talk to children about the benefits of healthy living.

ECB commercial director John Perera said: “ECB is committed to supporting the recreational game and we are delighted that ASDA is continuing their long standing association with grass roots cricket through their title sponsorship of the Kwik Cricket competitions.

“With a focus on community engagement at local level and promoting healthy living in children, ASDA is an ideal fit for the Kwik Cricket Competition.”

Head of ASDA in the community – marketing, Fiona Campbell-Reilly, added: “ASDA are proud to be entering our seventh year of sponsoring the National Kwik Cricket Competition, the ECB’s major grassroots initiative.

“This campaign is an integral part of our community programme and we will be handing out healthy snacks and drink every summer to keep the young players refreshed and hydrated.

“This year we’re proud to be able to give more children an opportunity to play Kwik Cricket during the lunch interval at international matches to show off the grassroots talent in our country.”

Rugby’s Super League has agreed a “multi-million-pound” sponsorship deal with technology company Elonex.

As part of the agreement, patient the UK firm will supply electronic perimeter signage for all televised Super League and Challenge Cup matches from the 2012 season onwards. Stadiums will also be kitted out with signage systems over the next two years.

The competition encompasses 14 rugby league teams, recipe including the Bradford Bulls, Catalan Dragons, Huddersfield Giants and Leeds Rhinos.

Elonex described the deal as a major coup. The firm has a history of partnerships across a range of sports including football, rallying, rugby union and snooker.

Nick Smith, chief executive of Elonex, said: “We believe this mutually beneficial partnership will help us reach a new audience and help our business grow.”

Paul Kimberley, commercial director of Rugby Football League, the sport’s governing body, added: “We have added an extra dimension, which will make Super League even more attractive to brands.”

Subway have renewed its title sponsorship of the Subway Pro Cycling team for its seventh year.

Subway National Marketing Manager David Herrick said: “We’re really thrilled to be supporting the Subway Pro Cycling team for another year.

“They’ve had some incredible team successes recently including their domination of the Benchmark series and numerous individual acheivements throughout the country and overseas.

“We’re looking forward to helping them achieve more great results in 2012. Subway is proud to be furthering the sport of cycling in New Zealand and supporting a team that regularly features at the front of races throughout the country.”

Subway Pro Cycling’s General Manager Hayden Godfrey said the team will continue to focus on a domestic calendar with some international racing also included in the schedule.

“We have run this program successfully for the last few years. The team’s focus is to be a home for New Zealand’s top domestic riders while at the same time providing a development program for up and coming riders looking to establish themselves internationally.”

Godfrey said the Subway Pro Cycling team was very fortunate to have the support of Subway New Zealand, and that the length of the sponsorship also reflects the “value Subway sees in the team and the sport of cycling in New Zealand.”

Pro Cycling will again be riding Giant bikes 2012 and Godfrey says he has been more than happy with the bikes. “I have ridden numerous brands over the years and Giant bikes have performed incredibility well, with unmatched reliability and exceptional performance.”

Godfrey values the team’s relationships and sponsored support saying the long term partnerships with Balance Nutrition, Kenda Tires and Champion System have proved extremely valuable to the team.

“These brands provide the team with key products that help assist with high performance results.

Pro Cycling has also announced that Mavic has been secured as the team’s official helmet supplier and Christchurch based logistics solutions company, SB Global Logistics, is a new sponsor that will assist with the team’s national and international freight requirements.

“Mavic is one of the most well known brands in the cycling industry and the French manufacturer has always produced extremely high quality products,” Godfrey said. The team will be using the newly released Mavic Plasma Helmet.

‘SB Global Logistics is a New Zealand owned and managed organisation that specialises in worldwide logistics solutions, Godfrey said. “Their culture fits well with ours where they promote and demonstrate trust and support in each other working together as a team towards a common goal – that sits very well with us.”

Godfrey says the support from team partners is critical as running a professional cycling team is an expensive exercise. Subway Pro Cycling also has valuable associations with Speedy Signs, Shimano New Zealand and Oakley eyewear.

“Without our partner’s support we just couldn’t run a successful professional team that performs on the national and internationals stage.”