doctor helvetica, allergist sans-serif;”>E & J Brandy, the award winning brandy maker has renewed their partnership with recent Superbowl 45 Champions Green Bay Packers.

Gerard Thoukis marketing director of E &J Brandy emphasised the Superbowl victory as a great incentive to continue the partnership.

“The Packers’ 2010 Super Bowl victory was an amazing experience to watch. This football season, E & J is privileged to join forces with the Packers once again,”

Craig Benzel, Director of Marketing and Corporate Sales for the Green Bay Packers added: “Our organization is thrilled to team up with E & J Brandy. E & J Brandy reflects the values of the Green Bay Packers when it comes to treating our fans with the best product possible, and we look forward to working closely with them for seasons to come,”

 

Online retailer Zazzle is the Oakland Raiders new Official Customized Promotional Product Supplier, vcialis 40mg the club announced.

The sponsorship deal means Raiders fans will be able to buy customised club merchandise and participate in fan competitions and promotions that will be announced during the 2011 NFL season.

Oakland Raiders Chief Executive Amy Trask said: “We are delighted to announce our new relationship with Zazzle. This new relationship is another terrific example of the creative manner in which we work with businesses to maximize value for them while developing new opportunities for the Raider Nation.”

Zazzle CPO Jeff Beaver said: “The Raiders’ organization is one of the most fan-centric and creative in the NFL, cough and we are proud to co-develop engaging online experiences and community initiatives in the NFL with them. The partnership and numerous other joint initiatives for the 2011 season are just the beginning to Zazzle’s commitment to develop new opportunities for fans to connect and engage with one of the greatest franchises in the country.”

As part of the agreement, the press box at the Raiders stadium, O.co Coliseum, has been renamed as the Zazzle Press Box for football events.

USA Water Polo have entered into a multi-year partnership with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) the world’s largest hotel group by number of rooms, making IHG the official hotel partner of USA Water Polo.

IHG owns a portfolio of well-recognized and respected hotel brands including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites. IHG’s loyalty program, Priority ClubRewards is the world’s largest with 60 million members worldwide.

Del Ross, vice president, U.S. Sales & Marketing, IHG, said: “We are extremely pleased to announce this new long-term relationship with USA Water Polo. This partnership provides a terrific opportunity for IHG to showcase its eight brands and bring to life our award-winning loyalty program for USA Water Polo’s membership base of players from around the country.” 

USA Water Polo, Inc. is the national governing body for water polo in America, overseeing our United States Olympic program as well as 20 different championship events annually, such as Junior Olympics and Masters National Championships. With more than 40,000 members, USAWP is also the sanctioning authority for more than 500 Member Clubs and more than 400 tournaments nationwide.

Jennifer Rottenberg, Chief Marketing Officer, USA Water Polo, said: “IHG will take full advantage of the multitude of media platforms available within USA Water Polo. We are confident that the IHG portfolio of brands will become the place to stay for participants and fans attending events both here at home and around the globe.”

unhealthy helvetica, see sans-serif;”>The Buffalo Bills announced that they have partnered with BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York and the American Heart Association to kickoff their seventh annual Play 60 Challenge for youth on Tuesday, September 27, 2011.

The Play 60 Challenge kickoff event will be held at Kleinhans Music Hall in front of approximately 2,500 students and 15 Buffalo Bills players including linebacker Arthur Moats, offensive lineman Mike Jasper, safety Jairus Byrd, fullback Corey McIntyre, defensive end Alex Carrington, safety Bryan Scott, safety George Wilson, tight end Scott Chandler, linebacker Danny Batten, quarterback and special teamer Brad Smith, wide receiver Naaman Roosevelt, tight end Mike Caussin, defensive tackle Marcell Dareus, cornerback Aaron Williams and linebacker Nick Barnett.

Participating Buffalo Public Schools including Hillery Park Elementary, Frederick Law Olmstead, Discovery School, Southside Elementary School, Dr. Lydia T. Wright School of Excellence, City Honors, Bennett Park Montessori, Math, Science, and Technology School @ Seneca and International Preparatory School at Grover.  The Buffalo Bills, BlueCross BlueShield and the American Heart Association also invited Ellicott Elementary School, Eggert Road Elementary School and the Stanley G. Falk School to participate in the Play 60 Challenge kickoff event.

The targeted schools’ 3rd – 6th grade students and teachers will participate in a Play 60 health and fitness Challenge over a four-week period starting on October 3rd.  The classrooms will receive Play 60 Challenge kits that include teacher’s resource guides, student activity tracking sheets, Buffalo Bills Play 60 trading cards and certificates of achievement for students.  All of the classrooms that participate in the Play 60 Challenge will have a chance to be invited to an interactive health and fitness party at the Buffalo Bills Healthy Zone Fieldhouse in December and will also have a chance to receive tickets for the Buffalo Bills vs. Tennessee Titans home game on December 4, 2011.  On December 4th randomly selected students and teachers from the schools above will be recognized on the Ralph Wilson Stadium field for pre-game ceremonies as a part of the national NFL Play 60 initiative.

At the Play 60 Challenge kickoff event, Dennis George will perform a health-themed quiz show for the students and Bills players will speak to the students in a pep rally style of event to get the kids excited about physical fitness and healthy living.

The Play 60 campaign was created in response to the national decline of physical education programs and lack of physical activity for today’s youth.  This national youth movement and awareness campaign is designed to promote physical fitness and healthy living to an increasingly inactive generation of children. Kids are encouraged to get 60 minutes of physical activity everyday (30 minutes in school and 30 minutes outside of school).  

Childhood obesity rates are at an all-time high. In Society today nearly 1 in 3 kids and teens in the United States are obese or overweight. Physical activity produces overall physical, psychological and social benefits, and that inactive children are likely to become inactive adults. This has resulted in the National Football League and the American Heart Association teaming up to create the NFL Play 60 Challenge, a program that inspires kids to get the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity a day in school and at home. It also helps schools become places that encourage physically active lifestyles year-round.

AtaHolding, an Azerbaijani investment company have added to their sponsorship agreement with the International Wrestling Federation (FILA), which will run from 2013 to 2017. 

Baku is where AtaHolding is headquartered who have been the main sponsor of FILA since 2008 when they signed a four-year sponsorship agreement but this has been extended so that it will now include both the London 2012 Olympics and Rio 2016 Games where the sport of wrestling is on the programme and gains most attention.

The agreement was signed by FILA President Raphaël Martinetti and AtaHolding chairman Farid Asadov and involves various competitions such as the World Championships, World Cup and the European Championships.

Asadov said: “Sponsoring of the International Wrestling Federation by the AtaHolding will improve further the image of our independent state in the world and strengthening its international authority.On the other hand, an Azerbaijani company’s participation as sponsor of an international sports organisation is an indicator of Azerbaijan’s economic development, the increase of its power and the formation of strong national companies.

“AtaHolding considers the issue of support of sports as part of its policy on corporate social responsibility. Signing of this agreement is another clear indication of our attention to this area.”

Martinetti, FILA President, said: We express our appreciation to Azerbaijani company AtaHolding. The agreement between AtaHolding and FILA is a great contribution to the development of wrestling around the world. We express our deep gratitude to the management of AtaHolding for the care and attention displayed to this kind of sports.”

sale helvetica, sans-serif;”>International Basketball Federation, Fiba and Peak, a leading Chinese sportswear manufacturing company, have renewed their partnership until 2016.

Peak begun its relationship with Fiba from 2008, serving as footwear and apparel provider for Fiba tournaments in Asia.

The new deal sees Peak become a global partner of Fiba and footwear provider for all of its events worldwide.

The announcement was made at a press conference in Wuhan – site of the 2011 Fiba Asia Championship which concludes this weekend – and was welcomed by Fiba Secretary General and IOC member Patrick Baumann.

“It’s particularly important to have Asian companies as strategic partners of Fiba given the strong popularity of the game in Asia, especially China,” he said.

The extended and improved partnership gives Fiba a brand that shares its values and goals – a commitment to the sport of basketball and a dedication to both promote and grow the game.

Baumann added: “As well as the revenue and the financial input, it’s very important to have a brand that is committed to the sport of basketball because they’re working with us to promote the game. Fiba is going to be a strategic partner for Peak who have chosen basketball as their lead sport.”

For Peak, the association with international basketball’s governing body enables it to continue growing at an impressive rate within China, while also building its brand globally.

Jim Xu, Peak CEO, added: “Clearly Fiba gives us credibility and helps build the brand outside of China. Aligning ourselves with and working closely together with the world governing body of basketball is a smart long-term strategic move, not just for the exposure but for the other opportunities each can provide the other.”

Champion, another of Fiba’s global partners, remains apparel provider for all Fiba tournaments outside of Asia until 2016.

The owners of Carling beer have opted not to renew their title sponsorship of England’s League Cup after 14 season with the competition.

Molson Coors’ sponsorship of the League Cup began in 1998 and at 14 seasons represents one of the longest and most successful in English sport. The company will continue to sponsor the Carling Cup until the end of the 2011/12 season.

Football League Chairman, Greg Clarke added: “Molson Coors have been outstanding partners and have played an important part in helping us restore the competition’s status and public appeal. We are hugely grateful for the support they have given us.”

Chris McDonough, Molson Coors’ marketing director in Britain, says the company has been working to transform ”the perception of the competition amongst football fans.”

Income at Molson Coors fell 6 percent between April and June due to weak beer sales and increased costs for fuel and ingredients.

The Football League have opened the floor to potential sponsors for the showpiece competition. Clarke said: “This is the first time in 14 years that this sponsorship has been available in the marketplace and we look forward to offering potential sponsors the rare opportunity to put their brand on one of domestic football’s major competitions.

“The growth in popularity of English football on the world stage, which has led to the League Cup being broadcast in more than 150 countries, means that this is also a sponsorship with global appeal.”

Promising young British Welterweight boxer, Kell Brook has signed a sponsorship deal with Adidas, to become the global sport brand’s UK boxing ambassador.

Brook’s first outing in the iconic three stripes brand will be on October 8 at Ponds Forge in his hometown of Sheffield when he fights the dangerous Pole Rafal Jackiewicz in a World title eliminator.

The Steel City hero is gunning for a World title shot after stepping up in class with an impressive points victory over teak tough Lovemore N’dou in June, and his deal with Adidas is another step towards super stardom for the 25 year-old.

‘I’m thrilled to join some of the biggest names in sport as an ambassador for Adidas,” said Brook. ‘Their range is fantastic and I cannot wait to step out in Sheffield and put on a great show in my new gear.’

David Mills, managing director of Cimac, the official suppliers of Adidas boxing in the UK, added: ‘We recognise true quality in boxing and that is why we are excited to sponsor Kell. We believe he will be a future world champion and we are excited to be part of the journey.”

BP extended its sponsorship of the U.S. Olympic Committee through to the 2016 Games, giving the USOC a boost as it tries to keep companies in the interested beyond next year’s London Olympics.

Financial details were not released, though the BP deal is in the top tier for the USOC, worth between $12 million and $15 million.

With the BP extension, the USOC has 15 of its 30 sponsors signed through 2016 and beyond, including Kellogg’s, Nike and General Electric.

The BP deal comes with some baggage in the wake of the Gulf Coast oil spill that killed 11 workers and has cost billions of dollars. But in the aftermath, the USOC didn’t back off the deal despite the potential negative backlash and BP also remained committed.

“It’s a tragedy that will stay with us,” said Crystal Ashby, BP America’s executive vice president for government and public affairs. “The Olympic team and its quest for excellence and belief in getting up each day and doing the right thing and striving for success, it’s very much like what we do in the Gulf. We keep the commitments we’ve made in the Gulf. And we’re committed to the success of the U.S. athletes and their programs.”

The USOC’s marketing chief, Lisa Baird, said the federation would not shy from pairing the BP brand with the Olympic rings, which are widely considered among the most recognizable and valuable logos in advertising. The pairing will be seen in BP stores across the country.

BP is also getting active in a number of USOC programs, including the Warrior Games, support for U.S. Paralympmic sports clubs and the Jack Kelly Fair Play Award.

“They’ve been very sensitive in working with us to make sure that through the representation of the athletes and the brand that we’re all achieving what we want,” Baird said. “We’re lucky to have them for that reason.”

The BP announcement was timed for Thursday’s opening of the USOC Assembly, which, outside of the games themselves, is typically the largest domestic gathering of Olympic leaders. Baird is meeting with several sponsors during the Assembly and is hoping the BP extension might help push other sponsors forward, as they decide whether to stay on beyond 2012.

The USOC has 15 deals that are set to expire next year – including McDonald’s, Hilton and AT&T – and will need extensions, or replacements, to guarantee financial security in the 2013-16 timeframe.

In 2010, more than $71 million of the USOC’s $250 million in revenues came from sponsors.

The London 2012 Olympic organizing committee also has a deal with BP, valued at around $58 million.

International Airline giant Emirates announced a sponsorship deal for domestic cricket in Pakistan in collaboration with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

An Emirates spokesman said: “The airline, allergy an International Cricket Council (ICC) official partner, ambulance has a long history of supporting cricket both at a global and grassroots level and is set to strengthen its commitment to the sport by sponsoring a number of tournaments including National Twenty20 Cup 2011, capsule Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2011-12, Pentagular Cup 2011-12, One-day National Cup 2011-12 and Super 8 Twenty20 Cup 2012.”

The sponsorship marks Emirates’ most significant venture into mainstream sports in Pakistan and will include development opportunities for talented youngsters. Badr Abbas, Emirates Vice President for Pakistan and Afghanistan, said: “Although we are proud of our involvement in cricket around the world, with prestigious partnerships such as the ICC – which gives the airline sponsorship rights to all its major tournaments, including the ICC Cricket World Cup – contributing to the growth of the sport at a grassroots level is particularly satisfying for us.”

“To be associated with a sport which the people of Pakistan follow with great passion allows us to create closer ties with them and demonstrate our on-going support for the growth of cricket. Domestic cricket has produced many world-class players and we hope that through this sponsorship, Emirates will play a role in the continued success of the sport.”

Emirates’ ICC official partner status gives the airline sponsorship rights to all ICC major tournaments: 2011 and 2015 ICC World Cups, ICC Champions Trophy and ICC World Twenty20. It also sponsors the ICC World Cup Qualifier, ICC Under-19 World Cup, ICC Intercontinental Cup and the ICC Women’s World Cup.

In addition, Emirates sponsors the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires and Referees, which includes Aleem Dar. The Pakistani – who has been named Umpire of the Year for the past three years – also highlighted the grassroots benefits of the partnership. “Emirates is a true supporter of sports worldwide and this would be a remarkable achievement for both Emirates and Pakistan both,” said Dar. “Our country does not lack the talent but requires more active involvement from the corporate sector and benefactors like Emirates.”