Manchester United have confirmed Mister Potato, a product of Mamee-Double Decker Bhd, will become the Official Global Snack Partner of Manchester United, joining the ranks of Aon, Nike, AudiDHL, Epson, Hublot, Thomas Cook, Turkish Airlines, Singha, and others who have sponsorship deals with the Red Devils.

This sponsorship was anticipated as iSportconnect were one of the first to report about the deal last month (click here to see).

Datuk Pang Tee Chew, the chief executive officer for Mamee-Double Decker said his company was proud to be the first Malaysian snack brand to be associated with an iconic, global brand like Manchester United.

“As a global snack partner of Manchester United, we are able to provide the opportunity for Malaysian fans to have the ‘Ultimate Man Utd Experience’, by giving them the opportunity to watch matches live at Old Trafford, a chance to win official signed merchandise and potentially meet their favourite players or legends he said.

“We will also be able to bring Manchester United Legends to Malaysia to meet fans who are not able to travel to the UK. Football is a healthy sporting game for youth and for families, and we are proud to be able to provide this experience for the fans in Malaysia. Our initial sponsorship with Manchester United is three years but we also have the intention to extend the deal after this period,” he added.

The company is confident of a tremendous increase in its exports and market share with the Mister Potato packaging carrying the images of the players including Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs and Park Ji-Sung.

Datuk Pang Tee Chew commented how with football the world’s No.1 sport and Manchester United the world’s No.1 football club, the sponsorship deal would provide a huge platform to expand in both new and existing markets.

He said in Malaysia, there are more than five million Manchester United football fans and they have a similar profile to Mister Potato’s target consumers, mainly young adults and families.

“We believe football is a wholesome event that brings friends and family together. They cheer for their team together. When their team wins, they celebrate together. We want to be the favourite snack to watch football with, and become part of the special moments only Manchester United can provide’

“I believe Mister Potato’s brand image will be elevated by the Manchester United partnership and the football fans will love Mister Potato just as they love Manchester United.”

He said sports was one of the key elements that promotes unity among the people and as a responsible Malaysian company, Mamee-Double Decker wishes to use the event to bring the different races and families together in a wholesome way.

Manchester United, under the current manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, have won 37 major honours since he took over in November 1986.

They are the most successful club in English football, having won 53 domestic trophies, comprising of a record 19 league titles, a record 11 FA Cups, four League Cups and 19 FA Charity/Community Shields.

Manchester United’s Commercial Director, Richard Arnold said, “This deal is an excellent example of the global appeal of Manchester United and its ability to attract well-established but ambitious companies into partnership.”

“Mister Potato has been the leading snack brand in Malaysia for many years now and their desire to expand that presence to other parts of SE Asia and beyond, makes a deal with United a perfect fit.”
“We’re delighted to be working together and, as Datuk Pang Tee Chew said.”

PGA Tour player Ryan Moore has secured a sponsorship deal with Shift4 Corporation, the world’s largest independent payment gateway.

Moore, a 5-year TOUR veteran, made headlines in the past when he elected to play “sponsor-free” golf. The decision to partner with Shift4 came after in-person meetings and careful consideration.

Dave Oder, Shift4 founder and CEO, said: “We’re glad that the reputation of our company and our family is such that Ryan feels he can promote Shift4 without reservation. He’s a talented young man with a proven track record, ever-increasing skill set, and great potential for the future. We welcome him to the Shift4 family and look forward to watching his success in the years to come.”

Moore and Shift4 are both based out of Las Vegas and family managed — similarities that held significance for both parties.

“I don’t take the business of sponsorships lightly,” said Moore. “There needs to be a level of comfort for the sponsor and for me. Luckily, I was able to find that with Shift4 and the Oder family. I look forward to a long and successful relationship with them.”

Shift4 Director of Marketing Gianna Vivo said, “We are unique in our industry because we pride ourselves on being merchant advocates and the only major payment gateway not owned by a bank or processor. Ryan’s reputation for independence and originality is a natural alignment for us.”

The detais of the sponsorship agreement, which was facilitated by Icon Sports Management, will show Shift4’s logo on Ryan’s left chest, and he will make appearances at Shift4 events throughout the year.

The relationship will kick off at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas. At this event, Shift4 is also sponsoring the Public Safety Appreciation Station to host first responders, active/reserve/retired military personnel, law enforcement, and other public safety officials in this private hospitality venue on the 16^thgreen. The tournament takes place September 28-October 2, and PGA TOUR professionals will be in the venue on September 28 to personally greet the attendees.

advice helvetica, bronchi sans-serif;”>Euroleague Basketball announced Intersport as a new partner of the Turkish Airlines Euroleague for the next two seasons. The agreement, which extends through June of 2013, continues a strong relationship between the two brands. Intersport was previously an Euroleague Basketball partner for the 2010 Final Four in Paris and the 2011 Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four in Barcelona.  With more than 5,300 affiliated retailers in 40 countries including Euroleague countries like Spain, Greece, Russia, Italy and Turkey, Intersport is the worldwide leader in the sporting goods retail market. Euroleague Basketball joins a list of top-level sports and events sponsored by Intersport, including several international football, skiing, track and field, handball and hockey events.  Jordi Bertomeu, Euroleague Basketball President and CEO, said: “We are really happy to welcome back Intersport after their support during the Final Four of Paris and Barcelona. This agreement proves that Euroleague Basketball is a solid value for important brands such as Intersport, providing them with strong marketing and communication platforms. The Turkish Airlines Euroleague offers a unique brand of basketball that is capturing new fans all the time, and Intersport is giving those fans the confidence, commitment, passion, dedication and tradition that can only come from a worldwide leader in its industry.”  Franz Julen, CEO of Intersport International Corp, stated: “Basketball is a dynamic and authentic sport enjoying an ever increasing popularity. Intersport stands for expert authority, authenticity, international expansion and passion for sports. Intersport and basketball are two partners with a natural fit. Intersport was in the past a partner of FIBA World and the European Championships. The partnership with Euroleague is therefore just the next logical step.”

The European Tour announced today that it will be looking for a new sponsor for the Scottish Open after the current title sponsors Barclays withdrew its partnership.

The event is celebrating its 30th anniversary next year and will keep its prime time slot of a week before the British Open on the 2012 European Tour schedule.

Barclays took over the sponsorship of the competition in 2002 and turned it into one of the most successful events on tour allowing it to attract some of the best golfers in the game. Argentina’s Eduardo Romero won the inaugural event in 2002 and has included wins from major winners such as Ernie Els, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Edoardo Molinari and World number one Luke Donald.

George O’Grady, Chief Executive of the European Tour, said: We thank Barclays for their vision and leadership. We respect and understand that their decision was based on market factors following a hegely successful partnership that has lasted almost a decade.

“The combination of a world class title, prime data in the week immediately before the Open Championship and stunning location in Scotland – the home of Golf – make this a particularly attractive proposition and we look forward to securing the future of the Scottish Open with a new sponsor.

“I would like to thank Barclays for its support of European golf and am delighted it will continue to sponsor the Barclays Singapore Open., a European and Asian co-sanctioned event.”

Tim Peat, Managing Director of Barclays said: “Barclays has been proud to be the title sponsor of the Scottish Open for the last decade. We made our decision reluctantly based on current market factors. I would like to thank the European Tour for its professional support and event management throughout our period sponsoring the Scottish Open making it a success for the players, the general public and our clients.

“Through our sponsorship of Phil Mickelson, The Barclays in the USA and the Barclays Singapore Open, an event co-sanctioned by the European Tour, we will continue to have a significant presence in professional golf.”

Brits Bingo, UK’s fastest growing bingo site has just announced that it has re-signed Welsh rugby star Gavin Henson as the official face of Brits Bingo.

Gavin teamed up with Brits Bingo to launch the brand back in March of this year and appeared both on the website and in two nationwide TV commercials. The commercials featured a semi-clad Gavin in a set up that led viewers to believe it was an advertisement for a sports brand. 

Now, Brits Bingo and Channel 5’s Bachelor have cemented their relationship in a new agreement that will get Gavin more involved with the site and exclusive bingo games that will be open to selected VIP players. Henson fans and bingo enthusiasts alike will be pleasantly surprised with what Brits has in store over the coming months.

Director of Brits Bingo, Anthea Michael, commented “Gavin is an absolute pleasure to work with and we appreciated how down-to-earth and easy going he is. He has a wonderful smile, great sense of humour and our players absolutely adore him”.

Back in June of this year, Brits Bingo launched its first ‘Face of Brits’ competition in an effort to find a suitable candidate to appear alongside Gavin who has become something of a mascot. The idea behind ‘Face of Brits’ is to feature budding Brits Bingo players on the site to give a community feel to the brand and to create something that regular players can be part of. 

Lucky winner Jennifer Ross from Aberdeenshire was the envy of thousands of women when she was chosen at random and called to participate in an exclusive photo shoot with Gavin in London last week. Photos of Jennifer and Gavin will be featured on the website by the end of September.

The 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics is now considered one of the most successful in the history of the games at acquiring income from national sponsors two and half years before the event, beating the previous mark set by the Beijing Summer Olympics.

The games have taken in over $1.2 billion, Olympic organizing committee chairman Dmitry Chernyshenko announced at a session in Sochi.

On Saturday, the committee signed a sponsorship agreement with Russian Buses (part of GAZ) and Skania Rus, as well as with recruiting agencies Adecco Group, EXECT Business Training and Kelly Services.

Services are to be provided under the contract in addition to payment for the right to use the Olympic symbol and Sochi 2014 logo. Russian Buses and Skania Rus will provide buses, and Adecco Group will select temporary personnel to work at the games.

The committee has an agreement with one more company, the identity of which is not being revealed, a committee representative said. A contract is expected to be signed before year-end and is considered in the calculation of the $1.2 billion sum.

National sponsors make contracts with the organizing committee through competitions and are the committee’s main source of income, since income from ticket sales is relatively slight. The Winter Olympics is less popular than the summer games, since it is shorter and less colorful. The ticket sales record for Winter Olympics was set in Salt Lake City. It was $154 million.

Global sponsors, such as Samsung, Coca Cola and Visa, sign contracts with the International Olympics Committee for a series of games.

With the latest contracts, the number of partners for the 2014 Olympics amounts to 18. Eight sponsors account for almost $1 billion. The largest sponsor is Rosnett, which paid $180 million, followed by MegaFon and Tatneft at $130 million.

The Sochi committee’s success is a combination of marketing and administrative resources.

A source at Sberbank said the bank spent a long time in negotiations with the organizing committee because it was not clear what benefit the bank would receive from sponsorship. In the end, it became a general sponsor of the games because the country’s leadership wanted to see the national bank in that role.

An employee of one of the games’ main partners said: “We received rather unclear rights to the use of the Olympic symbol, but they are asking us to pay for many specific marketing ideas and to participate in events.”

A representative of a third-level sponsor — one that has paid less than $10 million — was quite satisfied, however. Being mentioned as a sponsor in conversations with officials gave the company a competitive edge, he said.

British sports car manufacturer Aston Martin have secured their first ever sponsorship of a soccer team by announcing their partnership with German football club, TSV 1860 München

The contract, initiated by Hasan Ismaik, major investor and chairman of the club’s supervisory board, represents the most lucrative sponsoring deal that 1860 has ever had whilst in Germany’s 2nd Bundesliga. The contract is valid with immediate effect and will extend beyond the current season into the medium term. The team was already sporting the emblem of their new sponsor at their match against FSV Frankfurt on 18September 2011 in Munich.

The cooperation between TSV 1860 München and Aston Martin was made possible by Hasan Ismaik. “I am very pleased with the partnership as it shows that Aston Martin, a premium brand with a long history and great tradition, recognises 1860’s great potential. Together, we will lead the club to success,” he said.

For TSV 1860 München, this is yet another milestone on the path to a promising future set out by Hasan Ismaik since his investment in the club in May. At that time Mr. Ismaik announced that he would help 1860 to set a new benchmark in professional football with finding a highly reputable sponsor for the club. The new partnership between the long-established Munich club and the luxury car brand Aston Martin shows that Mr. Ismaik is delivering on his commitments and paves the way for the club to rejoin the top ranks of professional German football.

For Aston Martin, the cooperation with TSV 1860 München represents its first ever foray into the world of sponsoring professional soccer.

Target Corp and NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves, along with AEG Facilities, announced they have extended the Target Center naming rights partnership through 2014.

The three-year extension allows the parties to gain a better understanding of the potential for future renovations to Target Center.

Shawn Gensch, Target vice president, marketing, said: “Target is pleased to continue our sponsorship of the Target Center and help provide our hometown with a facility where guests can experience exciting sports, entertainment and events. Target Center is important to the vibrancy of downtown Minneapolis, and we look forward to carrying on our great relationship with the Timberwolves.”

Target has been the sole naming-rights holder of Target Center since the building opened in 1990.

Chris Wright, Timberwolves President, said: “We are excited to extend our partnership with Target for the naming rights of Target Center. This short-term extension allows both Target and the Timberwolves to fully understand the future renovation plan to Target Center. Target has been a tremendous partner for our franchise and this agreement demonstrates Target’s continued commitment to the building, downtown Minneapolis and the Timberwolves.”

The Target Center is managed by AEG Facilities and owned by the City of Minneapolis. Steve Mattson, vice president and general manager, AEG Facilities, added, “We are honored and excited to continue our association with Target. Target Center is a world-renowned arena that has consistently offered our community a diverse mix of the best entertainment available. We have been lucky enough to share an incredible brand identity with Target for 21 years. We look forward to many more years to come.”

Garrard, the world’s oldest jewellers, have become the Official Jeweller and Silversmith of the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) signing a exclusive agreement.

The partnership with the world’s leading professional sailing series will complement Garrard’s rich heritage and association with sport where its famous hallmark can be found on renowned trophies including the earliest existing sailing trophy, made by the firm in 1776, called the ‘Cumberland Cup’ , followed by the America’s Cup, the Cricket World Cup and the FA Premier League trophy.

As part of the 3-year agreement, the ISAF Match Racing World Championship trophy will join this stellar list when a new Garrard-created Tour trophy is unveiled at the season finale, the Monsoon Cup, in November after which it will be on display at the jeweller’s flagship London store and other Garrard stores throughout the year. Garrard will also be creating a limited number of nautical themed jewellery to mark the partnership.

As an Official Tour Partner, the Garrard brand will be integrated across the Tour’s extensive multimedia channels and marketing campaigns while bespoke hospitality packages, including ‘evening functions hosted by Garrard’ will be created for the company’s guests to give them a first-hand experience of a Tour event and the high intensity of match racing. As well as enjoying an on-event presence, Garrard will also have the opportunity to host two VIP events in association with the Tour at their London store each year.

Jim O’Toole, CEO of the World Match Racing Tour, said: “It’s a pleasure to welcome Garrard as a new partner to the World Match Racing Tour. Garrard has a rich, individual history with some great sporting associations and we’re delighted to become a part of that family. We’re in an exciting phase of growth on the Tour and we look forward to working closely with Garrard to cement their link to sailing by incorporating their brand into both the Tour and our global fanbase.”

Eric Deardorff, CEO of Garrard & Co Ltd, added: “We are honoured to continue our rich, 235-year history with world-class sailing venues by designing the ISAF 2011 Match Racing World Championship trophy. To further enhance our involvement with sailing enthusiasts, Garrard is launching ‘Nautical’ — a sterling silver collection of nautical-themed jewellery that, alongside our 18ct gold fine jewellery collections, will be available at key events throughout the Tour and at our London flagship store on Albemarle St. We are really looking forward to working with the World Match Racing Tour.”

stomach helvetica, case sans-serif;”>The Asian Tour have secured a new Tour partner following an agreement with Cityneon, order a leading provider for event services in Asia & Middle East, to become its Official Event Overlay Partner.

Under this partnership, Cityneon will provide temporary event infrastructure such as marquees and tents, printing services and carpentry works for selected events on the Asian Tour.

Through this new partnership, Cityneon will also enjoy multiple opportunities to leverage its brand across the Asian Tour’s media platforms which includes the official website, www.asiantour.com and its global Television platform, which reaches out to over 200 countries and 850 million households.

Established in 1956, Cityneon transforms environments such as exhibition halls, theme parks, galleries, museums, sporting venues and other indoor and outdoor locations into rich and immersive experiences for its clients and their target audience. Cityneon’s interest in sports stems from its expertise in the provision of event infrastructure for numerous international sporting events in the region.

Ko Chee Wah, Group Managing Director, Cityneon said “We are delighted to have formalized our association with the Asian Tour. This partnership is an ideal and prestigious platform to reach out to those who share Cityneon’s passion for golf and sporting events. We are excited about being part of the Asian Tour, which deepens our involvement in sporting events in Asia and beyond.”

Kyi Hla Han, Asian Tour’s Executive Chairman, said: “Cityneon has a proven track record in supplying superb event infrastructure to large scale outdoor events and we are pleased to welcome the Cityneon on board as the Official Event Overlay partner. This is a strong endorsement for the Asian Tour as we continue to build a solid commercial platform for the Tour.”

Cityneon is the third multi-national corporation to take up Tour Partnership status with the Asian Tour this year, following Swiss watchmaker Rolex (Official Timekeeper) and Starwood Hotels and Resorts (Official Hotels and Resorts).

Other Tour partners of the Asian Tour include J.Lindeberg (Official Apparel Partner), Inetol Headwear (Official Headwear Supplier), Royal Selangor (Official Trophy Supplier), Singha Beer (Official Beer), BlackBerry (Official Mobile) and Srixon (Official Ball).