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The New York Post has reported that MetLife Inc. (MET) are set to announce that they have signed an agreement to put the biggest U.S. life insurer’s name on the stadium that is shared by the New York Giants and Jets.

The deal is speculated to be worth as much as $400 million over 20 years.

MetLife already is one of four so-called cornerstone partners in the $1.6 billion stadium that opened last year in East Rutherford, viagra New Jersey, paying about $7 million for in- stadium branding.

The stadium will host the 2014 Super Bowl.

English Premier League soccer club Arsenal FC have extended their deal with Citroen which sees the French car manufacturer stay as the club’s automobile partner for the next three years.

The contract extension will see Citroen develop its integrated partnership programme with new marketing and promotional activities, as well as promoting the association in Europe and China.

Arsenal’s staff will continue to benefit from using Citroen’s range of cars and vans.

Linda Jackson, Managing Director at Citroen UK, said: “Teaming up with Arsenal Football Club for another three years will allow us to develop and build on our positive association with one of the most successful English football clubs of the modern era.  Citroen is recognised for creativity, distinctive style and ambition, and we’re proud to be supporting a team like Arsenal that shares those same values.”

Vinai Venkatesham, Head of Global Partnerships at Arsenal Football Club, added: “We are delighted to be renewing with Citroen.  Given the strength of our relationship, it was only natural that both parties wanted to extend and expand this successful affiliation further.  Citroen has brought a huge amount of enthusiasm to the partnership since 2008 and played a very supportive role in our Charity and community projects; we hope to see that continue. It’s also an exciting time to be working with them as they continue to roll-out their award winning DS range, and we look forward to developing a number of joint initiatives to run throughout Europe and China.”

The inaugural Indian Formula One Grand Prix is to be sponsored by Bharti Airtel, who have secured title sponsorship of the race which takes place on October 30.

The Airtel Grand Prix of India will be the first Grand Prix hosted in the country.

Sanjay Kapoor, CEO for Bharti Airtel’s India and South Asia operations, said :”Right through its growth path, Airtel has been associated with speed, performance, calculated risks and excitement, the very words that spring to mind when you think of Formula One. Hence, it is only natural that Airtel and Formula One together bring to life the dreams of millions of young and passionate sports enthusiasts in India, giving them an opportunity of a lifetime to watch the very first Airtel Grand Prix of India in person.”

Formula One rights holder Bernie Ecclestone added: “We are very good partners as we both project the same forward thinking…F1 is obviously new to India. We will never catch cricket, I’m quite sure about that, but we have got to try our best to do that. I’m sure eventually we will get very close. We have got to remember that India is one of the top five most important countries in the world so it’s extremely important to be in India.”

Bharti Airtel recently ended its US$8million per year sponsorship of the Champions League Twenty20 cricket competition early after citing a lack of interest in the competition.

An American consortium headed by Thomas DiBenedetto have become the new owners of top Italian soccer club AS Roma.

The takeover, negotiations for which had been ongoing since April, buy gives the consortium a 67% stake of Roma for around US$100 million. Di Benedetto’s group will be obliged to make an offer to purchase the remaining 33% of the club.

A Financial Times report states that half of the US$100million will be invested by the end of 2011, with the other 50% to be paid in instalments.

DiBenedetto is president of investment company Boston International and is a partner in Fenway Sports Group, which owns Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox and English Premier League club Liverpool.

Roma’s interim president Roberto Cappelli said: “We have worked in the best interests of Roma.”

“This is a serious project and the Americans have convinced us with their passion and knowledge of the sport business sector. DiBenedetto will become president in September and the objectives are to win, but we will see what happens.”

The National Health Service (NHS) and Samsung Electronics have announced a partnership that will specifically look into the NHS’s official annual programme along with the NHS Sports and Physical Activity Challenge 2012 for its workforce.

The NHS Challenge scheme is now into its second year and aims to improve the health and well being of its staff as well as making it a tangible contribution towards legacy for London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

The NHS, the European Union’s largest medical employer with 1.4m staff, hopes to scheme will propel 350,000 of its workforce into participating in the NHS Challenge for 2012.



Samsung are offering being a Olympic Torchbearer as the prize for the scheme, which starts this month, involving rewarding staff who inspire others through achievements they make for themselves as well as demonstrating they have gone the extra mile for others.

Sir David Nicholson, chief executive, NHS said: ‘We are delighted to be working with Samsung as a partner for the NHS Challenge 2012 – now in its second year. It’s rewarding to be able to give something back to our staff through this partnership’. 

‘We encourage our staff to begin nominating someone they feel has made a real difference to the health and wellbeing of NHS employees, during The Challenge for 2012’.

Mr. David Song, managing director, Samsung UK and Ireland added: ‘Samsung is committed to making London 2012 everyone’s Olympic Games. Through the partnership with the NHS, we’re proud to be in a position to offer its workforce the opportunity to nominate someone to become a London 2012 Olympic Torchbearer’.

‘It’s a very exciting time for both organisations – employee wellbeing is at the heart of every organisation and something Samsung are keen to recognise and reward. We are looking forward to develop this working relationship further; this partnership is just the first step’. 



Strategic health authorities can involved in the challenge by linking up with local sports and activity groups, or by creating their own range of activities that suit them as individuals, in teams or in social groups. 

The London 2012 Olympic Torchbearer nominations will be co-judged by Samsung and an NHS panel, and put forward to the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) by the end of October 2011.


The NHS employees chosen will be part of the Olympic Torch Relay, which starts in Lands End on the 19th May.  

UEFA are going to scrutinise the sponsorship deal between Manchester City and Etihad Airways.

The sponsorship deal is worth an estimated $658m, covering the club’s shirt and the stadium.

The chairman of Uefa’s Financial Control Panel, Jean-Luc Dehaene, was asked about City’s deal and said: “I had some questions, yes.

“You know where the problems are and you know you will have to confirm them. But on the other hand they are all members of the ECA (European Club Association) and if they don’t follow the rules they won’t have the support of the other clubs.

“But it would be dangerous for our authority if we take judgements without facts.”

The 71-year-old former Prime Minister of Belgium confirmed his panel would look into all deals to make sure they were “fair value”.

“If we see clubs that are looking for loopholes we will act,” he said.

“It is not enough to say ‘we’ve got a sponsorship contract and that’s OK’ if the contract is out of line.”

Manchester City were bought in 2008 by Abu Dhabi-based consortium led by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The club made a loss of $153m in 2008-09, $199m in 2009-10 and last year’s figures, due in September, are unlikely to fair any better, despite an increase in turnover partly due to a number of lucrative sponsorship deals with other Abu Dhabi-based companies.

This sponsorship deal with Etihad Airways, for example, is owned by the Abu Dhabi government.

While this incident has gone on City has signed up with Mansion Group as its new international betting partner. The betting company used to sponsor Tottenham Hotspur but will now help the FA Cup Champions over a range of commerical activities, including creating a better brand image.

Guy Gussarsky, CEO of Mansion Group, said:“Our love of the English Premier League means that we are very excited to be partnering with Manchester City as their international betting partner for the next two seasons.”

Ian Cafferky, the club’s chief brand and commercial officer, added: “Mansion Group is one of the fastest growing and innovative companies within the gaming industry. Having them on board as our new partner is an exciting prospect and marks a new commercial chapter for the club. Manchester City has huge ambitions and an ever growing international fan base, which makes Asia a key market for the club. Renowned for its love of football, Asia has enormous potential for the future and we are delighted to increase our brand presence in the region.”

SPAR International has announced it has extended its partnership with European Athletics until 2015.

SPAR has been the title sponsor of European Athletics since 1996.

The deal is scheduled to begin in January 2012 and will incorporate the European Athletics Championships, ed the European Athletics Indoor Championships, patient the SPAR European Cross Country Championships and the European Team Championships until 2015.

“We are delighted that SPAR will continue as our main partner. We have had a fantastic relationship with SPAR over the past 15 years and we value the company’s continued support as we continue to address our ambitious plans for athletics in Europe, order ” said Hansjörg Wirz, President of European Athletics.

Dr. Gordon Campbell, SPAR International managing director, explained: ‘European Athletics’ championship events provide SPAR with a cost effective, good level of brand exposure’. 

“Through our partnership with European Athletics, the SPAR brand is closely aligned with energetic and healthy people competing at the pinnacle of sport on the continent, and this combined with our support of national and local athletics events is the right synergy for us.”

The European Championships have been gaining more and more in popularity with a television audience of 368 million during live broadcasts of 2010 Barcelona European Championships.

Dr. Campbell added: “European Athletics events are a great platform for building the SPAR brand worldwide. We are very much looking forward to the next championships in Helsinki in 2012 and then Zürich in 2014 as European Athletics switches to a two-year cycle for its main championships.”

The sponsorship renewal means SPAR will be principal international partner for the Göteborg 2013 European Athletics Indoor Championships and the to-be-awarded 2015 European event as well as the 2013, 2014 and 2015 European Team Championships. 

SPAR also will be the title sponsor of the annual SPAR European Cross Country Championships through 2012 to 2015.

Seoul-based outfit, salve Allianz Life Korea, recipe will sponsor the 2011 Formula 1 Korean Grand Prix, which will be held in Yeongham, South Jeolia Province, in October.

Allianz Life Korea, CEO Cheong Min-kuk, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with South Jeolla Governor Park Joon-young with regard to the sponsorship contract. Park is also head of the F1 organizing committee.

Under the MOU, Allianz will support the marketing and promoting the event by establishing a task force and engage in various promotional activities with up to 300 branches across the world. 

“I hope that this MOU will become a milestone for the success of the 2011 F1 event,’’ Chung said. He added that Alliaz plans to build a friendly brand image among local residents via various activities.

Sporting goods retailer, find Sports Authority Inc have made a bid of $150 million over the next 25 years for the naming rights to the Denver Broncos Mile High Stadium.

Sports Authority, which is owned by private-equity firm Leonard Green & Partners (LP), won unanimous approval yesterday from the Metropolitan Football Stadium District in Denver to assume the final 10 years of the naming-rights agreement negotiated by money manager Invesco Ltd. The facility will be renamed the Sports Authority Field at Mile High Stadium.

“We were only approved for the 10-year deal, so we’ll go back to get the 15-year extension,” Jeff Schumacher, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Sports Authority, said in a telephone interview. “Over the 25 years, we’ll invest over $150 million.”

The stadium was opened in 2001 season and Sports Authority have promised upgrades to the $500 million venue.

Sports Authority, based in Englewood, Colorado, and the Broncos approached Invesco about giving up the naming rights about a year ago.

Since it signed the 20-year, $120 million deal, Invesco has switched from being a seller of mutual funds directly to the public to one that sells through financial advisers, Doug Kidd, managing director of corporate affairs, said in a telephone interview from Atlanta.

“Our presence in Denver is smaller now,” Kidd said. “We thought this was a win-win and we can better align our marketing spin with the current way we sell funds.”

Sports Authority will “pick up all our rights and responsibility,” Kidd said.

More than 100 workers begin work today on enhancements to the stadium in time for the National Football League regular- season opener on Sept. 12 against the Oakland Raiders.