Chinese-based property developer Shui On Land has signed up as title sponsor of the inaugural China Golf Challenge, buy a seven-day, buy seven-city golf tournament-cum-travel show featuring Rory McIlroy, price cheap Ernie Els, Ian Poulter and local star Liang Wen-chong.

The made-for-television competition from October 10-16 will be broadcast globally on Golfing World and distributed internationally by IMG Media, while Fast Track has been appointed to manage PR and media. The four stars will compete over only 18 holes over the week, playing against each other on just two or three holes at each of the eight courses.

Vincent Lo, Chairman of Shui On Land, said: “We hope to promote golf in China through title sponsorship of the China Golf Challenge. As the tournament travels north, south, east and west around the country, we hope to show viewers around the world the golfing experience in modern China as well as the dynamism of the Chinese cities.

“Golf emphasises creativity, discipline as well as honesty under pressure, which matches our core values at Shui On Land – integrity, dedication, innovation and excellence. Golfers and Shui On Land both pursue a high-quality lifestyle and an emphasis on precision.

The HTC Highroad Cycling Team has announced defeat in their search for a sponsor.

Speaking on their official website team owner Bob Stapleton said “After an exhaustive search to secure long term sponsorship we have concluded that it’s time to release our team members to pursue other options. Our team’s success has been based on our outstanding people. It’s in their best interest that we make this decision now.

“The team has had unmatched athletic success,” continued Stapleton. “The dedication shown by our athletes, management team and staff year after year has been exceptional. Together they created one of the most successful teams in cycling’s history. Our athletes are the most sought after in the sport, and our management and staff are the most capable in cycling. They will lead new teams and the sport forward. Helping to create the individual success of the people in our team has been the most important and enjoyable element of our management team. We wish everyone the best for the future.

“Finally, we would like to thank our partners who worked very closely with us over the years to help set Highroad as the benchmark for elite cycling teams,” added Stapleton. “We are very proud of the performance and value we gave our sponsors and our fans.”

The team will race through the end of the 2011 season and is likely to reach its 500th race win since its inception in 2008. To date, the team has won 484 races including 54 grand tour stages and has a large collection of classic and stage race victories to its name.

It has yet to be announced the future of Mark Cavendish who rode for the team during this year’s Tour de France. He was the king of the sprinters and came home with the ‘Green Jersey’.

The Ford Women’s World Curling Championship has a new sponsor. Richardson International has become the presenting sponsor, which will take place in Alberta, Canada.

The company is Canada’s largest privately owned agribusiness  and has sponsored curling events since 2008 and was a sponsor for both the 2010 Women’s World Championships and the 2011 Men’s World Championships.

Jean-Marc Ruest, vice-president, corporate affairs and general counsel said: “Curling is a Canadian passion and we are proud to be the presenting sponsor of the 2012 Ford World Women’s Curling Championship. At Richardson, we have a legacy of supporting and investing in the community and we are happy to help bring a world-class event to Lethbridge.”

Sheffield United will receive Nexis holding shares as part of their new shirt deal. The logo will also appear on the Soccer clubs shirts for the forthcoming season.

“Nexis is an emerging organisation in growth sectors which are going to be dominant in coming years.” said Sheffield United owner Kevin McCabe.

He continued stating his delighted at concluding the groundbreaking deal.

According to Nexis they are specialists in high volume affordable housing and sustainable waste processing.

Rahoul Ray, advice president and chief executive at Nexis Holdings, sickness added: “We are very excited to have entered into this partnership with the Blades and expect this to be just the beginning of very positive relationship between our two organisations.”

Season ticket holders will have a unique opportunity to also buy shares.

Grocery retailer Coles will be sponsoring the 2012 Australian Olympic team, meaning it will be the official supermarket sponsor of the squad competing at London. 

The supermarket will bring customers exclusive Australian Olympic team and Games themed products, recipes and promotions.

“With one year to go our athletes vying for selection in London are very focused on hard work and we welcome our involvement with such a strong brand as Coles.” said Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) President John Coates.

Coles will also be sponsoring the youth Olympic winter team during the Winter Youth Olympics in January 2012, in Innsbruck, Austria

The Rugby Super League has announced a “record-breaking” five-year extension to its broadcasting agreement with Sky Sports, prostate taking the partnership up to its 21st year.

The new deal will see Sky Sports screen live rugby league matches from the 2012 season through the 2016 campaign, taking in Super League XVII to Super League XXI. The agreement will see up to 70 Super League games being televised each season, including all Play Off matches and the end of season Grand Final at Old Trafford, Manchester.

Rugby Football League (RFL), chairman, Richard Lewis, said: “At a time when broadcast fees in sport have been under real pressure, this is a tremendous outcome for the sport of rugby league. It clearly demonstrates the confidence that Sky Sports has in the game’s current and future appeal and will give everyone involved in the sport a real boost. This is the first time we have sold domestic rights independently of international rights and so it bodes well for those sales which will be concluded either later this year or early next year.”

All live Super League coverage will be shown in HD and some matches shown in 3D, while they will also be available on mobile, online and tablet devices via Sky Go. Since 2001, television income for rugby league has markedly increased. This growth has been matched by an increase in the number of fans attending matches from 1.2 million in 2002 to 1.7 million in 2010.

Lewis also added:“Our partnership with Sky Sports has been an important factor in the sustained growth of the game over more than a decade and we value the relationship we have with Sky and thank them for their continued support and excellent broadcast production values. The extended partnership from three to five years will enable us to plan for the future and tackle the issues we need to address in order to make Super League stronger.”

Nivea for Men have extended their contract with AC Milan and Infront Sports & Media, the club’s official sponsor for the 2011-2012 season.

Nivea for Men, a skin care product of the Beiersdorf Group, will remain top sponsor of
the club . This is the fourth year this partnership is going on and will be building from great brand exposure experienced from the previous year.

AC Milan are considered one of the most successful clubs in the world and their tv and online exposure will help them become one of the biggest clubs in the world.

AC Milan’s top six sponsors, Intesa Sanpaolo (banking), Nivea (cosmetics), Audi (car manufacturer), Dolce & Gabbana (fashion label), MSC (cruises) and Tim (telecoms) gave them great exposure equal to 442,884 seconds on TV – a 100.5% increase compared to a year ago which is driving the club to bigger and better things.

Puma is the new official sportswear partner of the America’s Cup.

The deal, which runs until 2013, will see Puma operate an official online store as well as pop-up fan shops at race locations. The company has also become the official supplier to the America’s Cup event authority and America’s Cup race management team, providing clothing as well as sailing performance gear.

As the official sportswear partner, PUMA will serve as the exclusive licensee of event-related sportswear for the America’s Cup Event Authority and America’s Cup Race Management teams, including their sailing performance gear.

“The new America’s Cup represents a radical shift in the way people will connect with the sport of sailing.  We’ve looked at every component of the event from the viewer’s eye so we can create customized experiences for audiences around the globe. We’re committed to providing the ultimate in performance sportswear for our fans, and in PUMA, we’ve found a partner who can deliver on that promise,” said Craig Thompson, CEO, America’s Cup Event Authority

“PUMA’s approach to sailing has always been a little bit different,” said Antonio Bertone, Chief Marketing Officer for PUMA.  “We’re the mavericks in the industry, intent on shaking up the sport with campaigns, products and partnerships that reach new audiences, dial up the  ‘fun’ and push the boundaries of performance technology.  America’s Cup embraces a similar philosophy and re-emerged as the hottest thing to happen to professional sailing in decades. We’re excited to come aboard as the official sportswear partner for the Cup.”

PUMA first introduced themselves in the sailing category in 2008 when it developed a line of performance and lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories to support the launch of the PUMA Ocean Racing.  Driven by a massive global marketing machine focused on media and fan engagement, its early successes helped establish PUMA as a credible sailing brand and paved the way for the partnership with the America’s Cup.

The new line will be released to the public on 6 August at the America’s Cup event in Cascais, Portugal.