Bwin, salve the world’s largest online gaming company, capsule has become a major sponsor of Euroleague Basketball.

The deal, medic which runs until 2014, will allow Bwin customers to watch matches for free online.   

Norbert Teufelberger, co chief executive of Bwin.party digital entertainment which owns the Bwin brand, said: “We are proud to announce the Euroleague Basketball agreement which represents a perfect match to our long lasting relationship with FIBA, the world governing body for basketball. This makes Bwin an even stronger brand as we will now cover both club basketball with the Euroleague and the national teams through our FIBA partnership. Basketball, along with football and motorcycle racing, is one of the three pillars of our sport sponsorship strategy.”

Jordi Bertomeu, president and chief executive of Euroleague Basketball, commented: “It is a big step for Euroleague Basketball to welcome Bwin as partner until 2014. The most important basketball competition in Europe now gets the most important sports betting brand, Bwin, as a supporter to take club basketball´s popularity in Europe to an even higher level.”

Bwin are already major players in the sports sponsorship market. They sponsor Real Madrid, amongst others, with the Bwin logo featuring on the front of the side’s kit.

West Ham United are delighted to announce on iSportconnect a major partnership agreement with Alpari (UK).

Alpari (UK) Limited, a leading global foreign exchange broker, signed a three-year contract with the club on Friday. Alpari (UK) operates in the global currency trading industry, providing Forex traders with highly advanced online trading platforms and research tools.

David Stuart, COO of Alpari (UK), said: “Alpari (UK) and West Ham United share core values such as drive, commitment and passion for what we do. We are excited about this partnership.”

As part of the partnership agreement, the West Stand at the Boleyn Ground will be known as the Alpari Stand.

Supporters will find out more about Forex trading, Alpari (UK)’s new products and special promotions via West Ham TV online and the stadium screens, in the club’s publications and on whufc.com. Alpari (UK) will also launch special prize draws and events for fans.

Stuart added: “This is Alpari (UK)’s first major sponsorship in the world of sports and yet another milestone for the company as it goes from strength to strength. Alpari is already an established name around the globe and sponsorships like this help reinforce our brand. The Alpari companies’ mission is to help people who are new to Forex as well as experienced traders gain access to this US$4 trillion industry via cutting-edge, user-friendly technology.”

Barry Webber, West Ham United Commercial Director, said: “We are delighted to sign this partnership agreement with Alpari (UK). It will have a significant and positive impact on the club, and the deal demonstrates that West Ham United remains an attractive proposition to prospective partners, especially in the key world of business and finance.”

Mr Webber told iSportconnect: “Alpari (UK) will link up with the club at an exciting time in its history, with a new vision on the pitch and the proposed move to the Olympic Stadium looming on the horizon in 2014/15.  This will be Alpari (UK)’s  first major step into the world of sport sponsorship and West Ham United’s history and heritage means we can bring a lot to the table, and the Club remains an attractive proposition to prospective partners.  This is just the start and we expect the name Alpari (UK) to become synonymous with the West Ham United fan base and the football community.”

Alpari (UK) Limited is an award-winning foreign exchange contracts for difference and precious metals broker headquartered in the heart of the City of London and with subsidiaries in Germany, Japan and India as well as a representative office in China.

With a history dating back to 1998, the Alpari companies are among the world’s fastest growing providers of online Forex trading services, with more than 50 offices in cities in over 20 countries, including London, New York, Tokyo, Shanghai, Dubai, Moscow, Mumbai and Frankfurt. Combined, the companies look after over 170,000 active trading accounts, generating monthly trading volumes in excess of US$210bn and employ over 630 people worldwide.

Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which owns Lord’s cricket ground in London, has announced that Anglo Indian, the real estate development and investment company, has become the first sponsor of the MCC Cricket Academy.  

The four year agreement delivers a comprehensive package of sponsorship rights covering the constituent parts of the MCC Cricket Academy – the Indoor Cricket School, Nursery Ground and MCC Young Cricketers Squad – and is the first deal of its kind in MCC’s 224-year history.

In another historic first, a brand licence agreement has been signed between MCC Overseas Limited (MCCO), a newly incorporated subsidiary of MCC, and Anglo Indian.  

MCCO has licensed Anglo Indian the right to use some of MCC’s marks in India in connection with a range of high quality cricket facilities – each branded and inspired by MCC and Lord’s – to be built in up to twelve new residential communities.

These new communities will be developed and operated entirely by Anglo Indian, in up to twelve locations from Delhi in the north to Bangalore in the south of India.  

All will follow similar lines with an MCC branded cricket academy and ground, together with an MCC Lord’s branded members’ club.  

MCCO’s role will be to ensure that MCC’s marks, under licence to Anglo Indian, are used in the agreed form and to the high standards associated with the Club as set out in the agreement.

Keith Bradshaw, MCC secretary & chief executive, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Anglo Indian as the first sponsor of the MCC Cricket Academy at Lord’s.  Their support will help us to continue to invest in our top-class practice facilities and the MCC Young Cricketers set-up, which has a great record in producing professional players. We look forward to a long and rewarding relationship with Anglo Indian in the years to come. 

“With regard to the separate brand licence, MCC has not lightly embarked on the creation of MCCO, the entity responsible for this new agreement with Anglo Indian. The opportunity to license the exploitation of MCC’s marks in India has been under consideration for some time, and we have very carefully evaluated a number of opportunities presented to the Club.

“Anglo Indian’s vision for new cricket-themed communities in India is an attractive proposition because it is a thorough, innovative proposal that offers a platform positively to showcase everything that the MCC and Lord’s brands stand for. This is an exciting project for MCCO, in a cricket-loving nation, and we are confident that Anglo Indian will attract significant investment for their plans over the next decade.”

Simon Reid, chairman of Anglo Indian, said: “It is enormously exciting to have signed this brand licence agreement. The MCC and Lord’s brands are revered the world over and we are delighted to be part of taking them to India for the first time.”

“It’s a nation with such a passion for cricket and we look forward to our new communities being an integral part of this. At the ‘Home of Cricket’ we are also proud to be the first ever sponsors of the MCC Cricket Academy, which perfectly complements our activities in India.”

Adidas has become the official kit supplier to Australia’s Hyundai A-league soccer side Sydney FC.  

The four-year deal sees the sportswear giants provide both training and matchday kit for the club’s men’s, women’s and youth teams. The new strip will be unveiled on August 8.

Sydney FC chief executive Dirk Melton said: “We are delighted to be able to announce our new apparel partnership with Adidas. The new arrangement is a significant statement in our desire to improve the club’s brand.

“Our players are very excited about using the Adidas product because of the incredible quality driven by both design and technology elements. Throughout the course of the partnership the players will be heavily involved in product testing and other R&D initiatives. I am sure that our members, fans and corporate partners will be waiting in anticipation to be able to purchase Sydney FC merchandise that includes the famous three stripes.”

Adidas Australia managing director Greg Kerr added: “We are proud to partner with one of the most recognised brands in A-League history and we look forward to unveiling the newly designed home and away strips which incorporate the latest performance enhancing technology. Our partnership with Sydney FC is testament to our commitment to football and our mutual partnership is not only great for football in New South Wales, but football across Australia.”

Adidas are already official kit supplier to clubs such as Liverpool, Chelsea, Real Madrid, AC Milan and Bayern Munich.

Tickets.com has been recruited as the official sponsor of Rugby Expo 2011, which will take place at Twickenham Stadium in London on November 23-24.

The global ticketing giant will provide an integrated ticketing system for thousands of visitors to Rugby Expo and will also lead a plenary conference session dealing with Dynamic Ticketing on the opening day of the event.

Derek Palmer, managing director and international executive vice-president of Tickets.com, said: “These are exciting times for rugby around the world and we are delighted to be part of the major global forum designed to facilitate exchange of information and promotion of professional best practice in rugby.”

Rugby Ventures chairman John Hockey added: “We are delighted to welcome Tickets.com back as sponsors of Rugby Expo. Not only do they play a vital role by providing the event ticketing system but the company is committed to the future success of rugby and to developing new approaches to helping clubs in rugby to maximise revenues from ticket sales.”

Hockey said: “Rugby Expo 2011 has a fresh new look after assessment of feedback from last year’s event. Day One will focus on the issues facing the professional and international game while Day Two will be dedicated to community rugby, with complimentary Day Two tickets being made available through County Unions.”

Grupo Codorniu’s Rioja brand, Viña Pomal, has been revealed as the official wine sponsor of the JP Morgan Asset Management Premiership Rugby 7s Series Final.

The tournament kicked off on Friday and is being televised live on ESPN with highlights on ITV4 and at the Recreation Ground in Bath.

Viña Pomal’s perimeter branding, which is part of the agreement, will be seen by a TV audience of up to 250,000 people and will also provide the man of the match with a magnum of Rioja.

Viña Pomal will also be sampled at some of the earlier events.

Carolyn d’Aguilar, brand manager for Grupo Codorniu still wines, said: “Rugby indexes highly with Rioja drinkers and our target audience, who are predominately professional males.

“Viña Pomal’s sponsorship of JP Morgan Premiership 7s series is a great way to connect with our target consumers, raise the profile of the brand and support key listings with related promotions.”

Rugby World Cup Limited has announced the appointment of Dole as a Tournament Supplier for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

adidas and the AFA (Argentine Football Association) are have announced the extension of their sponsorship agreement, allergist which will extend their current deal until December 2022.

Herbert Hainer, CEO of the adidas Group, said: “We are very proud and excited to announce the extension of our successful partnership with the Argentine Football Association. adidas is the global leader in football and Argentina is without any doubt one of the strongest teams in the world. Therefore, we are very much looking forward to continuing our successful partnership and to supporting AFA in their preparations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil and beyond.” 

Julio Grondona, President of AFA, said: “We appreciate the continuity and the confidence of adidas. It contributes to building an unbreakable bond with AFA. This agreement fully satisfies AFA and brings important values to continue to develop football in Argentina. AFA is committed and will continue wearing the shirt with pride all around the world.” 

In addition to this, both adidas and AFA will continue working together to promote football at all levels of the game and in all age groups, both in Argentina and globally. 

adidas is also Official Sponsor, Supplier and Licensee of the FIFA World Cup and Official Partner of the European Football Union UEFA and the Confederation of African Football CAF.

Unilever has become an associate sponsor of the South Africa national rugby union team.

The Springboks kick off their defence of the Rugby World Cup in two months time in  the 2011 edition of the tournament, search hosted by New Zealand

The director of sports marketing at telecommunications company Sprint, vcialis 40mg Tim Considine, has said that Sprint is committed to NASCAR for “the long haul”.