Sao Paulo-based publisher, Editora Abril has become the official print media supporter of the 2014 Fifa World Cup.

In a deal which also incorporates the 2013 Fifa Confederations Cup, the company will carry tournament logos on a number of key titles, including signature soccer magazine Placar.

Additionally, Editora Abril will also be entitled to produce official publications for both competitions.

Both parties insist the partnership will not compromise Editora Abril’s editorial integrity, but will offer the group improved access for its range of news and specialist outlets.

Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise Real Salt Lake, CONCACAF Champions League finalists, have secured two new sponsorship deals.

The Ford Motor Company has agreed a three-year sponsorship deal with the club who face Mexican side Monterrey for a place in December’s FIFA Club World Cup, to be staged in Japan.

Additionally, a deal with international home-security firm Vivint has also been agreed on a three-year basis.

Both deals are believed to be worth a six-figure sum.

Fix Auto, generic a US automotive repair company, drugs has been unveiled as a sponsor to Major League Soccer (MLS) expansion franchise the Portland Timbers.

The Montreal-based firm have agreed a multi-year deal with the Timbers, who are playing their first MLS season in 2011, entitling the company to a number of local and national marketing opportunities.

Under the terms, Fix Auto will possess permanent signage at Timbers home stadium, Jeld-Wen Field, and also receive advertising during every Timbers telecast, including matches that are televised nationally, as well as on weekly team radio programme Talk Timbers.

Paul Gange, president of Fix Auto, stated: “The general public often doesn’t take notice of body shops until they need one. Partnering with the Timbers will provide us the opportunity to reach a potential customer base that we may not touch otherwise. The Timbers have done an excellent job introducing their team into the greater Portland community, which we also serve with our Fix Auto repair centre network.”

The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has reached an agreement with the GAC GROUP, viagra a major player in the automobile industry, therapy  to become the title sponsor of the 2011 World Table Tennis Championships and the 2013 World Team Cup.

GAC GROUP Chairman Zhang Fangyou said: “We are exceptionally happy to be sponsoring 2011 World Table Tennis Championships and the 2013 World Team Cup, adiposity two important events.

“We like and see the benefits of being involved with sport; in particular table tennis, as it plays a very important social role within international society.”

The GAC GROUP, based in Guangzhou, is a big supporter of elite level sport, including top tier sponsorship of the 2010 Asian Games.

ITTF President Adham Sharara stated: “The ITTF is extremely pleased that the GAC GROUP of Guangzhou has decided to become an ITTF partner and make its entry as the Title Sponsor of the 2011 World Table Tennis Championships in Rotterdam. This new partnership solidifies even more the excellent ties and relationship that the ITTF has with Guangzhou.

“The ITTF looks forward to a long and fruitful cooperation with the GAC GROUP and we are sure that we will be able to provide an excellent return on investment with extensive TV coverage and live streaming of the Championships.”

2011 World Table Tennis Championships Tournament Director Ton Van Happen added: “First of all I want to congratulate the ITTF and GAC Group with their sponsorship. With this agreement we are in the position to bring the World Championships to a whole new level.”

Golf’s 2011 Asian Tour has secured the sponsorship of watch manufacturer Rolex as the event’s official timekeeper.

Rolex is already the official timekeeper of some co-sanctioned Asian Tour events of the World Golf Championships such as the Barclays Singapore Open and CIMB Asia Pacific Classic.

Jean-Noël Bioul, Rolex’s co-director of sponsorship international activities, said: “We are proud to be associated with the Asian Tour and believe that their product is going from to strength to strength with exciting opportunities ahead.”

The latest agreement extends Rolex’s ties with the sport having been associated with a number of worldwide tournaments including the World Golf Championships, the Ryder Cup, the four Major Championships, The European Tour and the LPGA Tour.

The company has also developed partnerships with some of the world’s best players including icons such as Gary Player, Tom Watson and Phil Mickelson.

Asian Tour executive chairman Kyi Hla Han added: “Rolex is synonymous with prestige and excellence and we are honoured to welcome on board a truly global brand. The Asian Tour and our highly talented members are committed in our pursuit for greater achievements and excellence. With the support of Rolex, we are confident of reaching our shared goals.”

Brown-Forman Corp.’s El Jimador tequila brand has signed a four-year deal to become a major sponsor of Major League Soccer (MLS).

El Jimador will sponsor MLS as well as the US men’s and women’s national teams and the Mexico national team’s annual tour of the United States under the terms of the agreement.

Additionally, the company will have an on-site promotional presence at games and on-field advertising signs at more than 100 televised games each year, while there will also be player appearances at promotional events and a line of co-branded merchandise will be released.

The deal allows Brown-Forman, which also owns Jack Daniel’s, Southern Comfort and Finlandia, to bring any of its tequila brands into the arrangement while El Jimador already holds a sponsorship deal with the league’s Seattle Sounders.

David Wright, vice-president of global sponsorship at Soccer United Marketing, the MLS’ commercial arm, told the Wall Street Journal: “2010 was an incredible year for our sport, particularly with the excitement generated among fans by the World Cup. We think we’re starting to see a watershed swell of interest around our sport.”

Allstate and Anheuser-Busch are among the companies to have recently signed up with Soccer United Marketing, while reports have suggested that PepsiCo has also renewed its partnership.

Brazilian soccer rivals Vitoria and Bahia will both be officially sponsored by telecommunications company TIM from next season

The TIM logo will appear on the playing shirts worn by both sides, order as well as on in-stadium advertising boards and buses that carry teams to matches under the terms of the agreements which both run for three years.

TIM, anesthetist who already title sponsor the top division of Italian soccer as well as another Brazilian soccer team, ambulance Flamengo, has also unveiled plans to release licensed products and offer benefits to fans of the respective clubs.

Eduardo Valdes, commercial manager of TIM in the northeast, said: “Joining a crowd as passionate as that of Vitoria can only bring good results for TIM, and we have spared no effort to reach out to their customers. We also want to be passionate with Bahia and create an identification with the company. With these partnerships, we will offer products and exclusive benefits to fans and the clubs.”

Sergio Carlos Falcon, vice president of Vitoria, stated: “Vitoria is delighted to have TIM as one of its official sponsors. The union of these two brands demonstrates the importance of victory in the national sports scene and will certainly result in benefits for both the club and for TIM.”

Marcelo Guimarães Filho, president of Bahi, added: “It is with great pleasure that we see the arrival of TIM as the new sponsor of Bahia. We return to the Campenonato Brasileiro and therefore need to link our brand to the big companies, such as TIM, one of the largest companies in the area. The club is celebrating 80 years since its foundation and now has a fanbase estimated at more than seven million.”

Sports apparel brand Burrda have signed another top sporting club to its roster in OGC Nice Cote d’Azur, the French Ligue 1 soccer team.

Burrda recently signed agreements with Dutch soccer club FC Twente and has extended its ties in France with the latest deal, having agreed to sponsor rugby union’s Biarritz Olympique and RC Toulonnais

The strategic deal will run for the next five seasons and Charles Diab, General Manager of BURRDA SPORT, said: “There are many exciting things we are planning to do with the club! We are really proud to be partner of the club, even more with the perspective of the new stadium!”

Pierre Arcens, European director of BURRDA SPORT, also highlighted the many opportunities that the new stadium will bring to the club of the Cote d’Azur, adding: “The project of a new stadium will bring some changing in the club and therefore new challenges. It is like the birth of a new soul and we are delighted to be there and contribute with our brand.”

Gilbert Stellardo, President of OGC Nice, spoke of his delight over the new deal with BURRDA SPORT, a brand “full of ambition, just like OGC Nice”, stressing that BURRDA SPORT only produces high quality performance wear.

The Super League, rugby union’s flagship domestic tournament, is looking for a new title sponsor after Engage Mutual Assurance announced it was ending its seven-year partnership with the league at the end of the season.

Following a strategic review, after making several successful acquisitions over the past few months, Engage Mutual has decided not to continue with its title sponsorship.

Super League has stated that it is already in discussions with a variety of partners and a deal for a new title sponsor is likely to be concluded in the next few months with Chairman Richard Lewis stating: “We are in dialogue with a number of potential companies and will conclude a partnership in the next few months that will enhance our sponsorship portfolio.

“Super League is a fantastic, vibrant competition that is the pinnacle of rugby league across Europe and the competition offers a great platform to showcase a brand to an international audience.

“For both Super League and Engage Mutual it’s been an extremely successful partnership and a prime example of the power of sport sponsorship. Engage Mutual has always been an active partner throughout the past seven years, which has not only allowed us to raise the profile of Super League but of rugby league in general.“

The Richard Childress Racing (RCR) Nascar Sprint Cup Series team has secured the renewed sponsorship of engine and machinery manufacturer Caterpillar by signing a multi-year contract extension.

Caterpillar will remain the primary sponsor of RCR’s Number 31 Chevrolet car driven by Jeff Burton, drugs who has also signed a multi-year extension with the team.

Under the terms of the agreement, clinic extensive Caterpillar branding will continue to appear on Burton’s car and overalls for the foreseeable future.

Although no valuation of the contract has been released, full-season primary sponsorship on a Sprint Cup car is typically worth US$20m.

Team owner Richard Childress: “Cat Racing has proven to be successful both on the track, with Jeff and his team’s achievements, and off the track, with the creative programmes provided to its customers. We look forward to building on the success of the partnership between Caterpillar, Jeff Burton and RCR for years to come.”

Bill Finerty, vice president of Americas Distribution Services Division for Caterpillar, added: “We are very pleased to continue our relationship with Richard Childress Racing and Jeff Burton. Cat dealers, customers and employees all take pride in watching the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet compete at a high level in the Nascar Sprint Cup Series.”

Caterpillar has been involved in Nascar since 1993, but only aligned with RCR in 2009, after leaving the Bill Davis Racing team in 2008.

Meanwhile, in another Nascar deal, the computer and video game developer Eutechnyx has announced a one-race link up with JR Motorsports, and will sponsor the team’s Number 7 car, driven by Josh Wise, at the upcoming Nationwide Series event, the Nashville 300, on 23rd April.