A link up between the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and broadcaster NBC has agreed a deal to seal a significant two-year sponsorship with online broker TD Ameritrade.

NBC will receive a portion of media buys under the terms of the deal with TD Ameritrade in the USOC’s first such collaboration with the Olympic broadcaster in the United States, illness which will sponsor the US Olympic team at the 2012 London Games. The value of TD Ameritrade’s investment has not been disclosed, order but the deal marks a major improvement in relations between the USOC and NBC.

Under CEO Scott Blackmun, who joined the USOC just over a year ago, the national body has made great strides in building bridges with 2012 Games rights-holder NBC. The two parties clashed in 2009 over the USOC’s plans to launch a new Olympic TV network, but the plans have since been put on hold indefinitely.

Blackmun stated: “TD Ameritrade believes in supporting America’s athletes, and in the power and inspiration of their journeys. It is a company that upholds the Olympic Ideals in its own industry, and we are happy to have them on board.

“This agreement ushers in a new era of partnership and co-operation between the USOC and NBC. Working together, we can bring the US Olympic Movement to new audiences and to new heights.”

HSBC has agreed a further three-year term as global sponsor of FEI Eventing to include title sponsorships of the HSBC FEI Classics for a further two years. The deal will run until the end of 2013 and cover the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships in both 2011 and 2013.

HSBC has supported the FEI Classics series since 2008 and will be contributing US$ 1m in prize money over the next three years, pharmacy cheap which represents the biggest prize pot on offer in Eventing on an annual basis.

Commenting on the renewal Giles Morgan, HSBC Group Head of Sponsorship, stated:  “HSBC has been a proud sponsor of the HSBC FEI Classics since its inception in 2008, as well as the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships, and the bank is delighted to be continuing its support of these prestigious international events. As part of every sports sponsorship HSBC undertakes there is a commitment by the bank to invest in the grassroots level of the sport and over the coming years HSBC will be working closely with the FEI to help continue the growth and development of Eventing around the world.”

FEI Secretary General Alex McLin added: We are delighted that HSBC, one of the FEI’s Platinum Partners, will be continuing its sponsorship of our flagship Eventing series, the HSBC FEI Classics. The partnership of a global brand like HSBC and a series like the Classics is a perfect fit and HSBC’s continuing support of the FEI European Championships confirms them as the global sponsor of Eventing.”

The National Basketball Association (NBA) extended a sponsorship agreement with toiletries manufacturer Right Guard yesterday, February 16, making the Henkel brand an official partner of Noche Latina 2011.

This year’s Noche Latina events will get underway at NBA All-Star Weekend in L.A. with a party presented by Right Guard today, February 17.

Noche Latina presented by Right Guard will continue in March with marketing street teams in Chicago, Dallas, L.A., Miami, N.Y., Orlando, Phoenix and San Antonio

The Swiss Beach Soccer Association (SBS) have announced a partnership extension with Danish brewing company Carlsberg to become sponsors of the newly-formed Suzuki Beach Soccer League.

The deal will last for three-years and will see Carlsberg become the new league’s official beer. After its launch in 2010, the league consists of 16 teams which play each other across nine different locations in Switzerland in the summer months, from May to September

Financial details were not disclosed but Luke Porro, project sponsorship, said of the deal: “The young sport of beach soccer offers with its dynamism and it entertainment value an optimal platform for Carlsberg.”

The Sauber F1 Team has boosted its Asian connections after signing Asia Jet, a Hong Kong private aviation firm, as a sponsor for selected Grands Prix in 2011.

Under the terms of the deal, expected to be worth as much as US$100,000 per race, the company’s logos will appear on the cars rear wing endplates at all Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) races, plus the inaugural Indian Grand Prix in October.

Asia Jet’s chief executive Mike Walsh said: “Asia Jet is a proud supporter of Formula One, and has consistently flown fans, drivers and sponsors to attend the F1 races in different cities for the past few seasons.

“We hope to continue and extend our reach further throughout Asia and beyond, combining the best Formula One has to offer with the convenience of getting to and from the races on the schedules of our important clients.

“We are convinced this will be very successful for Asia Jet and further enhance our reputation as the leading private jet company of choice for our customers.”

Peter Sauber, team principal of Sauber, added: “Asia Jet is a prestigious and growing brand in a high-tech business in which time and performance are crucial, as is also the case in our sport. As Formula One is getting more and more popular in Asia with an increasing number of races to be held there, we regard Formula One as an ideal marketing platform for Asia Jet.”

The deal caps a successful commercial line-up for the team, having secured significant backing from Mexico, notably through a deal with telecoms firm Telmex.

English rugby league club Warrington Wolves have singed a sponsorship agreement with UK-based bookmaker Betfred.com which will see the company receive significant exposure through signage advertising around the sides Halliwell Jones Stadium home ground.

David Hutchinson, Wolves’ sales and marketing controller said of the deal: “We are delighted to have Betfred.com as our partners here at the club, a major player here in the market place. It fulfils the requests of many supporters here at Warrington Wolves at this very exciting time.”

Mark Pearson, a spokesman for Betfred.com added: “It’s fantastic to have an association with the Wolves and let’s hope we are paying out a few quid to their supporters this season. One thing for sure this Super League season is going to be extremely exciting and very very close.”

In a renewal of a sponsorship deal with the National Basketball Association (NBA), medicine the Coca-Cola Company will look to promote its Sprite brand after sealing a new ‘multi-year’ global marketing partnership with the league.

Coca-Cola, symptoms an NBA marketing partner since 1986, has used the partnership to promote several different brands in its portfolio and this year, for the first time, Sprite will be the lead brand to be associated with the NBA having been the official soft drink of the league in the US since 1994.

The Sprite Slam Dunk during NBA All-Star weekend and the Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown amateur competition will continue under the terms of the deal, with a number of other marketing activities will take place.

“Our partnership with the NBA offers the flexibility and collaboration to create innovative marketing programs that spark the connection between Sprite and basketball fans. Through programs like Sprite Slam Dunk, Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown and others, we’re able to communicate with people online, on television, through mobile technology, locally and at retail, so that we’re in touch with NBA fans wherever they are,” said Beatriz Perez, chief marketing officer of Coca-Cola North America.

NBA executive vice-president of global marketing partnerships Mark Tatum added: “Sprite is an exciting and vibrant brand that maintains a meaningful connection to the younger consumers that also make up a valuable segment of our fan base. We look forward to working together to develop more exciting and innovative NBA experiences that will resonate with this audience around the world.”

Defending Formula One world champions Red Bull Racing, have agreed a contract extension with Casio Computer Co., meaning the Japanese company will continue as an official partner in 2011.

Casio are set to use the sponsorship renewal to promote its motor sport-themed Edifice male watch range. In addition to being designated as the official watch of the team, Casio logos will appear on the overalls of world champion Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber during the season.

Casio will also feature on the nose of the car itself, believed to be a slight change from its 2010 agreement. A small logo was visible when the team launched its RB7 car in Valencia at the start of February.

Red Bull Racing’s team principal, Christian Horner said: “We are delighted to continue the partnership between Red Bull Racing and Casio, and to build an even stronger cooperative relationship than last year. We pursue a high level of technology development, innovative ideas, and speed in everything we do. I’m confident that collaborating with a brand that embodies these concepts will bring benefits to both Casio and the Red Bull Racing team.”

Emirates, the leading Dubai-based airline company, has extended its title sponsorship of cricket’s Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, Kings XI Punjab (KXIP).

The news comes as just one of a number of sponsorship renewals after the franchise revealed that the likes of apparel partner Reebok, official games for challenge partner USL and official chewing gum Wrigley would all be returning for the 4th edition of the hit cricket league.

KXIP promoters said in a statement: “We are thrilled to have Emirates, Reebok, USL and Wrigley with us yet again for the upcoming season of IPL season IV. We are invigorated and look forward to a fruitful association as our sponsors have reaffirmed that they share the same passion towards cricket and our values. We as a team are eagerly waiting for the tournament to begin and assure an electrifying cricketing experience to our fans in India and overseas.”

Emirates Airline Vice President – India & Nepal, Orhan Abbas added: “We have been very proud of our association with the IPL over the past two seasons. The tournament has grown bigger and better and the standard of the teams has also improved in that time. The Kings XI Punjab team looks very well balanced this season and we are looking forward to a great tournament.”

“The apparel being designed especially for the team will be at the forefront of apparel technology and will be made available in a fresh new design for the fans as well. A die hard cricket fan always wants to live his passion and at Reebok we are glad to give him an opportunity to live his passion through our support of Kings XI Punjab and exciting merchandize that we will soon be launching in our stores,” added the Reebok India team.

According to United Spirits Business Head Ltd Debashish Shyam, “Royal Challenge is delighted to continue its association with Kings XI Punjab for the fourth season of IPL. We believe that the Kings XI Punjab team embodies the attitude of taking on challenges and being ‘Game for Life’. This is the core of brand Royal Challenge. We look forward to an exciting and successful year ahead particularly more so with a new, young and vibrant KXIP team.”

A non-exclusive licensing agreement has been reached between NASCAR and the world’s largest retailer Wal-Mart, to make apparel, home goods and other products bearing NASCAR, driver and team marks and imagery.

The deal is Wal-Mart’s first licensing agreement with a major sports property after agreeing to a three-year deal with options for an extension with NASCAR. Wal-Mart will pay a licensing royalty, but terms of that royalty were not available.

Wal-Mart plans to support its licensing agreement over the next two weeks with a special “Race Time” promotion that begins today in more than 1,500 stores nationwide. The “Race Time” promotion will feature nearly a dozen of NASCAR’s sponsors such as Coca-Cola, Mars and Miller-Coors in a specially branded area of the store.