NHL signs sponsorship deal with Discover

(Reuters) The National Hockey League has signed a one-year sponsorship deal making Discover Financial Services the league’s official U.S. credit card, and its first financial sponsor in that market.

The deal, worth several million dollars including advertising commitments by Discover, puts the NHL’s overall sponsorship revenue about 30 percent above last year’s rate, said Keith Wachtel, NHL senior vice president of corporate sales and marketing.

“For us, financial services — banking, credit card — have been an open category in the United States for some time,” he said in a telephone interview. “We’ve been waiting for the right opportunity.”

The NHL’s credit card and banking sponsors in Canada are Visa Inc and Bank of Nova Scotia .

The NHL, with about $2.8 billion in annual revenue, started the 2010-2011 season last month and is coming off a year in which sponsorship and advertising revenue grew 66 percent.

Over the last three years, the NHL has signed new sponsorship and advertising deals worth more than $330 million with such companies as Anheuser-Busch InBev , Honda Motor Co, Geico and Cisco Systems.

Under the new deal, Discover will be the presenting sponsor for the all-star game, something the NHL has lacked for more than a decade, Wachtel said. The company also will be able to offer its card users discounts on NHL products as well as chances to win hockey experiences, including spending a day at home with the Stanley Cup championship trophy.

“We think hockey is a great way to reach our customers,” said Jennifer Murillo, Discover’s director of advertising.

Discover started out last year as an advertiser during NHL games televised by General Electric Co’s NBC affiliate and Comcast Corp’s Versus network.

The Discover deal lasts only one year to give the credit card company time to weigh its impact as well as to sync up that deal with the one in Canada, which also expires after this season, Wachtel said. A longer-term deal is the ultimate goal.

The NHL hopes to add sponsors in other categories, including U.S. banking, men’s grooming and airlines, he said.

Adidas launches social networking football game

Adidas has launched a social networking game to pit UEFA Champions League cities against each other.

The map-based game, adiposity Fast Fuels Danger, allergist Danger Makes Legend, asks players to sign up through Facebook Connect and then select a city to claim by challenging other players to secure land on the map.

Players challenge each other by selecting an area on the map and competing against another player by choosing their favourite football moves such as ‘Fast’, ‘Step Over’ or ‘Fast Flick’. The winning combination wins the area on the map.

Adidas has recruited football stars such as Lionel Messi to help promote the game, with players able to win territory from the star in Barcelona. Adidas has also created a viral video to promote the game, which shows two players challenging each other to be crowned a legend.

This year Nike launched a game-based campaign called Nike Grid, which urged players to sprint between BT phone boxes and log their runs online.

Fast Fuels Danger was created by ad agency 180 Amsterdam, while the teaser videos were by production agency Knucklehead.

ICC signs MoneyGram as 2011 World Cup partner

MoneyGram International a global leader in money transfers, announces that the company has signed a long-term sponsorship agreement with the International Cricket Council (ICC). Per the agreement, MoneyGram will have a presence at all ICC cricket tournaments around the world during 2011-2015. More immediately, MoneyGram will be a local partner level sponsor of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, which takes place in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka from Feb. 19 to April 2, 2011.

“MoneyGram is delighted about our long-term sponsorship with the ICC,” said Juan Agualimpia, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of MoneyGram International. “MoneyGram’s brand and services are well known in ‘cricket countries’ and we are glad we can align ourselves with the heritage of the sport and bring ourselves closer to our customers.”

“It is wonderful that MoneyGram has retained its involvement as a local partner for our flagship event, the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. The extension says much about the value of our great sport and that we continue to attract and retain sponsors of the caliber of MoneyGram. The global reach of the MoneyGram network is such that ICC can promote its flagship cricket event in many new and exciting destinations worldwide.”

MoneyGram announced its sponsorship agreement during a press conference in Mumbai today, which was attended by ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat and international cricketer, Ashish Nehra, who represents India in international competition and participated in the last ICC Cricket World Cup in 2007 in the West Indies. This is MoneyGram’s second foray into sponsorship of the sport as the company sponsored the ICC’s Twenty 20 World Cup 2010, held in May the West Indies.

“Cricket is the biggest game in the Indian Sub-continent and we take our sport seriously,” said Harsh Lambah, regional director of South Asia for MoneyGram. “As a fan and a MoneyGram employee, I am excited about the potential we have to strengthen our brand in this important region through MoneyGram’s sponsorship of ICC matches and the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. I know our network of over 30,000 agent locations throughout India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are equally excited to be aligned with the World Cup through MoneyGram as their money transfer provider.”

India, which has the largest base of cricket fans in the world, is one of the largest money transfer markets in the world with more than $48 billion in remittances sent to India in 2009, according to the World Bank. MoneyGram’s presence in the region provides an important service to the more than 25 million non-resident Indians all over the globe who continue to have links to India.

The announcement follows the ICC’s deal with Castrol, announced last friday as official performance partner.

Sony distances itself from crisis-hit Fifa

FIFA sponsor Sony has said the probe into the bidding to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cup “isn’t great” and appeared to distance itself from the football’s world governing body.

Although the company is a member of the FIFA Partners programme, advice Sony’s European head of soccer sponsorships, Toby Shaw, told delegates at the International Football Arena conference in Zurich this is not how they want to be seen.

“We don’t say we’re a partner of FIFA. We say we’re a partner of the World Cup,” Shaw was quoted as saying by news agency Bloomsberg.

The company’s sponsorship agreement with FIFA ends after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and Sony is still considering if it would like to renew it for 2018 and beyond.

“We concentrate on whether it’s right for our business going forward,” he added. “We are still evaluating the last World Cup.”

PyeongChang 2018 signs largest sponsor

PyeongChang 2018 bid has secured a sponsorship deal with Nonghyup, Korea’s National Agriculture Cooperative Federation. Nonghyup is the bid city’s largest sponsor yet.

Nonghyup will give PyeongChang 2018 nearly $890,000 in support of its bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics.

“To host the 2018 Winter Games in the Gangwon Province would bring immense pride to the region and would bring a number of benefits to the local economy and its people,” Byung-seok Hahm, Nonghyup’s Gangwon division president, said in a statement.

PyeongChang is competing against Munich and Annecy in the bid race for the 2018 winter Games. The final decision is set to be voted July 6th 2011 in Durban, South Africa.

World Rowing Federation and Samsung Sign Partnership

FISA, the World Rowing Federation has signed an agreement with Samsung Electronics to become an Official Sponsor and Technology Partner of FISA and its major World Rowing regattas.

This sponsorship commences with the 2010 World Rowing Championships which will take place from October 30 to November 7 on Lake Karapiro, New Zealand. It continues for the following two years during which Samsung will be the Title Sponsor of the Rowing World Cup annual series, currently comprising three international regattas and, an Official Sponsor of the 2011 World Rowing Championships in Bled, Slovenia.

Samsung has acquired a substantial package of rights which includes televised advertising boards and graphic data-inserts in the international television signal of all World Rowing regattas for transmission around the world on many prominent television networks.

Denis Oswald, President of FISA, said: “A valued Olympic TOP sponsor since 1997, Samsung has come to appreciate Rowing’s unique values and targeted reach. In our many discussions over the last few months, it has become clear that our sport has a very important part to play in Samsung’s global communications strategy. I am genuinely proud that one of the world’s most successful companies has chosen to partner rowing.”

“As a global leader when it comes to supporting sport and athletics, Samsung is very proud to sponsor the 2010 World Rowing Championships and the Rowing World Cup,” said Gyehyun Kwon, Vice President and Head of Worldwide Sports Marketing at Samsung.

“Sports sponsorship allows us to connect with global markets and communicate our corporate mission and values and is a key conduit in building brand equity in the minds of consumers.”

Samsung is an established leader in innovative digital technologies sponsors many sports events and teams around the world including the Olympic Games as a Worldwide Partner, the Chelsea football club of the English Premier League, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), and the Asian Games.

Adidas signs mutli-million pound Chelsea sponsorship extension

Sportswear giant Adidas has signed a new eight-year deal to extend its sponsorship and kit supplier deal with Chelsea football club. The deal includes the rights to official kit and merchandise and other promotional opportunities on pitch-side LED hoardings and in the match programme.

Chelsea would not give a specific figure for the deal, only confirming that the deal was “multi-million” and that it had been significantly increased from its original deal. Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspaper has reported the deal is worth US$252 million in total, whilst French newspapers have suggested a slightly lower figure of US$225 million. The value of the deal is significantly higher than Adidas’ original agreement with the club ( That deal, signed in 2008, was worth approximately UK£12 million (US$18.8 million) each season, Source: Deloitte )

The relationship was launched in 2006 when both parties created the world’s largest team photo as 8,000 Chelsea fans lined up alongside the first team squad.

Chelsea and Adidas have since undertaken a number of grassroots projects, which has included partnering with youth football clubs in the US to help develop soccer in the country.

Ron Gourlay, Chelsea Football Club’s chief executive, said: “Both organisations are highly ambitious and want to continue in partnership to develop globally and for us, grow in our key market territories across Asia and North America.

“[The] deal reaffirms Adidas’ belief in the club’s growing status in world football.”

Herbert Hainer, chief executive officer of Adidas, said: “Both Adidas and Chelsea have a long and proud heritage in football and we’re delighted to continue our working relationship with one of Europe’s elite football clubs.

“We look forward to many more years of success, working closely with the club on product, marketing and grass roots initiatives in the UK and around the globe.”

Austrian Ski Association extends deal with A1 Telekom

The Austrian Ski Association (OSV) has signed an extended four-year agreement with Austrian telecommunications company A1 Telekom.

As part of the deal the telecoms company will sponsor the OSV Women’s and Men’s Alpine Ski teams.

Chief executive of A1 Telekom Austria, Hannes Ametsreiter, said: “The Austrian Ski Federation is the most powerful sports body in winter sports, we are number one in the Austrian telecommunications market. Success combines us and together we can achieve more yet.”

Professor Peter Schröcksnadel of the Austrian Ski Association added: “For years, A1 have been reliable and extremely loyal partners of the Austrian Ski Federation. Their commitment as a team sponsor for the entire alpine teams – men and women – is a partnership of the best kind.”

Shortlist for European Sponsorship Awards announced

The shortlist for the European Sponsorship Awards, drugs organised by the European Sponsorship Association (ESA), erectile order has been announced.

The shortlist is selected by a panel of nine experts from across the continent and includes a range of global brands like Allianz, prostate Barclays, Guiness, Philips and Sportingbet.

The winners of the awards will be announced on 24 November during the Awards Ceremony at the Heineken Experience in Amsterdam.

The Awards Ceremony will be part of the two-day European sponsorship conference, Future Sponsorship, held on 24 and 25 November.

Ulster Rugby signs deal with Heineken

Irish rugby union team Ulster Rugby has signed a five-year sponsorship deal with Dutch brewer Heineken, it has been announced.

The deal will see Heineken Beer, Murphy’s Stout and Bulmer’s Original Cider served from all the bars at Ulster’s Ravenhill ground.

Chief executive of Ulster, Shane Logan, said: “Together we believe that the Ravenhill experience can become renowned throughout European Rugby – we want the opposition teams to fear coming here, whilst giving the away fans an experience they will never forget when they arrive.

“Heineken NI is an integral part of building this experience. Our partnership represents a significant investment in Ulster Rugby’s future. We are confident Ulster Rugby can become one of the biggest clubs in Europe.”

Commercial manager for Heineken NI, Leza Nulty, added: “The optimism around Ulster Rugby is infectious. When Heineken first met with Ulster Rugby it quickly became clear that we shared a mutual vision. Ulster Rugby plan to be the premium rugby team, not only in Ireland, but throughout Europe.”