Brooklyn Nets & New York Liberty Form Global Multi-Year Partnership with Webull

The Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty have entered into a global multi-year agreement with Webull, an independent, self-directed broker dealer focused on zero-commission online trading and in-depth market data. As part of Webull’s first-ever sports partnership, the company will have international marketing rights to promote its alliance not only in the New York market, but also outside the U.S. through expansive marketing, advertising, and digital activations.

Additionally, Webull will become the official jersey patch partner for the Brooklyn Nets beginning with the 2021-22 NBA season. Webull will also be featured on the jerseys of the Liberty, the Long Island Nets of the NBA G League, and NetsGC, the NBA 2K League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets.

“I am very excited to announce Webull’s first sports partnership with the Brooklyn Nets and become the official game jersey partner,” said Anthony Denier, CEO of Webull, which is part of Webull Corporation. “There’s no better way to celebrate our company’s New York roots, and we are looking forward to collaborating on initiatives that give back to the Brooklyn community.”

“We are thrilled to introduce Webull to the world,” said John Abbamondi, CEO of BSE Global, the parent company of the Nets. “There is tremendous synergy between our two companies. Both are New York-based with a growing international presence and are focused on reaching a diverse demographic of tech-savvy, next-generation consumers and fans. We are looking forward to helping Webull connect with our millions of fans in communities across the globe.”

As the Official Online Brokerage of the Brooklyn Nets, Webull will receive digital signage at all Nets home games at Barclays Center and integration across the teams’ digital channels. The alliance will also extend into the community with Webull and the teams working together to implement impactful STEM programs that will benefit the underserved population in Brooklyn and beyond.

Webull, with its U.S. headquarters in New York City, is an easy-to-use, zero-commission brokerage and market data platform that is available to investors of all experience levels. In addition to providing powerful trading capabilities, Webull also offers educational resources for users to gain a deeper understanding of their investments. Recent product additions to the platform include multi-leg options trading, cryptocurrency trading, fractional shares, and a new Webull 7.0 interface for mobile users. The Webull app is accessible via phone, tablet or desktop computer. The company continues to expand its global reach with offices in six international cities and by serving its customers with market data from 31 countries.

bet365 Unveiled As Exclusive Betting Partner Of BOXXER And Sky Sports Boxing

BOXXER is delighted to announce a new partnership with bet365, which will become the Official Betting Partner of BOXXER and Sky Sports Boxing. 

Since the company’s inception in 2000 by Denise Coates CBE, bet365 has become a global operation offering an unrivalled online betting experience to more than 63 million customers in 20 languages. 

bet365 is renowned for their innovation of award-winning and industry-leading betting products, having pioneered In-Play betting as it continues to break new ground in software innovation. This includes live streaming of 600,000 events per year on its digital platforms, complemented by offerings in Casino, Poker, Games, and Bingo.

As part of the partnership, bet365 will become BOXXER’s official odds partner and be integrated across BOXXER’s social and digital content. bet365’s odds will be promoted on BOXXER’s platforms in the build-up to each fight night, with in-play optimisations exclusive to BOXXER. Live streams of BOXXER’s shows will also be available on bet365’s platforms in select international territories, to further enhance the customer experience globally. 

bet365 branding will feature across the ring and arena on BOXXER’s events, starting with BOXXER’s first show on Sky Sports at Wembley Arena on October 2nd, headlined by Chris Eubank Jr.

bet365 and BOXXER will also create collaborative digital content to deepen fans’ understanding of the events and fighters. 

Commenting on the partnership, BOXXER’s founder and CEO Ben Shalom said: “We’re delighted to announce this new partnership with bet365, given their customer conscience, quality and trusted position around the world. We believe there is substantial synergy in terms of our brand values, with both companies committed to innovation and unlocking access to the greatest live sporting events.” 

A spokesperson for bet365 said: “We are delighted to be working with an exciting new partner within the boxing space that will bring compelling new events to the growing industry. We place significant importance on working closely with all of our partners and look forward to forming a positive relationship with Boxxer.” 

Minnesota Timberwolves Name Aura As New Jersey Patch Partner

The Minnesota Timberwolves announced a multi-year partnership with Aura, a leading provider of all-in-one digital security for consumers.

Aura is a new kind of digital security that protects consumers from digital crime and financial loss. With a mission to create a safer internet, Aura simply secures everything consumers need to do online to protect everything they care about offline. With one subscription and easy-to-use app, Aura proactively protects users from potential threats and helps resolve any issues.

The multi-year partnership designates Aura as the “Official Digital Security Provider” and will include the title of season presenting partner, in-arena and on-court signage and designation as the Official Jersey Patch Partner of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Excel Sports Management’s Properties division sourced and negotiated the partnership between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Aura.

“Timberwolves fans know that every win is fueled by strong, proactive defense. Today, with nearly every aspect of our lives digitally connected, we need to protect ourselves and our families from digital crime with the always-on defensive energy of a full-court press,” said Hari Ravichandran, founder and CEO of Aura. “As Official Digital Security Provider of the Timberwolves, Aura is joining this community’s defensive team, and we look forward to promoting simple, always-on digital defense in the Twin Cities.”

“This partnership speaks to each of our organization’s commitments to innovation, inclusion, and a safe digital experience,” said Timberwolves and Lynx CEO Ethan Casson. “As an early adopter of mobile ticketing and a completely contactless arena experience, we continue to place emphasis on tech initiatives and collaboration with forward-thinking partners. Aura was a natural fit.”

Through the partnership, Timberwolves and Lynx employees will have the opportunity to elect Aura as a digital wellness benefit, providing proactive protection against digital crime and financial loss.

Timberwolves guard and 2020-21 Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team member Anthony Edwards serves as a brand ambassador for Aura, raising awareness for digital wellness and advocating for proactive protection.

Luc Tardif Elected New IIHF President

Luc Tardif has been elected as new IIHF President succeeding René Fasel, who held the position for 27 years and didn’t stand for re-election. He won the presidential election in the fourth and last round against Franz Reindl.

Tardif becomes the 14th IIHF President and the second from France after founding President Louis Magnus.

Petr Briza was elected as Senior Vice-President, and the Regional Vice-Presidents elected are Bob Nicholson (Americas), Aivaz Omorkanov (Asia & Oceania) and Henrik Bach Nielsen (Europe & Africa).

Zsuzsanna Kolbenheyer and Marta Zawadzka were re-elected as female Council members. In the first round for the remaining positions Heikki Hietanen, Anders Larsson, Pavel Bure, Raeto Raffainer and Andrea Gios were elected with a majority with two positions open for a second round. Franz Reindl was elected in the second round and Viesturs Koziols in the third round. Click here for the Council page.

“Thank you very much. René [Fasel] asked me eight years ago to be Treasurer. But I’m still a hockey guy and I know I can offer more. I only have my determination, my crazy passion for this sport, my sense of team work, my respect for the people and my honesty to offer. Believe me, I will do everything to be at the level of your expectation. I’m committed to open up our beautiful sport, to promote it, to defend it, to prepare it for the future but above all to respect it with dignity,” Tardif said before using a quote he likes:

“Alone we go faster but together we go further.” – Luc Tardif, new IIHF President.

He thanked Fasel for everything he did as well as the other Council members outlining Kalervo Kummola. “I’m ready now to take the lead. Thank you for the confidence. I’m confident about the future. We will have a great Council around me,” Tardif said.

Tardif, who has citizenship of France and Canada, was elected to the IIHF Council in 2012 where he served as Treasurer. He played junior hockey in Canada and professional hockey in Belgium and France where he started his hockey career off the ice with Rouen’s youth program. He was the head of the ice hockey department at the French Ice Sports Federation from 2000 to 2006. In 2006, he was elected as first President of the newly created French Ice Hockey Federation, a position he was re-elected for in 2010, 2014 and 2018. He was also Chef de Mission of the French Olympic delegation at the 2014 and 2018 Olympics. He has worked as member of the IIHF Competition Committee (2008-2012) and as chairman of the IIHF Finance Committee (since 2016).

In his presentation the day before, Tardif underlined the importance of development and bouncing back after the Covid-19 crisis that hit hockey in many countries with a successful restart of the usual activities. He also presented an idea for a larger IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I by merging the two groups, for a “Flying Coaches” program to bring word-class coaches to countries for seminars and wants to further develop 3-on-3 hockey.

He underlined that a President should listen and try to understand the needs of the member national associations. And that’s what he did with individual sessions with almost all member countries during summer. A “Virtual World Tour” or “Co-Construction Process” as he called it during 90 hours.

Hours of voting for the IIHF Council term of 2021-2026 started with the vote for the president that included five candidates. Elections were held over several rounds with the candidate with the fewest votes dropping out until a candidate received the majority of votes. In case of the President it took the maximum of four rounds until Luc Tardif was elected with a majority of votes.

Washington Capitals Announce Caesars Entertainment As NHL’s First-Ever Jersey Partner

Caesars Sportsbook logo debuts on home and third jerseys starting with the 2022-23 NHL season in first announced team agreement in NHL’s Jersey Advertising Program

The Washington Capitals and Caesars Entertainment Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR) announced a multi-year partnership agreement today that places the Caesars Sportsbook logo on Capitals home and third jerseys worn for games played at Capital One Arena beginning with the 2022-23 NHL season. The landmark announcement marks the first team announced agreement in the NHL’s Jersey Advertising Program.

Caesars Sportsbook, the best-in-class sportsbook offering, will have its logo worn on the Capitals home and third jerseys, with the 3 x 3.5 inch patch positioned on the upper right chest area of the jersey. An industry first, the introduction of the Caesars Sportsbook patch follows the historic opening of the Caesars Sportsbook at Capital One Arena in May 2021.

In addition to the home jersey patch, Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) and Caesars Sportsbook expand their partnership with additional Casino, Gaming and Caesars Rewards programming elements. The agreement also includes the entitlement of a Caesars hospitality space and VIP seating at Capital One Arena.  

“Following the successful launch of Caesars Sportsbook adjacent to Capital One Arena last spring, we are thrilled to introduce Caesars Sportsbook as the Capitals’ inaugural home jersey advertising partner in a first-of-its-kind announced partnership in the NHL,” said MSE president of business operations and chief commercial officer Jim Van Stone. “Together as two industry leaders, we’ve built a robust partnership in the gaming and casino space, and our overall relationship reflects our shared commitment to providing sports fans with world-class, unique experiences. MSE, the Capitals and Caesars share a commitment and passion toward innovation in the sports and entertainment space, and the opportunity to incorporate Caesars onto Capitals home jerseys is a wonderful development and exciting new fan engagement opportunity for both organizations in the nation’s capital.”

The NHL’s Jersey Advertising Program begins with the 2022-23 NHL season and allows up to two jersey sponsors per team when separate sponsors appear on home and away jerseys. The Capitals will announce an away jersey sponsor at a later date.

“Being woven into the Washington Capitals jersey is an exciting chapter in our collective story,” said Chris Holdren Co-President of Caesars Digital. “Like Monumental Sports & Entertainment, we love blazing trails and we are always looking for innovative opportunities that drive engagement and storytelling for fans. We are proud to extend our historic partnership with such a storied franchise after launching the sportsbook at Capital One Arena.”

MSE and Caesars Entertainment previously made history with the opening of Caesars Sportsbook at MSE’s Capital One Arena. Marking a major milestone in U.S. sports history, the sportsbook officially opened in May 2021, becoming the first ever sports betting venue to open within a U.S. professional sports facility. A first-of-its-kind, marquee destination for local, regional and global visitors, the two-story, 18,000 square-foot venue features 17 betting windows and 12 self-service betting kiosks, as well as Verizon 5G Wi-Fi capability so fans can place wagers on mobile devices. Click here to learn more.

The newly-launched and easy-to-navigate Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill app integrates mobile sports betting with Caesars Rewards, where every bet, win or lose, rewards the bettor with Tier Credits and Reward Credits that can be used to unlock unbeatable experiences within the Caesars portfolio of properties and partnerships. True to the legendary Caesars brand, the app provides an expansive array of wagering opportunities, including live in-game betting and flexible limits on the bets players want to make.

FTX Partners With Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team

The Mercedes F1 Team is delighted to announce a new long-term partnership with FTX, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange.

This relationship will span multiple race seasons with the FTX logo being featured prominently on both the cars and the drivers.

Part of the FTX branding will be unveiled during the upcoming Russian Grand Prix, scheduled to take place on Sunday 26 September, and will continue to expand leading up to the start of the 2022 season. 

In addition to the branding on both the car and team drivers, as a team partner, the FTX logo will also be featured on the team’s fleet of Mercedes-Benz trucks, in the garage, and on all Partner logo displays in the trackside hospitality and communications facilities.

FTX will also have access to Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team members, including drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas to further expand the reach of the FTX brand to Formula One’s global fan base through marketing initiatives.

In addition to being a team partner, FTX and Mercedes F1 will also look to embark on other strategic initiatives together such as the integration of FTX Pay, an NFT collection, and corporate social responsibility initiatives which will be announced and rolled out at a later date.

ASOS Signs Three-Year Front Of Jersey Partnership With FNATIC

Fnatic, the London-based global esports performance brand, has today announced a three-year partnership with ASOS, one of the world’s leading online fashion retailers. As part of the deal, both brands will develop and deploy multiple online and offline activations, bringing the gaming and fashion world together.

The agreement marks the first time in ASOS’s history that it has partnered with an esports brand. As part of the deal, ASOS’s logo will appear on the front of all physical Fnatic team jerseys, including the upcoming League of Legends World Championship jersey, scheduled to be released next week.

Fnatic and ASOS will collaborate on a variety of different activations, including multiple content series with Fnatic pro talent and creators, such as Tekkz, Mushway, Loeya and Moonryde, alongside VR experiences and AR filters. The partnership will also see the brands work together on a bespoke third alternative kit and see Fnatic pro players and creators feature in upcoming ASOS campaigns. In addition, the two brands have committed to working together on digital kits in the future and to producing branded in-game experiences and digital products.

Fnatic CEO, Sam Mathews, said: “There are no other subcultures in the world that have influenced us more than gaming and fashion. Self-expression, both online and offline, has become a major point of convergence between both audiences. Through this partnership with ASOS, we will empower all gamers to find their unique voice and style, inside and outside of the game. We couldn’t be more excited to be driving this change forward together with ASOS.”

Robert Birge, Chief Growth Officer, ASOS, said: “Gaming and fashion are both passions for young adults and as esports continues to boom, we’re incredibly excited about this partnership. GenZ increasingly expresses their style in both the physical and digital worlds and this is something we’re excited to fuel. We’re also looking forward to seeing some of the world’s greatest esports athletes wear our name on their Fnatic jerseys at the Worlds in Iceland.”

Southampton FC Add learncrypto.com As Official Training Kit Partner

Southampton Football Club is delighted to announce learncrypto.com as the club’s Official Training Kit Partner.

The free crypto education platform will be the club’s training kit provider for both the first team and the B Team throughout the 2021/22 season, with Ralph Hasenhüttl’s side set to debut the new LearnCrypto-branded training kit ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash against Wolves.

learncrypto.com is a non-profit website funded by the Yolo Group and other likeminded cryptocurrency market leaders, including the club’s Main Club Partner, Sportsbet.io.

The platform aims to make cryptocurrency accessible to everyone and is designed to help users learn about cryptocurrency with simple, relevant and engaging content.

With many people first encountering crypto through stories of fortunes being made, learncrypto.com is up front about the risks involved and encourages anyone that is thinking about investing or trading to learn what crypto is and does first.

learncrypto.com vision is to build a free learning community that inspires people to adopt cryptocurrency. Fans can create a free account, which will soon give them access to courses on the subjects currently covered within the platform’s Knowledge Base.

Sarah Batters, Director of Marketing and Partnerships, said: “We are proud to be partnering with learncrypto.com, a non-profit crypto education platform that is providing opportunities to learn about blockchain and crypto, during a time when the sector is growing exponentially.

“Keeping pace with new technologies is increasingly tough, so we support learncrypto.com’s mission to give confidence and foundational knowledge to those wanting to interact with cryptocurrencies or blockchain in the future.”

Roman German, Chief Product Officer at Yolo Group, said: “We believe in the power of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology to improve the lives of millions of people around the world, and the first step towards this is education. That’s why we’re so proud to partner with learncrypto.com and Southampton FC to spread the word about the positive impact crypto can have.

“Whether you are completely new or want to take your blockchain knowledge to the next level, you’ll find the resources you need to do your own research and be better prepared to take part in the financial revolution.”

Discovery Sports Completes Cyclo-Cross Offer With Global Long-Term Rights Agreement

Discovery Sports has further expanded its cycling offer for fans by adding the exclusive global Cyclo-cross Superprestige rights to its comprehensive portfolio of live events.

A new long-term deal will bring live and on-demand global coverage of the Cyclo-cross Superprestige series to viewers via Discovery Sports’ leading sport brands Eurosport, GCN+ and discovery+**. The eight-race Superprestige season held across Belgium and the Netherlands begins on 3 October.

Discovery Sports’ unrivalled cycling offer now includes coverage of every major cyclo-cross and track cycling event during the winter season following the conclusion of the road cycling season (including every Grand Tour, Classics race, WorldTour and Women’s WorldTour races). Discovery Sports is the home of cycling across all disciplines including mountain bike, BMX and urban cycling, every World Championship and European Championship, and every cycling event at the Olympic Games.

Guy Voisin, Director of Cycling at Discovery Sports, said: “We are pleased to continue our mission to grow cycling in all its forms and expand the reach of the sport further by securing the rights to showcase the world’s best men’s and women’s cyclo-cross riders in action with every single Superprestige race now available to watch live and on-demand across our channels and platforms.

“Through our globally recognised sports brands Eurosport, GCN+ and now via discovery+, we have the ability to scale coverage of the world’s biggest cycling events to the widest possible audience, unlocking the power of the sport for all to enjoy.”

Eurosport and GCN+ provides fans with a 360° digital cycling ecosystem, unlocking the power of the sport for the widest audience. Europe’s No.1 sport news website Eurosport.com covers all aspects of the sport; expert opinions are offered through Eurosport’s flagship podcast The Bradley Wiggins Show; and GCN+ offers exclusive documentaries, films and interactive features for fans alongside live race coverage.

As well as the widest range of world-class cycling events shown across its channels and platforms, Discovery Sports will continue in its mission to grow cycling by launching the inaugural UCI Track Champions League in November, promoted by its events management and promotion business, Discovery Sports Events.

IMG To Market African FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

IMG and FIFA have announced an agreement to market worldwide media rights for the African Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.

As part of the agreement, IMG has been awarded by FIFA a total of 130 matches featuring 40 countries from across the African continent. These matches include 120 Round 2 matches and 10 home and away Play-Off games that will see five African teams qualify for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, which takes place from 21 November-18 December 2022.

Michael Mellor, SVP, Head of Football, IMG, said: “This is an extremely exciting package of matches with the growing success of African nations and at major tournaments making the World Cup qualifiers a very attractive proposition for broadcasters around the globe. A number of top African players ply their trade in the top leagues and will be household names to viewers around the world.”

Forty nations from across Africa have been drawn in ten groups of four for Round 2 of the FIFA World Cup 2022 qualification in Africa. The top country from each of group will then play a two-leg Play-Off match in March 2022 with the winners qualifying for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

IMG’s deal excludes MENA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland.