Panini America, unhealthy the world’s largest sports and entertainment collectibles company, canada order has signed an exclusive autograph trading card agreement with Australian basketball sensation Danté Exum, projected to be a top-five pick in June’s 2014 NBA Draft.

The agreement includes the release of Exum’s NBA trading cards and autographed cards exclusively through Panini America and a limited number of autographed memorabilia pieces through Panini Authentic, the autograph and memorabilia division of Panini America.

“Danté is one of the most talented and intriguing players in a rich 2014 NBA Draft Class and he will be a rookie cornerstone for us during the 2014-15 season,” said Panini America CEO Mark Warsop. “His NBA trading cards and autographed memorabilia will be in high demand from the beginning and will attract an international fan base. We’re happy to welcome Danté to the Panini family and look forward to a great relationship with him.”

An 18-year-old point guard, Exum has excelled against international competition. He averaged more than 18 ppg for Australia in the 2013 FIBA U19 tournament en route to earning All-Tournament Team honors. In January, Exum led his team to the tournament title in the Australian National High School Basketball Championships.

“This is an incredibly exciting time for me as I prepare to begin my NBA career and realize a lifelong dream,” Exum said. “The fact that Panini America has embraced me as a member of their family is an honor. I look forward to helping them create some great cards and memorabilia – and to doing everything I can on the court and off to keep their value high.”

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) have awarded Chinese Taipei, Japan and Canada hosting rights to three youth-centered Baseball World Cups.

Taichung, Chinese Taipei was named the host city of the new U21 Baseball World Cup, in which twelve countries will participate this year from 7-16 November. 

Japan, which will host the Women’s Baseball World Cup this September in Miyazaki, was selected as the host of the next U18 Baseball World Cup in 2015.

The “Mecca of Japanese Baseball” — historic Koshien Stadium — will be the centerpiece of the 2015 U18 Baseball World Cup for the athletes and spectators. Built in 1924 (in Nishinomiya, Hyogo), Koshien Stadium is Japan’s oldest ballpark, is instantly recognizable by its unique all-dirt infield, and is also the storied home of one of Nippon Professional Baseball’s most famous clubs, the Hanshin Tigers.

In 2017, the U18 Baseball World Cup will go to Canada, as International Baseball executives declared member federation Baseball Canada as the host of the 28th edition of the U18 event. Baseball Canada successfully delivered the 2010 Baseball World Cup in Thunder Bay and had also given strong bids for the 2013 and 2015 editions.

Robust bid interest in the U18 Baseball World Cup followed the success of the 2013 U18 Baseball World Cup, which, in partnership with MP & Silva, had an enormous potential broadcast distribution reach of over 144 million homes and potential online/mobile reach of 22 million unique users.

“The bids presented were exceptional, and I am fully confident these Baseball World Cups will be in excellent hands and serve as worldwide platforms for the athletes to shine and proudly wear their national teams’ jerseys,” said WBSC co-President Riccardo Fraccari.

“Securing such high-quality hosts for our events is a key indicator of baseball and softball’s global appeal, popularity and development, and of the lasting legacy and value returned to the host communities in various countries,” Fraccari added.

Since 2009, baseball and softball world championships have been held in 20 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania and North-, South- and Central America, and include Argentina, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Panama, Puerto Rico, San Marino, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, United States and Venezuela.

“International Baseball properties — our Baseball World Cups — and National Team sanctioned competitions, from youth to elite, continue to grow into global commodities, which will further build, position and promote the National Team brands of our members, thus driving the growth of our events over the long-term,” said Fraccari.

Youth-centered Baseball World Cups are organised across the U12, U15, U18 and U21 age categories.

The Hockey India League (HIL) is set to have a new owner after the Burman family, health promoters of FMCG major Dabur India, has taken up the Mumbai franchise making it the fifth of the six teams which will compete in the event starting in January.

They join Delhi, Lucknow, Ranchi and Punjab franchises in the Hockey India League.

“We are pleased to welcome the Burman family into our fold as HIL Mumbai franchise,” said Hockey India secretary general and HIL chairman Narinder Batra.

“We are excited that the family behind one of India’s biggest consumer powerhouses has come on board and are confident that, like the other franchises, it will develop a competitive squad,” he added.

Dabur Group Director, Mohit Burman added: “We are pleased to be able to associate ourselves with the national sport. Everyone knows the rich legacy that India boasts in hockey and the Burman family is delighted to be able to contribute to the evolution of the sport in our country. 

“This is a personal investment by the Burman family and is not connected to Dabur India Ltd. The idea was not only to be an owner of a Hockey team, but to be part of a larger canvas which will, in future, play a big role in finding new talent that can be groomed to play for India.”

The Burman Family is the promoter of one of the largest and the oldest Indian consumer products company, Dabur India Ltd. The family also has interests in Life Insurance, General Insurance, Banking firms, Healthcare, besides Private Equity and Food & Beverage Retail.

Jaiprakash Associates has bought the Punjab team, Wave Group has taken up the Delhi team, Sahara Group has got Lucknow and Patel-Uniexcel Group for Ranchi.

The inaugural edition of the six-team HIL will be played on a home and away basis from January 5 to February 3, 2013, and has secured a window in the International Hockey Federation calendar.

The 33 matches, including three play-off games, will be broadcast live on Star Sports.

Wie das Magazin Sponsors berichtet, asthma hat das Landeskriminalamt Berlin ein Ermittlungsverfahren gegen den Fußball-Zweitligisten Hertha BSC eingeleitet. Der Club soll illegal für den Sportwettenanbieter Cashpoint geworben und gegen den Glücksspielstaatsvertrag verstoßen haben. 

Laut Polizei ist bereits eine Strafanzeige gefertigt worden, unhealthy die bei der Staatsanwaltschaft liege (Aktenzeichen Az. 233 Js 1856/12). Herthas Finanz-Geschäftsführer Ingo Schiller sagte gegenüber der „Berliner Morgenpost“, ihm seien keine Ermittlungen des Landeskriminalamtes bekannt. Grundsätzlich herrsche bei dem Thema Werbung für Sportwettenanbieter aber eine große rechtliche Unsicherheit. „Das betrifft viele Vereine und Wettenanbieter“, sagt Schiller. 

Bereits Mitte Mai hatte das Landesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten (LABO) gegen Hertha BSC ein Zwangsgeld in Höhe von 50 000 Euro verhängt. Der Club hatte bereits in der Rückrunde der Saison 2011/12 für Cashpoint geworben. Dazu sagte Schiller: „Wir haben Einspruch gegen das Zwangsgeld von 50 000 Euro eingelegt. Daraufhin ist es zurückgenommen worden.” Allerdings habe das LABO eine neue Anhörung bei Hertha BSC angesetzt, die derzeit laufe. 

Hertha BSC hatte Anfang des Jahres mit dem österreichischen Wettenanbieter einen Vertrag bis zum Ende der Saison 2012/13 abgeschlossen. Cashpoint erhält als Exklusiv-Partner (2. Ebene) unter anderem Präsenz auf TV-relevanten Banden im Olympiastadion und eine Loge. Nach SPONSORs-Informationen liegt der Listenpreis für eine Exklusiv-Partnerschaft bei Hertha BSC zwischen 500 000 und 600 000 Euro. 

Für Cashpoint ist es hierzulande das erste Engagement im Sportsponsoring. Außerhalb Deutschlands wirbt das Glücksspielunternehmen bislang beim österreichischen Fußball-Zweitligisten SCR Altach. Hier tritt Cashpoint als Haupt- und Trikotsponsor sowie als Namensgeber des Stadions auf. Der 1996 gegründete Sportwettenanbieter sitzt in Gerasdorf bei Wien und ist in der Rechtsform einer Limited Company in Birkirkara auf Malta registriert. Seit dem Jahr 2000 bietet Cashpoint Live-Sportwetten im Internet an.

Keine Toleranz gegenüber Krawallmachern und zusätzliche Mittel für Präventionsaufgaben: Im Rahmen einer gemeinsamen Sicherheits-Konferenz haben sich die Klubs von Bundesliga, unhealthy | 2. Bundesliga und 3. Liga heute in Berlin auf ein erstes Maßnahmen-Paket für zusätzliche Sicherheit im deutschen Fußball verständigt. Auf Einladung des Deutschen Fußball-Bundes (DFB) und des Ligaverbandes bekannten sich die Vereinsvertreter in Anwesenheit von Bundesinnenminister Dr. Hans-Peter Friedrich sowie des Vorsitzenden der Innenministerkonferenz der Länder, apoplectic Lorenz Caffier, zum Schutz der einzigartigen Fankultur in Deutschland. Die Stehplätze in den deutschen Fußball-Stadien bleiben erhalten.

Vor diesem Hintergrund wird der Fußball, der schon jetzt in Summe mehr als 25 Millionen Euro jährlich in die Stadion-Sicherheit investiert, seine wirtschaftlichen Zuwendungen für Fan-Projekte ab sofort um 50 Prozent erhöhen. Damit werden Länder und Kommunen, die zuvor im Rahmen einer Drittel-Finanzierung beteiligt waren und nun jeweils nur noch für ein Viertel der Kosten aufkommen müssen, erheblich entlastet. Gleichzeitig sind deutliche Verschärfungen in Bezug auf die Dauer von Stadionverboten vorgesehen – von bislang drei auf fünf Jahre, in besonders extremen Ausnahmefällen sogar zehn Jahre.

Die 2007 vorgenommene Aufweichung wird somit auf Grund der neuen Intensität von Ausschreitungen und Regelverstößen zurückgenommen. In einem gemeinsamen Verhaltenskodex wurden zudem die Regeln für die Gewährleistung eines friedlichen Miteinanders dargelegt. Dieser Kodex sieht neben der Verurteilung und konsequenten Bestrafung von Gewalt eine eindeutige Ablehnung jedweder Art von Pyro-Technik in den Stadien vor. Zuwiderhandlungen sollen, wenn nicht ohnehin von staatlichen Organen oder Sportgerichtsbarkeit zu ahnden, von den Klubs individuell konsequent sanktioniert werden. Bei gewalttätigen Zwischenfällen und Abbrennen von Pyro-Technik sollen künftig dementsprechend Fan-Privilegien, wie beispielsweise der Zugang zu Ticket-Kontingenten, auf den Prüfstand gestellt werden.

Mit Beginn der Bundesliga-Saison werden sich die Kapitäne der Vereine der Bundesliga, der 2. Bundesliga und der 3. Liga mit einer Erklärung gegen jede Form von Gewalt und Pyrotechnik an die Fans im Stadion wenden. Darüber hinaus wurden weitere Handlungsfelder definiert, mit denen sich die zuständigen Gremien bei DFB und Ligaverband ab sofort intensiv befassen werden, um entsprechende Regelungen in die Statuten einzubringen.

Um die einzigartige Fan-Kultur zu erhalten, werden zudem weitere technische, infrastrukturelle und organisatorische Maßnahmen geprüft, wie z. B. der flächendeckende Einsatz modernster Video-Systeme, die an einigen Standorten bereits vorhanden sind. Auch eine neutrale Zertifizierung des Sicherheitsmanagements wird diskutiert werden.

“Wer für den Fußball ist, ist gegen Gewalt. Der Schulterschluss der Vereine ist ein wichtiger Schritt und die beschlossenen Maßnahmen sind für mich ein dringend notwendiges Zeichen, dass sich alle der Verantwortung stellen und für mehr Sicherheit eintreten wollen. Zusammen mit Politik, Polizei, Justiz und der großen Masse der friedlichen Fans muss es uns im Sinne des gesamten deutschen Fußballs gelingen, die kleine Gruppe der Störer und Gewalttäter noch besser in den Griff zu bekommen. Ein klares Bekenntnis zu präventiven Aufgaben und gleichzeitig keine Toleranz bei jeder Form von Gewalt – das wird auch weiterhin unser Weg sein”, sagt DFB-Präsident Wolfgang Niersbach.

“Der Fußball in Deutschland ist ein Erfolgsmodell und soll es auch künftig bleiben. Wir können stolz sein auf eine traditionsreiche Fankultur mit Stehplätzen und moderaten Eintrittspreisen. Diesen Zustand wollen wir schützen. Und deshalb stellen sich die Klubs ihrer Verantwortung im Sinne von Millionen friedlicher Fans. Vor diesem Hintergrund sind die beschlossenen Maßnahmen unverzichtbar. Dialog und Kommunikation bleiben immer die Grundlage unseres Handelns, ebenso unerlässlich ist aber eine konsequente Bestrafung von Fehlverhalten”, erklärt Liga-Präsident Dr. Reinhard Rauball.

Multimillion-dollar racing sponsorships and other sports marketing activities by the U.S. military could be banned, under amendment attached last week by the House Appropriations Committee to the bill that will set the US Department of Defense budget.

Specifically targeted are agreements such as the one between the National Guard and NASCAR’s most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

The amendment, co-sponsored by Minnesota Democrat Betty McCollum and Georgia Republican Jack Kingston, would prohibit the military from spending any money “to sponsor professional or semi-professional motorsports, fishing, wrestling or other sports.”

The National Guard’s investments, according to McCollom’s Web site, are valued at $20 million for fishing and $90 million for motorsports in 2011-’12. The Army and Air Force both have active sports-marketing programs. Sponsorships by the Navy and Marine Corps have been phased out.

The action comes as auto racing’s biggest weekend approaches. Last year, National Guard-sponsored cars nearly swept the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 races, with J.R. Hildebrand crashing and Earnhardt running out of gas, both while leading their respective races on the final lap.

Last week’s action in the House reprises McCollom’s effort last year to introduce legislation banning such efforts.

“At a time when Congress is increasing defense spending by cutting ‘Meals on Wheels’ for vulnerable seniors and nutrition programs for hungry children, it’s time to eliminate wasteful Pentagon spending on NASCAR, fishing and ultimate fighting sponsorships that have nothing to do with our national security,” McCollom said in a statement posted on her Web site.

Over the past few decades, following the advent of the all-volunteer military as the draft was phased out after 1972, branches of the armed forces have expanded their advertising and marketing campaigns to include sports sponsorships.

The service budgets also pay for conventional media advertising and outreach programs, including involvement in events such as high-school ball games, with displays, exhibitions and an interactive presence by military recruiters.

Those budgets are part of the Department of Defense spending plan, all elements of which are coming under hard scrutiny as the federal government goes deeper and deeper in debt and the economy stumbles.

Sponsorship of sporting events by the military dates from the 1991 Daytona 500, when five unsponsored cars were decorated in the livery of the five military services. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard did not pay for the advertising.

Cricket’s Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise the Sahara Pune Warriors (SPW), owned by the Sahara Group, have signed-up sportswear brand adidas as the apparel partner for the team.

SPW Director Abhijit Sarkar stated: “Adidas is the apparel partner for Pune Warriors. We are also talking to several other companies for sponsorships which will be finalised soon.”

Sports marketing company, Percept Sports has marketing mandate of the Pune franchise.

Apart from SPW, adidas is also the apparel partner of league rivals the Mumbai Indians and Delhi Daredevils.

Earlier, Team Kochi which has been named Indi Warriors Kerala had signed-up Italian sportswear brand Lotto as official apparel partner.

Sao Paulo-based agency Traffic, marketers for the media rights to major soccer tournaments, have completed a string of deals with European broadcasters for the television rights to major South American matches.

Among the competitions that Traffic market the rights for include the Copa America in Europe, and top European competitions – including England’s FA Cup – in South America.

An agreement has been reached in Portugal with Sport TV, who will broadcast the 2011 Copa America, the continental championship for national teams, as well as the biggest tournament in South American club soccer, the Copa Santander Libertadores, in 2011 and 2012. Sport TV will also air matches from the Copa do Brasil, the Brazilian domestic knock-out competition.

Sport1 of Germany, have secured TV and internet rights to this year’s Copa America. Meanwhile, Argentina’s home qualifying matches for the 2014 Fifa World Cup will be shown on TV2 in Norway and Supersport in a number of countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

As well as its operations in broadcast media and sponsorship activation, Traffic manages an investment fund worth just over US$24 million to take leading soccer players to new clubs. In January, this group was central to a deal that brought former Fifa World Player of the Year Ronaldinho home to Brazil from AC Milan to play for Rio de Janeiro club Flamengo.

Steve Lawrence, the architect who wrote the original masterplan for the London Olympics and Paralympics, has written to the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, stating that he should not approve West Ham’s bid for sole use of the Stratford venue after the 2012 Games.

The architect has constantly stood by his view that West Ham should ground-share with Tottenham Hotspur at a revamped Olympic stadium – with the revenue being used to build an adjacent athletics venue to preserve the legacy.

Lawrence was commissioned by Stratford Development Partnership over 10 years ago, to carry out an alternative feasibility study for the Olympics. He proposed that any venue in Stratford should, after the Games, be shared by Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United as anchor tenants with the idea being rejected by local land-owners, who were fearful of rowdy fans.

Johnson, along with two UK government officials, are believed to be ready to ratify the decision to award West Ham the rights to the Olympic Stadium after the Premier League strugglers secured preferred bidder status from the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) last week.

However, Lawrence says that the solution is doomed and has urged Boris Johnson not to let it happen for fear of wasting public money, and instead to support the ground-share scheme he initially proposed.

Lawrence wrote to the Mayor, as well as the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, stating: “It is appalling that the original proposal for a shared use of the Olympic Stadium by Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham with the revenue stream being used
to fund a Centre for UK Athletics has not been considered appropriately.

“I wrote to your predecessor, Ken Livingstone, several times from 2000 on about this, your office has therefore been aware of the proposal for ten years.

“I cannot understand why this proposal has not been considered, it is far and away the most cost effective and in not considering it properly, your office is complicit in wasting vast sums of taxpayers and ratepayers money.

“I hope you will now set aside the OPLC recommendation which is highly flawed and instigate a more accountable analysis of proposals including the possibility of a shared use of the stadium.”

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Related Discussion: West Ham Olympic Stadium Financing by Stephen Pearson

Switzerland and in particular, Zurich’s best-known soccer side, Grasshopper-Club may be forced to leave the nation’s capital, home to the likes of FIFA and the IOC, after a major disagreement with the city’s authorities.

The club, who have been inhabitant’s of the city since being founded 125 years ago, are considering a provisional move to ground-share with league rivals Aarau.

Grasshopper have been Swiss champions on 27 occasions and cup winners on 18, but president Urs Linsi stated: “Better for the club to live in Aarau than die in Zurich. We have no alternative but to move out.”

The falling out has come with regards to rental costs that the club has to pay for its Letzigrund stadium, almost US$900,000 per season, as well as policing costs of nearly $867,000 for match days.