McLaren Technology Group partners with Airgain to accelerate tech innovation

McLaren Technology Group has signed a multi-year partnership with Airgain to accelerate their technological innovation.

Airgain will work with McLaren as the two organisations explore the co-creation of wireless connectivity solutions. In addition, Airgain will contribute to the performance of McLaren Racing by integrating technology on-car, off-car and at the McLaren Technology Centre.

Chuck Myers, president and CEO at Airgain, said: “Partnering with McLaren is a strategic move that will build a powerful and mutually beneficial relationship. McLaren has a proven record of successfully applying its technologies to real-world business situations across a range of sectors. This partnership forms a pivotal part of our growth and expansion strategy.

“Our expertise will help the McLaren team enhance its wireless connectivity capabilities, aiding its performance both on and off the track. Utilizing the platform we have created with McLaren, we will co-develop engineering solutions to solve the challenges of tomorrow.

“Bringing together the best engineering minds from across the globe sits at the heart of our business. Our partnership with McLaren gives us access to truly world-class engineering experts who will collaborate with our own talent, enabling us to better support the hyper-connected world of the future.”

Zak Brown, executive director, McLaren Technology Group, added: “Airgain is a new brand to Formula 1 so we’re delighted they have chosen to partner with McLaren. The technology being pioneered by Airgain is leading the way in high performance wireless connectivity, both in the automotive industry and the enterprise and home environments.

“Airgain already partners with and supplies some of the world’s largest blue chip brands. Its pedigree in the design and integration of high performance embedded antenna technology will produce real performance benefits, both on and off the track, for McLaren and Airgain.”

Kärcher agrees Asian Football Confederation sponsorship deal

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has named German cleaning equipment manufacturer Kärcher as an official sponsor of both the AFC Champions League and the AFC Cup.

As part of the deal, Kärcher branding will be visible on press conferences backdrops, on-site TV commercials, competition-related print materials and online. Kärcher will also conduct promotional activities in fan zones at specific matches.

Dato’ Windsor John, the AFC general secretary, said: “Kärcher are a world-renowned company and their commitment to supporting our club competitions is a clear demonstration of the faith they share in the future of football in Asia. We are delighted to have them as a partner and look forward to a long and successful relationship.”

Christian May, managing director of the Kärcher Group added: “Kärcher and the AFC, this is a partnership that fits perfectly: highly dynamic, visionary and with the ability to inspire people. We are more than happy that with this extraordinary sponsorship in this exceptionally prosperous region of the world, we can help people to experience thrilling games with great teams.

“We believe in a promising future of Asian football – and are proud to be part of it for the next three years.”

Rugby Football League renews partnership with Specsavers

The Rugby Football League has extended its partnership with Specsavers for a fifth year.

The partnership, which began in 2013, will see Specsavers branding appear on all match officials’ kit during each game – from the Betfred Super League down to grassroots Rugby League.

Specsavers will continue to support their brand presence and marketing rights through a number of activations throughout the year, including the ‘fifth official’ campaign which saw a fan enjoy a once in a lifetime experience as part of the Match Officials Team at the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup Final.

Rugby Football League interim chief executive officer Ralph Rimmer said: “It is fantastic news that Specsavers are continuing their partnership with the Rugby Football League for another year.

“They have been a perfect match for sponsorship of our Match Officials at all levels of the game for the last four years and we’re looking forward to working together once again in 2018.”

Specsavers head of sport sponsorship James Read said: “Technological advancements in recent years have certainly helped umpires and referees, but we will always rely on their personal judgements too.

“At Specsavers we’re glad to do our bit, where we can, to help ensure that they get the best possible support to do their job. We are also proud to support such an engaging sport from the elite game to grassroots.”

ICC targets record crowd as host venues named for Australia’s World T20 Cup

The ICC World T20 2020 aims to host a world-record attendance at the women’s final, which will take place on International Women’s Day 2020.

Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is set to host both the women’s and men’s T20 finals. The eight host cities for the event are Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Geelong, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.

David Peever, chairman of Cricket Australia and the ICC World T20 2020 Local Organising Committee said: “Australia is extremely privileged to be hosting the ICC World T20 tournaments in 2020.

“On behalf of Cricket Australia and the Local Organising Committee, I would like to sincerely thank Government at both Federal and State and Territory level, host cities, venues and State and Territory Cricket Associations for their exceptional support, which is so critical for delivering the best possible events in 2020.”

ICC World Twenty20 2020 Local Organising Committee chief executive, Nick Hockley, added: “Australia is a sporting nation, with diverse and passionate fans who love cricket. We’ve designed ICC World T20, comprising standalone women’s and men’s events, to be more inclusive, more accessible and more connected than ever before, so that everyone can join in.”

“Major events of this scale are all about partnerships. We look forward to working with host cities, their communities, and all partners to deliver a spectacular celebration in 2020, including welcoming thousands of international visitors to attend matches and be part of it.”

Northampton Saints renews partnership with Kubota UK until 2020

Northampton Saints has extended its partnership with Kubota UK until 2020.

As part of the partnership, Kubota will receive commercial rights including stadium branding, advertising, player appearances and access to matchday tickets and hospitality. It will further assist the Franklin’s Gardens ground staff in maintaining the pitches for the Aviva Premiership club.

Saints chief executive Mark Darbon said: “At Saints, we set out to have the highest standards in every area of the organisation. This includes how we maintain our stadium pitch – one of only three natural grass pitches in the league – as well as our training facilities. Having the highest quality training and playing surfaces is vital in allowing the team to perform.

“By continuing our work with Kubota we are helping build the best platform to realise our ambitions, and we are looking forward to working closely with Kubota over the next two years.”

Dave Roberts, Kubota UK’s managing director said: “Over the past three years that we have been involved with the club, it has proved to be an outstanding partner, delivering fantastic exposure for our brand, a high-quality match day experience and, of course, a great way to showcase our products.

“Partnering with Saints aligns perfectly with our drive for excellence, and the desire to lead in our respective fields. We’re delighted to be continuing to build on that over the next few years.”

PFL announces distribution deal with NBC Sports Group and Facebook

The Professional Fighters League (PFL) has signed an exclusive multi-platform distribution agreement with NBC Sports Group and Facebook.

As part of the deal, the fans will be able to watch PFL live on all connected devices. All PFL regular season, play-off, and championships fights will be available to watch and stream globally.

Facebook will stream up to six hours of free, live coverage for each event outside US along with a live 30-minute pre-fight show and close with a live 30-minute post-fight show. In the US, fans can watch the first three hours of undercard coverage of each event on Facebook prior to NBCSN’s presentation of the main bouts.

Russ Ramsey, executive chairman of the Professional Fighters League said: “Today is an enormous step forward for the PFL and our mission of re-imagining and growing the sport of MMA. We’re thrilled to offer broad distribution for our first season, with great media partners in NBC Sports Network and Facebook.

“Pete Murray is an accomplished marketer and builder in sports and media, making him the ideal leader to deliver the innovative experience to MMA fans and build the PFL brand.”

Dan Reed, Facebook’s head of global sports partnerships said: “We’re excited for Facebook Watch to be a home for the Professional Fighters League’s inaugural season.

“The PFL’s comprehensive coverage on Watch, combined with its plans to deliver an innovative viewing experience, will give MMA fans ample opportunity to come together, talk about, and interact with this exciting new league in ways that are unique to our social video platform.”

PFL has also named Peter Murray as its new chief executive officer. Prior to this, Murray held senior executive positions at Under Armour and the National Football League.

Rewards4Racing and Betfair announce new partnership

Rewards4Racing, the rewards programme for racegoers, has named Betfair Sportsbook as its fourth exclusive bookmaking partner.

Programme members will be able to collect points on their betting activity with Betfair Sportsbook, building on Rewards4Racing’s long-standing incumbent partnerships with bet365, Betfred and Coral.

Betfair’s brand director, Stephen Mault said: “We are delighted that Betfair has joined the Rewards4Racing programme. It will enable us to reward Betfair customers with regular and tangible benefits through the Rewards4Racing platform and the partnership will help us increase the reach of the flagship Betfair sponsorships in the racing calendar.

“It will also offer racing fans greater opportunities to attend race meetings more frequently, underlining our long-term commitment to British Racing.”

Rewards4Racing co-founder and director, Tom Cowgill, added: “It’s fantastic news to have Betfair Sportsbook join us as our fourth bookmaker partner.

“Betfair has an ever-increasing portfolio of high-profile sponsorships within British racing and I’m certain that their participation on the programme will prove to be a great addition for our members.”

City Football Group partners with CAA Sports

City Football Group has appointed entertainment and sports agency CAA Sports to develop global partnerships.

CAA Sports will work alongside City Football Group’s in-house sales team on a range of projects, with an initial focus on orchestrating significant global agreements for CFG’s clubs with leading brands.

Paul Danforth, global head of sales, CAA Sports said: “City Football Group is a unique football organization that is growing globally at an unprecedented pace.

“We are excited to be helping CFG commercialise this potential and bringing blue chip brands on board as partners of CFG clubs. Two ground breaking partnerships with Gatorade and Amazon are the first outcomes of our collaboration.”

CAA Sports’ boasts a broad portfolio of properties, including Formula One, Red Bull Racing, the Golden State Warriors and Riot Games’ League of Legends.

Australian Open extends partnership with Kia Motors until 2023

The Australian Open has extended its partnership with Kia Motors until 2023.

As part of the partnership, which began in 2002, Kia will roll out various new on and offline activities for tennis fans around the world to enjoy over the coming years.

Byung Yun Park, executive vice president at Kia Motors Corporation, said: “It has been an incredible partnership for Kia Motors, fully aligned to the youthful spirit of our brand. We are excited to be part of the world’s most thrilling Grand Slam tennis tournament for another five years.

“I’d like to thank everyone at Tennis Australia and everyone involved in organizing this incredible event for their hard work in providing unforgettable experiences, every year.”

Craig Tiley, director of Australian Open tournament, said: “We are delighted to announce we will be extending the wonderful relationship with our major sponsor, Kia Motors, for a further five years.

“The Australian Open and Kia Motors partnership is one of the great success stories in Australian sport. Our incredible 17-year journey continues to evolve and is indicative of the extraordinary growth experienced by both our organizations during this time.”

The 2018 edition of the Australian Open was wrapped up at the weekend as Roger Federer beat Marin Cilic to claim a record 20th Grand Slam title.

Real Sociedad announces Macron as new official kit supplier

LaLiga football team Real Sociedad has named Italian sportswear brand Macron as its official kit supplier in a three-year deal.

Macron will be take over the contract from Adidas, who had served as the club’s kit supplier since 2014.

Sociedad in a statement said: “After four years of joint collaboration, Real Sociedad and Adidas have decided not to renew their contract. Adidas will cease to be an official supplier of the Real Sociedad at the end of this season. The club wants to thank Adidas the work and collaboration provided in the last four years.

“From the 2018-19 season, Macron will be the firm responsible for supplying Real Sociedad’s kit. The club has reached an agreement with the Italian company for the next three seasons. According to a recent study conducted in the 16 major European leagues, Macron is already the third most popular sportswear firm chosen by European clubs.”