Totteham Hotspur Renews Agreement With Kumho Tyre

Tottenham Hotspur has announced a long-term extension to its agreement with Kumho Tyre, as its Official Tyre Partner.

This new agreement between the Club and the Korean tyre brand continues a successful partnership which began in 2016.

Through the renewed partnership, Kumho Tyre will continue to present the Club’s popular matchday player mascot programme, which was replaced with an award-winning digital offering for young fans during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, Kumho Tyre will continue to have a prominent presence on the in-stadium LED advertising system to help grow awareness of the brand using the global reach of the Club.

Tottenham Hotspur will also support Kumho Tyre’s Corporate Social Responsibility programmes by creating player related content that focuses on tyre safety, as well as other co-created digital campaigns to drive fan engagement.

Kumho Tyre, founded in South Korea in 1960, is one of the world’s leading tyre manufacturers with annual sales of over 60 million tyres across 180 countries.

Todd Kline, Chief Commercial Officer of Tottenham Hotspur, said: “We have built a fantastic relationship with Kumho Tyre over the last five years. We look forward to continuing to help elevate the Kumho Tyre brand and business through our growing global fanbase with a series of exciting collaborations.”

“Kumho is thrilled to continue its partnership with Tottenham Hotspur, a renowned club in the world-famous English Premier League,” said Tony Gang-seung Lee, senior vice president of global marketing at Kumho Tire Co., Inc. “We will use this extended partnership to enhance our brand recognition in global markets including the United Kingdom and aggressively engage in efforts to turn our business into a premium brand.”

Catalina Kim, CEO of Catalina and Partners Ltd., which has been responsible for this deal since the outset on behalf of Kumho Tyre and Tottenham Hotspur, added: “We are delighted to see the continued success of this relationship. We look forward to collaborating with them both.”

AC Milan Name Premier Bet As Official Betting Partner

AC Milan signed a new partnership with Premier Bet that sees the iGaming brand become the Official Betting Partner of AC Milan in Africa.

This new and exciting partnership between these two leading brands in their respective fields is an opportunity for AC Milan to expand its presence in the African continent, which already has a vast Rossoneri fanbase, by allowing fans to get closer to the Club with the opportunity to win exciting prizes, access unique content and money-can’t-buy experiences.

On the other hand, the partnership will form a central pillar in Premier Bet’s ambition to becoming the number one Online operator across Africa over the next few years. The brand already trades in sixteen markets in Africa and has millions of customers across its Online platforms, but it has strong plans for extending its footprint into other African markets.

The new partnership will kick off with a new multi-media, multi-market advertising campaign to coincide with the launch of the 2021/22 season.

Casper Stylsvig, AC Milan Chief Revenue Officer commented: “We are delighted to welcome Premier Bet to our family of partners. Working with this fantastic brand will give us the opportunity to enhance our presence in a key market, such as the African continent. We are aware of AC Milan’s popularity in the region, which has been built over the years also thanks to some fantastic African players that have played for the Club and can’t wait to do more in the region to connect our brand to its African fanbase.”

CEO of GOAT Interactive, Christopher Coyne says: “AC Milan are footballing aristocracy. Their success, both at a domestic and international level, over a long period of time, is quite phenomenal whilst their way of playing the game has always been an inspiration. As Premier Bet looks to strengthen its position across key markets as well as enter new ones, we want this partnership with AC Milan to help us create brand fame and cut-through, as well as providing their millions of Africa-based fans with new and exciting ways to experience Premier Bet. We’re very excited!”

Sportradar Strikes A Betting Deal With Bally’s Interactive For The U.S.

Sportradar, a leading global provider of sports betting and sports entertainment products and services, and Bally’s Interactive, a division of Bally’s Corporation that operates the omni-channel provider’s sports betting, iGaming, free-to-play, and daily fantasy sports platforms, today announced a five-year sports betting partnership.

Under the terms of the deal, Sportradar will provide Bally’s Interactive with access to its complete pre-match betting services, live betting services, and content solutions portfolio. Bally’s Interactive will incorporate that data portfolio as part of its ambitious expansion plans to become a leader in the North American sports betting markets.

“Sportradar is proud to be working with Bally’s Interactive,” said Neale Deeley, Managing Director, US Betting, Sportradar. “Given their vision and commitment to innovation, we are confident that Bally’s Interactive will continue to expand and deliver an engaging, dynamic sports betting experience to their customers.”

Last month, Bally’s Interactive announced the beta launch of its mobile sportsbook, Bally Bet, in Iowa, which followed its first mobile sportsbook launch in Colorado in May. Bally’s Interactive intends to launch Bally Bet mobile sportsbooks in additional markets in 2021, with subsequent launches set to occur in 2022.

Adi Dhandhania, Bally’s Corporation’s Senior Vice President, Strategy and Interactive, said, “We are excited to be working with Sportradar to expand our online sports betting capabilities. This partnership provides us with a comprehensive suite of betting data, which will allow us to enhance our products and content offerings. We look forward to continuing to execute on our online sports betting and interactive gaming expansion strategy.”

ACCIONA Named As New Title Sponsor Of The Open De España

ACCIONA, a world leader in providing regeneration solutions for a carbon-free economy, has been named the title sponsor of the ACCIONA Open de España at Villa de Madrid Country Club from October 7-10, 2021.

The title partnership reaffirms ACCIONA’s commitment and support for golf in Spain by joining one of the oldest and most prestigious tournaments in the world.

Defending champion and 2021 U.S. Open winner Jon Rahm is set to tee it up at Villa de Madrid Country Club for the first time as a Major champion when the event returns to the schedule after it was cancelled last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The two-time winner of the event will go down in the record books alongside past winners of the Open de España including fellow Major champions Arnold Palmer, Seve Ballesteros, Sergio García, Bernhard Langer and Sir Nick Faldo.

Tournament promoter Madrid Trophy Promotion S.L. and ACCIONA have a long-standing relationship with the consultancy firm playing a key role in the processes adopted as part of the sustainability criteria in order to obtain international certification under ISO 20121.

The certification calls for the implementation of sustainability measures during all stages of event planning, taking into account their environmental, social and economic impact, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) set out in the company’s Sustainability Master Plan for 2025.

The ACCIONA Open de España is the first event organised by Madrid Trophy Promotion S.L. since obtaining ISO 20121 certification and this seal, granted by SGS (Société Générale de Surveillance), accredits the company’s undertaking to uphold sustainability, with particular emphasis on combating climate change. A commitment that will take the form of applying measures for the tournament to have a positive environmental and social impact from this year’s edition onwards.

The European Tour has made a strengthened commitment to sustainability this year through the launch of the Green Drive initiative with a vision to become a showcase for social and environmental responsibility, delivering net positive impacts around the world.

The Green Drive, supported by the GEO Foundation for sustainable golf, underlines an intensified approach towards priority issues such as climate change; biodiversity loss; air and ocean pollution; and sustainable and ethical procurement. The European Tour’s approach was launched on World Environment Day in June as part of Golf For Good, the Tour’s overarching Community Social Responsibility (CSR) programme.

Gerard Tsobanian, Chairman and CEO of the ACCIONA Spanish Open, said: “For some time now we have been immersed in a major process of change to become the benchmark when it comes to organising carbon-neutral sporting events. ACCIONA, a leading firm in the management of sustainable solutions, is the best possible partner for us as we embark on this journey at the Villa de Madrid Country Club in October.”

Joaquín Mollinedo, ACCIONA’s Institutional Relations, Communication and Branding Director, added: “This is an exciting project, because not only can we now count on such a great partner as Madrid Trophy Promotion and support a top-flight golf competition, it will also enable us to apply every possible solution to the event so that the activities generated by the tournament have a positive impact on the local environment.”

Ben Cowen, the European Tour’s Deputy Chief Operating Officer, said: “We are delighted to welcome ACCIONA into our sponsor family for the first time. With their focus on sustainability, they are an excellent fit for us following our own strengthened commitment in this area as part of our Golf For Good programme.

“We are looking forward to working together with ACCIONA, Madrid Trophy Promotion and the Spanish Golf Federation for the successful return of the Open de España to our schedule after last year’s postponement.”

DraftKings Agrees Strategic Deal With NFT Platform Autograph

Autograph, an NFT platform revolutionizing the art and experience of collecting, and co-founded by Tom Brady, announced its strategic relationships with global content leader Lionsgate and digital sports entertainment company DraftKings Inc.

Autograph also revealed multi-year, exclusive NFT deals with an all-star roster of iconic athletes including Tiger Woods, Wayne Gretzky, Derek Jeter, Naomi Osaka and Tony Hawk, who will be joining the Autograph’s Advisory Board and help cement the company’s position as the official NFT partner of the world’s most iconic talent. With an official NFT launch slated for later this summer, Autograph users can sign up now to be members of the early access platform and tokenize their names for free.

“Autograph brings users closer to the world’s most legendary sports and entertainment icons by working hand in hand with our partners to co-produce exclusive digital collections and experiences that can’t be found anywhere else,” said Dillon Rosenblatt, Co-Founder and CEO at Autograph. “Our team is dedicated to providing value to our users through an offering defined by creativity, simplicity and fun as we work to usher in a new era of digital collecting.”

“We are honored to partner with these powerful icons and marquee businesses, DraftKings and Lionsgate, as we announce Autograph’s expanded Advisory Board and exclusive NFT rights,” said Richard Rosenblatt, Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of Autograph. “As the nascent NFT market continues to develop, we are fortunate to enlist these leading partners with additional luminaries to be announced in the near future.”

Sports-related, officially licensed Autograph NFT content will be sold exclusively on DraftKings Marketplace, which is expected to debut later this summer. DraftKings Marketplace is a digital collectibles ecosystem designed for mainstream accessibility that offers curated NFT drops and supports secondary-market transactions. Once launched, millions of customers will have the ability to seamlessly buy, sell and trade digital collectibles across sports, entertainment and culture using their existing DraftKings account.

“The NFT boom has reinvented the collectibles industry and driven excitement to early-adopting audiences worldwide—including the DraftKings community,” said Matt Kalish, DraftKings co-founder and president.

“DraftKings Marketplace will sit at the center of this technological and cultural phenomenon, providing our immense existing customer base with an easily accessible experience that rivals all legacy marketplaces. This initial vision in collaboration with Autograph, and its coveted collection of official digital collectibles, is a vital first step as we enter the emergent NFT market. We aim to usher in this new era by introducing millions of collectors to this evolving space while providing beloved content through an intuitive interface built to win over the long term.”

Watford Strikes Partnership With Stake.com

Watford announced a new multi-year partnership with Stake.com, the leading crypto casino and sports betting platform worldwide.

Starting in 2021/22, the club-record deal will see Stake become the club’s principal shirt sponsor as they return to the Premier League.

The multi-year agreement, paid for in cryptocurrency, joins together one of the fastest growing cryptocurrency brands with a Premier League challenger looking to make their mark following promotion from The Championship last season.

As Stake continues to expand globally, the partnership with Watford FC will leverage the global appeal of the Premier League to drive awareness of the brand across the world, particularly in the UK as the brand launch Stake.co.uk.

To commemorate the beginning of the partnership, Stake will be running crypto-themed initiatives, including a 10 million Dogecoin giveaway on their international platform. In addition to this, UK audiences can expect multiple other promotions and giveaways as Stake launch their UK website, Stake.co.uk.

Founded in 2017, Stake.com is one of the leaders in its industry, with over 30 billion transactions per year accounting for over 5% of Bitcoin transactions worldwide. The partnership with Watford FC marks an expansion of Stake’s sports sponsorship portfolio, following the brand’s unveiling as the UFC’s Official Betting Partner in Latin America and Asia in March.

Scott Duxbury, Watford FC Chairman, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Stake as our principal shirt sponsor ahead of the 2021/2022 season. This will be an extremely exciting campaign for the club as we return to the Premier League and we couldn’t be happier to join with a partner who matches our ambitious outlook and commitment to innovation in order to achieve success.”

Mladen Vuckovic, Stake.co.uk CEO said: “The past few years have seen consistent growth for Stake and this partnership with Watford marks the next chapter for our company. We could not be more thrilled to partner with a club that has such immense history yet still a true innovative spirit. We’re committed to becoming a key part of the Watford family and have a number of exciting initiatives planned for fans over the coming months!”

Manchester United Agrees Partnership With Renewable Energy Group

Manchester United has reinforced its commitment to environmental sustainability through a global partnership with Renewable Energy Group, Inc. , a leading producer of renewable fuels, with a shared mission to tackle climate change and create a cleaner world.

Dedicated to providing high-quality and easy-to-use renewable fuels, Renewable Energy Group recycles waste and by-product fats and oils into sustainable fuels. This enables organisations and individuals to become more environmentally friendly, without sacrificing quality or performance.

The Club and Renewable Energy Group will work together to raise awareness of the company’s biofuel products and encourage positive environmental change among Manchester United’s global fanbase and beyond.

Manchester United was among the first football clubs in the world to launch a carbon reduction programme in 2008 and since then has reduced annual emissions from its operations by 2,700 tonnes. The Club will be seeking to build on this record through its new partnership with Renewable Energy Group.

“As one of the most popular sports teams in the world, the Club has a powerful platform to help raise awareness of how people can contribute towards a cleaner, more sustainable future for our planet,” said Collette Roche, Manchester United Chief Operating Officer.

“We are already an environmental leader among football clubs after 12 consecutive years of reduction in our greenhouse gas emissions. We will now work with Renewable Energy Group to explore ways of shrinking our carbon footprint further. Together, we can make a difference in the fight against climate change, and the goal of developing a greener, cleaner planet.”

“As a leading producer of cleaner, bio-based diesel, it’s a natural fit for Renewable Energy Group to partner with another sustainability-minded leader like Manchester United,” said Renewable Energy Group President and Chief Executive Officer Cynthia “CJ” Warner. “The world is at a critical juncture in which we are all recognizing that we must do more to reduce harmful emissions, and there is a growing desire to secure more immediate and practical low carbon solutions. Together, alongside Manchester United, we will amplify our simple-to-adopt opportunities for individuals and organizations to reduce carbon now.”

“Renewable Energy Group brings a history of innovation and determination to deliver real impact through the production of cleaner fuels. Our sustainable fuels are a viable low carbon solution that can help us achieve greenhouse gas reduction and create a cleaner world.”

Australia And New Zealand To Not Compete In RLWC2021 Due To Safety Concerns

The Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) and New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) has informed the International Rugby League (IRL) and Rugby League World Cup (RLWC) organisers that Australia and New Zealand will not compete in a 2021 World Cup because of player welfare and safety concerns.

The ARLC and NZRL has again requested the RLWC2021 be postponed until 2022 to minimise risk of players contracting COVID-19 and ensure the best outcome for player wellbeing.

The decision to withdraw from the RLWC2021 comes after considering the risk of COVID-19 infection in the United Kingdom, the worsening environment in Australia and the time a majority of NRL Telstra Premiership players will spend away from home under strict biosecurity conditions prior to the World Cup. The ARLC and NZRL have resolved, that in the present environment the risks to athletes and officials travelling to the UK to participate in the tournament this year are too great, and it is unable to endorse Australia and New Zealand participating in the RLWC in 2021.

ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys AM said player wellbeing and safety must come first.

“Not participating in this year’s World Cup is not a decision the Commission has taken lightly, but we must put the best interests of our players and officials first. Protecting them is our absolute priority,’’ he said.

“In the current environment, the risks to the safety, health and wellbeing of the players and officials travelling from Australia to participate in the tournament this year are insurmountable.

“The majority of NRL players are currently living away from home under difficult biosecurity protocols. They would then be required to remain under protocols and away from home for the duration of the tournament before again quarantining on return to Australia. This is too much to ask our players and officials to do.

“We have again requested the IRL and Rugby League World Cup consider postponing the event until 2022 to enable all players to participate.”

NZRL CEO Greg Peters said the decision to withdraw was in the best interests of players and officials.

“The safety and wellbeing of our people is the main priority, and unfortunately, that cannot be guaranteed to our satisfaction,” he said.

“There are stark differences between how the pandemic is being managed in the UK compared to Australasia and recent developments have highlighted how quickly things can change.

“The tournament organisers have moved heaven and earth to make this work, so it is not an easy decision, but the Covid-19 situation in the UK shows no sign of improving, and it’s simply too unsafe to send teams and staff over.

“We understand how disappointing this is for fans and those involved; however player and staff safety remains paramount.”

RLWC2021 released a statement: “RLWC2021 note the disappointing statement made by the ARLC and NZRL which may have wide ranging implications for international Rugby League. RLWC2021 were informed at very short notice and will continue discussions with all stakeholders to agree on the best way forward. A further statement will be made in due course.”

Jaguar Land Rover Commits To Formula E Gen3 Era

Jaguar Land Rover has officially confirmed Jaguar Racing’s long-term future to the Gen3 era of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship – set to commence in the 2022/23 season.

Jaguar Racing’s race-winning motorsport operation will help Jaguar Land Rover develop new sustainable technologies and set new benchmarks in quality with its partners, and support Jaguar’s renaissance as an all-electric luxury brand from 2025.

The Formula E programme will contribute to Jaguar Land Rover’s Reimagine strategy – a commitment to achieve zero tailpipe emissions by 2036, and net zero status across supply chain, operators, and products by 2039.

The long-term commitment comes ahead of Jaguar Racing’s first race on home soil for 17 years – its first Formula E race in London with Briton Sam Bird leading the drivers’ championship. Jaguar’s all-electric I-TYPE race cars have achieved four victories and 12 podiums in its 59 Formula E races and will continue to be a real-world test bed for developing world-leading technologies while pushing for points, podiums and wins on track. Jaguar Racing will continue its successful long-term technical partnership with Williams Advanced Engineering into the Gen3 era of Formula E.

FIA Formula E’s new Gen3 electric race car is due to debut in Season 9 at the end of next year. The lighter, more powerful and efficient Gen3 car will set a new performance benchmark for an all-electric race car. The Gen3 Formula E car will also demonstrate the rapid developments in fast-charging technology for electric vehicles and help deliver more exciting racing in some of the world’s largest cities. The Gen3 car will see power will increase to 350kW (currently 250kW) and maximum regenerative braking power will increase from 250kW to 600kW.

Thierry Bolloré, Chief Executive Officer, Jaguar Land Rover: “The Gen3 era of Formula E is an exciting new chapter for the all-electric World Championship. It is already proving to be the perfect environment to design, collaborate, test and develop new sustainable technologies at pace. Jaguar Racing will not only play a role in the renaissance of Jaguar as a pure-electric luxury brand, but across the entire electrified Jaguar Land Rover ecosystem, helping to deliver our sustainable future and our digital transformation.”

Jean Todt, President, FIA: “Ahead of another important technical milestone for the FIA Formula E World Championship, I salute Jaguar Racing as a premium manufacturer to commit to the next era of the discipline. The Gen3 race car will indeed further establish the principles that have made the championship successful. It is positive to see such a team continue with us on a shared mission to develop electric vehicle technology and promote sustainable mobility.”

Jamie Reigle, Chief Executive Officer of Formula E: “Jaguar are a key player in the future of luxury electric vehicles. It’s a testament to the shared purpose that one of our earliest supporters, Jaguar Racing, are committing to Gen3 in anticipation of the 2022/23 season. Gen3 brings with it an unparalleled opportunity for a premium manufacturer like Jaguar to showcase innovation from a sporting perspective on the track, technological advancement on our roads and reach a global audience with spectacular city centre racing from around the world. We’re thrilled to have Jaguar Racing joining us on that journey.”

Team GB To Launch NFT With Tokns

Team GB has become the first Olympic Team to create its own storefront for non-fungible tokens, or NFTs. Working in partnership with leading NFT commerce provider Tokns, Team GB will launch an NFT store to showcase these instantly iconic NFTs.

NFTs are scarce and unique collectibles for the digital age. Each item is minted to the blockchain, a digital ledger, certifying the provenance and ownership history. With the pandemic restricting physical access to the Games in Tokyo, this virtual experience has been created to offer fans and followers of Team GB’s athletes a new way to connect with the team.

The partnership will run from the beginning of the Summer Games to the end of the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing next year, and includes the celebrations of 125 years of British Olympians at the Olympic Games, which the team is marking throughout this year. Nightly NFT drops will feature auctions of unique ‘one of one’ items and collections of fixed price NFTs available for purchase with crypto currency or normal currency.

As part of the collection, Team GB gymnast Max Whitlock will launch an NFT celebrating his double gold medal winning achievements in Rio, ahead of his bid to win gold again in Tokyo.

Max Whitlock, said: “I am delighted to launch my first NFT and work with Team GB in this new and exciting space. Giving fans an opportunity to celebrate with athletes and the team and own these special moments.”

Tim Ellerton, Team GB Commercial Director, said: “We are delighted to partner with Tokns ahead of what is set to be a very different Games for our Olympians in Tokyo. Particularly following the announcement that there will be no fans or spectators present at the Games, we are delighted that we can provide moments digitally that will be available for fans and collectors.

“This is Team GB’s first venture into NFTs, and we are looking forward to making our mark in this fast-developing market.”

Tokns co-founders Matthew Baxter and Jamie Tedford commented: “With this launch, we’re one step closer to achieving our mission of democratizing and demystifying NFTs. Team GB shares this mission, and we are proud to have been selected as their Official NFT Storefront provider.

“Team GB have shown ingenuity and foresight to become the first ever Olympic team with its own NFT marketplace. We look forward to collaborating with them to launch this easy-access, secure and customisable shop for fans to purchase NFTs.”

The campaign is anchored by the work of Team GB Artist-in-Residence Ben Mosley. Each day of the Games, Ben will apply his unique expressionist style and trademark speed to create wall paintings that capture the most inspiring moments from the day prior.

Each evening, these creations will be bundled with various physical and experiential offerings, minted to the blockchain and auctioned off to the highest bidder. Fans are welcome to join in the experience at the Team GB Medal Moments Studio at 3 Carnaby Street. The result will be a one-of-a-kind mural that will be digitized, minted and auctioned.

Artist Ben Mosley points out: “I’m thrilled to extend my partnership with Team GB to this new creative canvas of NFTs. So much so that we’ve decided to tokenize my newest painting and auction it off through the Team GB NFT store.”

This new initiative with Team GB comes as NFTs are experiencing an astronomical surge in popularity and when values are reaching new highs. Team GB and TOKNS will also work on ensuring the Team GB NFT programme will be carbon net positive.