Yamaha Motor Extends Partnership With MotoGP Until 2026

Yamaha Motor have signed a contract with commercial rights holder and series promoter Dorna Sports S.L. to continue their participation in the FIM MotoGP™ World Championship for a further five years, from 2022 to 2026.

The news was officially confirmed by Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team Principal & Yamaha Motor Racing Managing Director Lin Jarvis during today’s post-‘Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team Launch’ media debrief.

Yamaha started its World Grand Prix racing endeavours in 1961, making this season the Japanese manufacturer’s 60th anniversary. Throughout their contest in MotoGP™, Yamaha has secured a total of 511 Grand Prix wins, 38 Rider World Titles, 37 Manufacturer World Titles, and five Triple Crowns.

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. and Yamaha Motor Racing Srl take this moment to collectively express their gratitude to Dorna Sports S.L. CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta as well as all Dorna MotoGP™ management and staff for their hard work and unflagging motivation that contribute to making MotoGP™ the pinnacle of motorcycle racing.

Toyoshi Nishida, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.’s Executive Officer: “First and foremost, I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Carmelo Ezpeleta and Dorna, as well as all of the Yamaha personnel who made our successful run at the highest level of motorcycle racing possible.

“At Yamaha we take great pride in taking part in Grand Prix motorcycle racing. We are all very pleased that we can confirm the contract renewal for a further five years at the start of an important season for our company.

“Yamaha started competing in World Grand Prix racing in 1961. Sixty years on, Yamaha’s passion for motorcycle racing and eagerness to take on a challenge remains unchanged. MotoGP makes up a large part of Yamaha’s DNA. The premier class’s cutting-edge technology will continue to make their way to Yamaha street bikes, bringing customers’ motorcycle and motorsport fantasies to life on and off-track, giving them the feeling of Kando*.

“At the same time, I think the coming five years of collaborating with Dorna and the other MotoGP manufacturers will be very important for the future. We want to keep the excitement of MotoGP racing while at the same time making it more sustainable and appealing to a wider public.

“We thank all Yamaha fans for their continuous support, and we look forward to bringing them even more exciting and precious memories in the future.”

Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports: “First of all, I would like to thank Nishida-san and all the members of Yamaha for the long-term collaboration during all these years. At Dorna we are pleased to be a part of the culmination of this partnership by extending our agreement with Yamaha. We are eager to witness this new chapter of the iconic Japanese manufacturer celebrating its 60th anniversary in the racing scene, a factory that has always shown a great commitment with the MotoGP World Championship and whose future will see many other exciting challenges to be enjoyed together in these upcoming years.”

ELEVEN Secures Exclusive Rights To The NASCAR Cup In Portugal

ELEVEN has secured the exclusive rights to the NASCAR Cup Series for the 2021 and 2022 seasons in Portugal. ‍ 

ELEVEN Portugal’s coverage got underway this weekend with the iconic DAYTONA 500 and will bring motorsports fans all the action from the 38-race season. ‍ 

Portuguese viewers will have access to NASCAR across ELEVEN’s linear and OTT platforms with ELEVEN’s annual Motor Pass, available for a monthly fee of €4.99. The Motor Pass also includes ELEVEN’s coverage from F1, F2, F3, the Porsche SuperCup, the Asian Le Mans Series and the Italian Road Racing Motorbike series.‍ 

Jorge Pavão de Sousa, ELEVEN Portugal Managing Director, said: “We’re delighted to be bringing the NASCAR Cup Series live and exclusively to fans for the next two seasons. NASCAR further strengthens a premium offering that already includes F1, the UEFA Champions League, LaLiga, Bundesliga, NFL and much more. The acquisition is an exciting next step in our efforts to build a truly first-class sports package for fans here in Portugal.”‍

Ladies European Tour Signs Titleist As Official Partner Until 2024

The Ladies European Tour (LET) has announced Titleist, the #1 ball in golf, as an Official Partner for the next three years.

Starting at the season’s opening event in May, this will see Titleist provide its market leading Pro V1 golf balls to practice ranges at tournaments on the 2021 LET schedule – visiting as many as 19 countries across the season. Both organisations will also develop on site activations and work together to create engaging social media content going forward.

This will be Titleist’s first year as an ‘Official Partner’, but the relationship was established last year, when it supplied Pro V1 golf balls for the LET’s return to play, which resumed at the ASI Ladies Scottish Open in August, and continued through to the season finale at the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España.

As part of the brand’s commitment to women’s golf and in the spirit of the LET’s mantra – #RaiseOurGame – both organisations will be donating 100 per cent of each tournament’s ball allocation to good causes, such as the respective National Golf Federations, Junior Golf Programmes or direct to the host venue, all in support of the ongoing development of new talent across the world.

Since its first golf ball was made in 1935, Titleist has been dedicated to making the best performing, most consistent and highest quality product in the game – helping golfers at all levels to play their best, shoot their lowest scores and ultimately enjoy the game.

The Titleist Pro V1 is the most successful piece of equipment in the sport’s history and since its introduction in 2000, it has been the overwhelming ball of choice across the worldwide professional tours – including the LET – and equally successful with amateur golfers.

Alexandra Armas, Ladies European Tour, CEO, said: “Titleist is committed to supporting the women’s game on all levels and we are delighted to welcome such a prestigious brand to the LET family as an ‘Official Partner’. It is really exciting when relationships like this flourish and together with Titleist, I am confident that we can continue to ‘Raise Our Game’ and deliver an outstanding season for our members.”

Matthew Johnson, General Manager, UK Region, said: “We are proud to partner with the LET for the next three years and see this as a great fit for our respective organisations. Titleist has supported LET players for many years, and this new partnership will give the players the opportunity to practice, as well as play, with the #1 ball in golf.

At the core of the Titleist business is improving the accessibility of our products and services for any dedicated golfer, so we’re excited that this association will also provide opportunities to support local community programmes and collaborate on many more great initiatives in helping raise awareness, interest and participation in women’s golf.”

Andrew Bloch Joins LDN UTD As An Advisor

LDN UTD the leading esports organisation that uses gaming and esports to address social issues has announced that Andrew Bloch has joined and strengthened the existing Advisory Board.

In 2020, Bloch stepped down from his day-to-day role as managing partner of Frank, the PR agency he co-founded in 2000, to become a non-executive director. He now holds a portfolio of non-executive, advisory and project roles advising high growth companies. He has acted as official spokesperson and PR advisor to Lord Sugar for over 20 years.

Bloch sits on the Business Launch Group panel for The Prince’s Trust, is a founding mentor of the School of Communications Arts, a Generation Z mentor at the School of Marketing, a council member of Superbrands and a group advisor to Big Community Records. He is listed in the PR Week Power Book’ – ‘The Definitive Guide To The Most Influential People in PR’ and earlier this year was named as one of the ‘Top Ten Most Influential PR People In The World’ by BuzzSumo.

Recognising the strength and popularity of gaming and esports and its ability to address social issues, Andrew Bloch joins LDN UTD at a time the organisation has successfully delivered campaigns addressing loneliness, nutrition, diversity and most recently the Yop Esports Champs in partnership with the Mayor of London and outreach partners including the Rio Ferdinand Foundation, whereby the three live broadcasts amassed hundreds of thousands of unique views on Twitch. As an esports organisation, LDN UTD provides accessibility and opportunity for gamers and content creators of all backgrounds to embark on a “path to pro” journey and be nurtured, developed and educated.

Oliver Weingarten, CEO of LDN UTD, said “I am delighted to have Andrew on board to support LDN UTD and our values. From the outset of our discussions, it was clear that Andrew and I were aligned in terms of the way we think, and he immediately recognised that LDN UTD’s unique proposition can be used as a positive mechanism to address societal issues at the same time as building out and engaging the grassroots gaming community. Andrew’s pedigree speaks for itself. I’m looking forward to working with him to create buzz and continue to make LDN UTD stand out from the crowd. We have some exciting plans in our roadmap, as we look to continue to grow our roster of brands and raise capital.”

Andrew Bloch added: “I love everything that LDN UTD is doing and everything it stands for. LDN UTD is a brand with true purpose at its core, and there is a massive opportunity for them to use the huge popularity of esports to continue to drive positive societal change. I’m excited to join them on their journey and help them achieve their ambitions.”

Bloch joins the Advisory Board which already includes Sree Varma, CEO of iSportconnect – the largest global platform of sports execs – who announced his investment last year, and Charlotte Webster, CEO of Chrome Management, an agency that works with influencers to help grow their channels and develop their brand by building sustainable partnerships with brands.

McLaren Racing Names Cisco Webex As Official Collaboration Partner

McLaren Racing announced a new multi-year partnership with Cisco Webex as the Official Collaboration Partner of the McLaren Formula 1 team.

The Cisco Webex platform will be integrated into McLaren Racing day-to-day activities to drive collaboration across all areas of the team from any location in the world. The Cisco Webex cloud-based suite of tools will enable McLaren to overcome geographical boundaries and create virtual experiences that bring fans and partners closer to the team.

Beginning in 2021, Cisco Webex will power McLaren Slipstream, a livestreaming service for McLaren’s partners, to deliver exclusive behind-the-scenes insights into the McLaren Formula 1 team. Since trialling the service last summer, McLaren has used the pioneering livestream platform to enable its partners and guests greater access to the team from any location.

As part of the partnership, Cisco Webex branding will be carried on the halos and sidepods of the McLaren MCL35M Formula 1 race cars and on the race suits of the McLaren F1 drivers, Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo.

Mark Waller, Chief Commercial Officer, McLaren Racing, said: “We are delighted to announce this partnership and welcome Cisco Webex to our team. The ability to connect with others around the world has never been more important and working with Cisco Webex will continue to help us bring our fans and partners closer to the heart of our team.”

Jeetu Patel, SVP and GM of Security & Applications at Cisco, said: “More than ever before, innovators like McLaren understand the importance of enabling world-class technologies to bring together their audiences regardless of location and distance. We’re excited to be joining forces with McLaren to deliver unmatched, immersive experiences that bridge the needs of their fans, partners, and drivers alike during this shift to hybrid sports – whether on or off the racetrack.”

Yoshiro Mori Steps Down As President Of Tokyo LOC 2020

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) takes note of President Mori’s decision to step down as President of the Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.

IOC President Thomas Bach said: “The IOC fully respects President Mori’s decision to step down and understands his reasons for doing so. At the same time, we would like to thank him for his outstanding contribution to the organisation of the postponed Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 over the course of the past years. Among his many accomplishments, President Mori helped to make Tokyo the best-ever prepared Olympic city. The IOC will continue working hand-in-hand with his successor to deliver safe and secure Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 in 2021.”

John Coates, Chair of the IOC Coordination Commission Tokyo 2020, said: “Throughout our eight years working together, President Mori was a strong and effective leader, who could always be trusted to find solutions even in the most difficult circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. The cooperation with President Mori has been outstanding. I would like to thank him for all his support and dedication.”

The IOC remains as committed as ever to the safe and successful delivery of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020. We are strengthened in this by the unwavering commitment of the Japanese and Tokyo Metropolitan Governments, the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) and the Organising Committee. The IOC is further encouraged by the fact that CEO Muto Toshiro will ensure continuity in the organisation and delivery of these Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.

The IOC has been informed and welcomes the fact that the Organising Committee will follow due process to determine the new President.

ECB Agrees Multi-Year Deal With Cinch

The ECB signed a new, multi-year partnership with Cinch, the UK’s fastest-growing online used car marketplace.

The innovative ecommerce business becomes the new Principal Partner to England Cricket from May 2021.

When Cinch steps up to the crease as Principal Partner, the brand will be proudly sported on the kit of the England team across Test, ODI and T20 appearances. Cinch’s partnership includes and supports all England cricket teams including Men’s, Women’s, England Lions, Disability and England Age Groups.

Cinch aims to take the faff out of buying a used car. It has quickly established itself as a leader for online used car purchases in the UK, offering a new, motorist-friendly way to search for and buy a quality-checked vehicle, with delivery direct to the buyer’s door wherever they are across the length and breadth of the country. With purchases backed by a 14-day money-back guarantee, Cinch is putting Britain back in the driving seat.

Cinch continues to enjoy exponential sales growth and is rapidly expanding its customer offering as consumer preference for buying cars online also grows. This partnership investment will reach cricket and motoring fans alike, wherever they’re looking to buy a car in Britain. And with thousands to choose from, Cinch can help buyers find the perfect car, whether they like a straight drive or something a little more unorthodox.

This major ECB partnership launches with both England’s Men and Women as reigning world champions and ahead of a bumper year for English cricket. The Women’s team are building towards next year’s World Cup, and the Men take on India at home before the campaign to regain the Ashes in Australia this winter.

Avril Palmer-Baunack, Chairman of Constellation Automotive Group, Cinch owners said, “This is a significant and exciting multi-year partnership for Cinch. We couldn’t be more excited to get started as Principal Partner to England Cricket from May. England Cricket’s drive for success fits perfectly with Cinch’s ambitious plans to be the UK’s leading online car retailer. Cinch will support the growth of cricket at all levels as England teams continue to impress and cricket innovates to bring more people to increasingly exciting formats. We’re championing England Cricket the same way we champion innovation and ease for the UK’s motorists – taking the faff out of buying a car.”

Tom Harrison, ECB Chief Executive Officer, said: “This promises to be a fantastic year of cricket for our England teams and we’re delighted to have Cinch on board as Principal Partner. Cinch is a company which shares our determination to make cricket a game for everyone and as an innovative, digital business focused on making online car buying easy and safe for the UK’s motorists, it is a good fit as we seek to expand the reach and relevance of cricket. With a home series against India and an Ashes trip this winter for our men, and our women building towards a huge year in 2022 it’s a good time to be teaming up.”

RCD Mallorca Strikes A Landmark Deal With Specialized

RCD Mallorca has signed Specialized as the latest principal partner of the club in a landmark deal which is the first of its kind to unite football and cycling.

The leading bike manufacturer will now feature on the back of our first-team’s shorts until the 30th of June 2023, in addition to advertising at the Visit Mallorca Estadi, Ciudad Deportiva Antonio Asensio and across digital assets.

“This is an innovative agreement,” CEO of Business Alfonso Díaz told journalists at the official unveiling of the agreement. “It’s a union between two sports, two cultures and lifestyles that can be perfectly compatible, especially in Mallorca: cycling and football. It’s the union between Specialized, the No.1 brand in cycling worldwide, and RCD Mallorca, a historic club that belongs to the best league in the world: La Liga.

“This agreement is the result of the brand strategy that we as a club have been working on for months and that should mark our roadmap, as we want to associate with leading, disruptive and innovative brands, with which we can share values: persistence, effort, excellence, commitment to our environment.

“Specialized is a true reflection of all this and this agreement is the beginning of a relationship with which we are excited to start developing together in the best possible location, the island of Mallorca, a destination of sport and nature, a cycling destination par excellence.”

Our latest partner has equipped some of the world’s finest athletes in cycling throughout Olympic Games and renowned races, and is one of the world’s most-distributed bicycle manufacturers in the consumer market.

“This is the first time we have done something like this and we think that RCD Mallorca is the only club with which this could have been possible as it brings together many common values at a time when it will surely help us to bring cycling to a wider and more diverse public,” General Director of Specialized Iberia, Alberto Crespo, said.

“Mallorca represents a meeting point: a cycling destination in a spectacular location. The connection and motivation have both been strong from minute one and we’re looking forward to exploring a new world of opportunities together through this partnership.”

The Jockey Club Partners WellChild For The Festival And 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup

A major new charity partnership announced between WellChild and The Jockey Club will see Jump Racing’s flagship event, The Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse, and the sport’s most prestigious race, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, support one of the UK’s leading charities helping seriously ill children and their families.

Several million people in the UK will watch The Festival supporting WellChild between Tuesday 16th and Friday 19th March, broadcast on ITV’s main channel and via its digital platforms. Based on Government restrictions for professional sport, currently the event’s 28 races would be staged over four days without any spectators present at the racecourse.

On the climactic Gold Cup Day will be the Grade 1 2021 WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup. The Willie Mullins-trained Al Boum Photo is currently the favourite to win the race and become only the fifth horse in history to do so three or more times, alongside the legendary Best Mate, Arkle, Cottage Rake and Golden Miller.

WellChild is the national charity for seriously ill children and headquartered in Cheltenham. More than 100,000 children and young people are living with serious illness or exceptional health needs across the UK. Without the type of support WellChild offers, many can spend months or even years in hospital. Meanwhile those who are at home are constantly challenged by inconsistent or inadequate levels of support. The charity helps children and young people living with serious health needs to have the best chance to thrive, properly supported at home with their families.

When the COVID-19 crisis took hold, the charity lost 60% of its projected income and had to quickly adapt its services to meet a sudden and urgent demand for help from families having to deliver round-the-clock care to their children alone. The charity expanded its digital services with online information and peer-to-peer support, and set up a crisis response service in 10 days to source and distribute Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to shielding families so that they can let external carers back into their home. The charity has now distributed more than 289,000 items of PPE to more than 1,000 vulnerable families across the country.

The Jockey Club, which is one of the UK’s leading sport businesses and runs Cheltenham Racecourse, hopes to build significant awareness and inspire donations for WellChild. The pair plan to launch a series of activities in the build-up to next month’s event and over the four days of racing, including a soon-to-be-launched competition to inspire children who are currently home schooling to showcase their creativity.

Colin Dyer, Chief Executive of WellChild, said: “As a national charity with its headquarters in Cheltenham, we are thrilled to have been invited to work with The Jockey Club, particularly around an event as iconic as The Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse.

“This has been a challenging year for our organisation and the families we support, many of whom have felt hidden and isolated more than ever before. However, we have responded at every turn to ensure that families have access to the support and equipment they need to thrive at home. This partnership will bring a much-needed boost to our organisation after a challenging period and will help to ensure that we are ready to respond again in 2021 and beyond.”

Ian Renton, who runs Cheltenham Racecourse as The Jockey Club’s Regional Managing Director, said: “WellChild plays a vital role in our society supporting seriously ill children and young people, and those who care for them. Their services have been needed more than ever during the pandemic and we are very proud indeed to help such an important charity amongst our communities, including in Cheltenham.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Magners for their support in 2019 and 2020, and express our gratitude to our various and valued partners who have retained their involvement with The Festival in 2021 and those we are welcoming for the first time.”

LaLiga Agrees Distribution Agreement With Amazon Prime For UK

Due to a new agreement, from this weekend Amazon Prime members in the UK who add-on LaLigaTV to their Prime Video subscription can follow all the remaining twists and turns of the competition via LaLigaTV, the premium 24/7 channel which is now available as an add- on within Prime Video Channels.

In a distribution agreement that lasts until the end of the following season (2021/22), Prime Video Channels will show live football from an overseas competition in the UK for the firsttime. For an add-on subscription of just £6.99 per month, Prime members signed up to LaLigaTV will have access to All of LaLiga, All in one place, including all available live matches, more than 25 hours of weekly live studio programming and exclusive new
interviews. All content will be made available live and on-demand for subscribers to the channel.

Joining Prime Video Channels today further increases the reach of LaLigaTV, which was introduced to the UK as a standalone linear channel last year by LaLiga’s broadcast partner Premier Sports. It remains the UK’s only channel to offer all available live matches from a major football competition and features renowned Spanish football experts including Guillem Balagué, Albert Ferrer, Sid Lowe, Andrea Orlandi, Graham Hunter, Terry Gibson, Gaizka Mendieta, Semra Hunter, Simon Hanley, plus many more.

LaLiga President Javier Tebas said: “We are excited to be growing our UK presence with Amazon Prime Video, which has quickly become an important name in the world of sport. The UK has a deep love of football and a huge demand for premium live content, which is reflected by the range of broadcast options we are making available to fans.”

“We’re delighted to offer UK Prime members access to live matches from the top Spanish football league, including some of the world’s best teams, players and rivalries with the addition of LaLigaTV on Prime Video Channels,” said Julian Monaghan, Director of Amazon Prime Video Channels EU.


“LaLigaTV is a great addition to our growing stable of live sport and sports docuseries available on Prime Video and Prime Video Channels, giving
customers even more selection to find the sports they’re passionate about.”

Melcior Soler, director of LaLiga’s audiovisual department added: “Increasing the visibility of LaLigaTV has been a key objective in recent years and we are delighted with the progress that has been made in the UK, in partnership with Premier Sports. Distribution through Amazon Prime Video Channels is a positive new step that broadens our reach even
further.”

The new agreement sees Prime Video deepen its links with LaLiga, having previously created original documentaries dedicated to Spanish football icons Sergio Ramos and Fernando Torres, as well as producing two seasons of Six Dreams, the award-winning docuseries that provides a behind-the-scenes look at Spain’s top-flight through the eyes of protagonists at six different LaLiga clubs.