Euroleague Basketball Renews Deutsche Telekom Deal In Germany

Deutsche Telekom and Euroleague Basketball have renewed the commitment they forged in 2015 by signing a new agreement that will maintain both Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup on MagentaSports, the dedicated sports platform of the German telecommunications leader.

The agreement runs until the end of the 2022-23 season.

Under the new agreement, Deutsche Telekom will continue offering and broadcasting all EuroLeague games and all games played by German clubs in the EuroCup. Additionally, MagentaSports will broadcast one Turkish Airlines EuroLeague game per round on a free-to-air basis for all German fans.

All Deutsche Telekom new clients will enjoy Euroleague Basketball competitions free of charge during one whole year, while the rest of German fans will be able to watch, for one affordable price, not only the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the 7DAYS EuroCup but also FIBA national teams competitions, German Federation competitions and, of course, the easyCredit Basketball Bundesliga, making MagentaSports the home of basketball in the country. MagentaSports is available on most connected devices, including TVs, smartphones, tablets, games consoles and PCs.

The renewal with Deutsche Telekom, the conversations with both FC Bayern Munich and ALBA Berlin to make their participation stable on the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, and having Cologne as the 2021 Final Four host between May 28 and 30 all show, once again, the strategic importance of the German territory for Euroleague Basketball. The League boasted a year-on-year average increase of 16% in fan interest and 64% in TV audience in the country.

“We are extremely satisfied by renewing our commitment with Deutsche Telekom for two more seasons. Germany is one of our most important strategic markets with an enormous growth margin and we are developing a specific market strategy to increase our footprint in the territory,” Alex Ferrer Kristjansson, Marketing and Communication Senior Director at Euroleague Basketball said.

“The increased popularity and higher television ratings we are experiencing in Germany are solid evidence of our games’ interest among the German fans and MagentaSport is the perfect partner to bring them the Euroleague Basketball experience and increase the basketball fanbase in Germany.”

Henning Stiegenroth, Head of Content & Sponsoring Telekom Deutschland GmbH: “We are delighted about the extensions with Euroleague Basketball. This shows that we are a reliable partner and can continue to offer our fans first-class, exclusive basketball.”

Hyperice Expands Sports Portfolio With Kaulig Racing Partnership

Hyperice, the industry leader in recovery technology and pioneer of percussion, vibration, dynamic air compression and thermal technology has announced a partnership with Kaulig Racing as the team’s Official Recovery Technology Partner.

The announcement follows an unprecedented run of professional sports league, teams and elite athlete alignments in 2020, and demonstrates Hyperice’s commitment to optimizing performance through its suite of technologies while engaging the NASCAR fan base at its premier event.

The partnership kicks off at the 63rd annual Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 14, where Kaz Grala will pilot the No. 16 Hyperice Camaro ZL1 1LE for Kaulig Racing’s second-ever NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) race.

“In a race that often comes down to hundredths of a second, each team looks for tools that provide competitive advantages to outperform the pack,” said Jim Huether, CEO of Hyperice. “In the same way that the car build is expertly engineered from the ground up to the highest of standards and with top-notch technologies, the Kaulig Racing team now has access to Hyperice devices and technologies to optimize their movement, recovery and performance.”

Kaulig Racing has been equipped with the entire Hyperice product suite to aid in their training and preparation leading up to the race. The pit crew will also have track-side access to Hyperice technologies during the race via custom Kaulig Racing HyperTanks, helping them to move better.

“At Kaulig Racing, we are dedicated to enhancing team performance and succeeding week in and week out,” said Kaulig Racing President, Chris Rice. “Many of Hyperice’s products are designed to accelerate warmup and recovery, which fits with Kaulig Racing’s appetite for success. I can relate personally and professionally to the versatility of Hyperice’s products and am thrilled to have them partner with us. While people don’t always associate NASCAR with athleticism, the amount of stress our drivers and crew put their bodies under is incredible, making the warmup and cool-down process an integral part of their routine.”

As a part of the partnership, Hyperice and Kaulig Racing will co-produce exclusive, behind the scenes footage about the training and preparation that takes place for the driver and his team to compete at the most prestigious NASCAR event. The content will be released on Hyperice and Kaulig Racing’s social channels leading up to the Daytona 500, as well as post race.

“I’ve been using Hyperice products for a couple years now to complement my training program,” said Kaz Grala, driver of the No. 16 Hyperice Camaro ZL1 1LE for Kaulig Racing. “Not only have they helped me increase my mobility, but I rely on them each week to get my body ready for the track after intense training between races. I couldn’t think of a better fit to join me in my first Daytona 500 than Hyperice. Now it’s time to get to work and move better together.”

Ryder Cup Europe Names Rolex As Worldwide Partner

Ryder Cup Europe have announced that Rolex has become a Worldwide Partner of The Ryder Cup.

A landmark agreement with the PGA of America – Ryder Cup Europe’s partner in golf’s most celebrated team contest – will see the Swiss watch manufacturer align with Ryder Cup USA for the first time as Official Timekeeper, a role it has enjoyed with Team Europe since 1995.

Already the longest-serving partner of The Ryder Cup, this new global commitment and Worldwide Partner status further strengthens Rolex’s recognised stature in golf, having been at the heart of the game for over 50 years.

Guy Kinnings, Deputy CEO European Tour and Ryder Cup Director, said: “Rolex’s commitment to golf as a whole is unparalleled and this is therefore a truly momentous day both for The Ryder Cup and our sport as a whole.

“The invaluable support of Rolex for over a quarter of a century has helped both The Ryder Cup and the European Tour grow and prosper. With their new alignment and agreement with our friends at the PGA of America, I am incredibly excited at what the future holds for an event which is already recognised as one of the greatest in all of sport.”

Jean-Frédéric Dufour, Chief Executive Officer, Rolex SA, said: “Since 1967, Rolex’s commitment to golf has grown and flourished, permeating every level of the sport. We are delighted to stand alongside the PGA of America and Ryder Cup Europe in supporting The Ryder Cup, the game’s pre-eminent team competition. Through this landmark partnership, which builds on a relationship of more than 25 years with The Ryder Cup, Rolex takes the next historic step in further deepening our support for this iconic and unrivalled event.”

Rolex, who become the third Worldwide Partner of The Ryder Cup alongside AON and BMW, also assume the role of Presenting Partner of the weekly Ryder Cup Points Standings, which monitors the progress of the leading players on both sides of the Atlantic as they vie for automatic berths on both the European and the U.S teams.

In addition to The Ryder Cup Worldwide Partner announcement, the expansive agreement with the PGA of America sees Rolex become the Official Timekeeper and Official Partner of the organisation and its three annual Major Championships: the PGA Championship, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. Rolex will activate against these events onsite and in the broadcast and digital spaces.

“This is a watershed moment for the PGA of America,” said PGA of America President Jim Richerson. “Rolex’s long-standing belief in and support of golf has cultivated an aura of resiliency and trust within the game that is invaluable and, frankly, attractive for our 28,000-plus PGA Professionals to align with. Their commitment to our Association, the PGA Professional Championship and our spectator Championships, all of which feature golf played at its highest level, allow our PGA Professionals to do what they do best, which is to impact the game in a positive fashion.”

Rolex is also committed to PGA Members, their events and grassroots initiatives, as the brand becomes the Presenting Partner of the annual PGA Professional Championship and the Official Timekeeper of PGA Golf Properties and PGA Frisco. Rolex also becomes Presenting Partner of the PGA’s three annual Player of the Year awards: the PGA Professional Player of the Year; Women’s PGA Professional Player of the Year; and Senior PGA Professional Player of the Year awards.

“It’s not often we sign agreements of this magnitude without supreme confidence and comfort in our partner, which we certainly have with our friends at Rolex,” said PGA of America CEO, Seth Waugh. “We’re excited to work with Rolex and their brand, which has represented the epitome of excellence in sport for so long. I’ve found there is something special about having partners of such ilk, for in the end, they motivate others to match their ideals.”

FC Barcelona Strikes Two-Year Partnership With SHISEIDO MEN

FC Barcelona and SHISEIDO MEN have signed a new two-year partnership deal whereby the Japanese cosmetics firm is to become the football club’s Official men’s skincare and makeup partner until December 2022.

Through this new agreement, the two parties will be working on different joint actions in key markets Japan, China, Italy and Spain.

The new partnership will feature Sergi Roberto as its ambassador. The player entered La Masia at the age of 14 and made his senior debut in 2010, becoming one the of the team captains in 2018/19. Famed for his versatility both in his personal and professional life, Sergi Roberto embodies the values and image of Shiseido Men.

As part of the agreement, both Barça and SHISEIDO MEN will be working to co-produce content based on the first team players’ lifestyles. The partnership will focus heavily on the creation of digital formats and content to be published on the Club’s social media channels, as well as its accounts in China, including Weibo, where Barça is the European football club that generates the highest amount of engagement. The Japanese company will also be able to use the players’ images to create marketing material and campaigns, among other benefits.


Through this partnership, which has been managed through the FC Barcelona office in Hong Kong, Barça has continued to expand its presence in two of its most strategic markets in the APAC region, Japan and China. This agreement also affirms that the biggest brands trust the Club to boost brand visibility in their regions of interest, despite the worldwide spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Since it opened in 2014, the Hong Kong office has been developing trade agreements with strategic partners across the region, while also working to develop new sources of revenue through the Barça Academy programme, friendly matches and the Barça Licensing & Merchandising (BLM) company, among others. Shiseido becomes the Club’s fifth Japanese partner after Rakuten, Konami, Canon Medical and Nichiban. Since the Club signed its first partnership deal in Japan, Barça has boosted its presence in the country thanks its close ties with local entities.

Sergi Roberto, FC Barcelona fourth captain said: “I am excited to have been chosen as the Ambassador of this unique partnership between SHISEIDO MEN & FC Barcelona. As someone who gives their all on the pitch and approaches life with an enthusiastic attitude, I am thrilled to align myself with a brand that shares my values.

“Other than competing, I am constantly inspired by the endless support from my family, friends and colleagues who enrich my life every day. Through this collaboration with SHISEIDO MEN, I want to inspire people to push past their limits to live boldly and explore their full potential.”

Ryota Yukisada, Chief Brand Officer, Brand SHISEIDO said: “SHISEIDO MEN will be marking the new era with wholly renewing its line of high-quality, high-performance men’s skincare and makeup products backed by Shiseido’s many years of scientific research on men’s skin.

“At this moment, we are delighted to announce this partnership with FC Barcelona and Sergi Roberto, which we believe it will strength the value and synergy towards our products and consumers. SHISEIDO MEN, represents a men who enjoys life to the fullest by being involved with others with positive attitude, offers optimal skin care solutions to him and his partners.”

ICC Signs BYJU’S As Global Partner Until 2023

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced BYJU’S, India’s largest EdTech company as their global partner from 2021 to 2023. 

The three-year agreement will see BYJU’S partner all ICC events over the period, including the forthcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India, and the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand. As a global partner, BYJU’S will have extensive in-venue, broadcast, and digital rights across all ICC events.

In addition to the integrated brand presence at some of the world’s biggest sporting events, BYJU’S will work closely with the ICC to deepen engagement with fans through the creation of innovative campaigns. In August 2019, the company became the official jersey partners of the Indian cricket team.

Manu Sawhney Chief Executive, ICC said: “We are excited to have BYJU’S on board as one of our global partners and look forward to having a great innings together. Cricket is a sport where resilience, perseverance and conviction are crucial qualities and the partnership with BYJU’S will allow that to be fostered by a wider audience both young and old.

“BYJU’S has been an ardent supporter of cricket in India and we are glad to be partnering with a strong, young, and dynamic Indian brand that has been inspiring millions of students to dream big. We look forward to the successful convergence of education and sports and hope to reach the hearts and minds of millions of young cricketing enthusiasts through this partnership.”

Byju Raveendran, Founder and CEO, BYJU’S said: “We are excited to partner with ICC in championing world cricket. Sports is a big part of life for most Indians and cricket, in particular, holds a very special place in our hearts. It is a matter of pride for us as an Indian company to represent our nation on a global platform like this. Just as cricket inspires billions across the world, we too as a learning company hope to inspire the love of learning in every child’s life.”

NFL Teams Up With Skillz For Game Developer Challenge

The National Football League (NFL) is teaming up with Skillz, the leading platform for fair, fun, and meaningful competition, to crowdsource a future mobile esport.

As part of the agreement, the two sports organizations will host a global game developer challenge.

Competing developers will have the opportunity to develop an NFL-themed mobile game. The game will be powered by the Skillz esports platform and will have joint marketing support from both the NFL and Skillz. The combination of the NFL brand and the Skillz platform will set the stage for the future of electronic sports competition.

Working with Skillz enables the NFL to reach the next generation of football fans where they live – on mobile – while driving the convergence of traditional and online sports. For Skillz, this agreement will introduce hundreds of millions of NFL fans to the leading esports platform.

“The NFL is an iconic brand that is synonymous with American sports, and Skillz is thrilled to help power their esports competitions on mobile,” said Andrew Paradise, CEO and founder of Skillz.

“Mobile gaming continues to be an important platform to reach and engage new and existing fans,” said Rachel Hoagland, VP of Gaming & Esports at the NFL. “Our agreement with Skillz provides access to a trusted platform and a highly engaged player base, making Skillz an ideal partner long term.”

Honda To Continue In MotoGP Until 2026

Honda will continue to add to their illustrious history in Grand Prix racing as an agreement is signed with Dorna Sports S.L. to compete for the next five years, from 2022 to 2026.

A journey which began in 1954 when Honda’s founder, Soichiro Honda, declared entry into the Isle of Man TT, the premier motorcycle racing event of the era, with the aim of becoming the best in the world. This journey has so far seen 100 different riders win on Honda machines and amass over 800 wins across all categories. In the premier class alone, Honda has claimed 850 podiums and 25 Rider World Championships, more than any other brand in history.

The journey will continue for at least five more years as Honda have agreed with commercial rights holder and series promoter Dorna Sports S.L. to guarantee their place on the grid until 2026.

Noriaki Abe, Managing Officer, Motorcycle Operations, Honda Motor Co., Ltd: “First, I would like to express my respect and gratitude to Carmelo Ezpeleta and everyone at Dorna Sports for their hard work in organizing races during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I am very pleased that we have renewed our contract to compete in MotoGP from 2022 to 2026.

“Honda has been competing in the FIM Grand Prix World Championship since 1959, and won its 800th Grand Prix last year. Honda believes MotoGP racing is vital to our motorsports activities. MotoGP is the pinnacle of motorcycle racing – it allows us to develop various technologies, and through fierce competition, teach our engineers and nurture their skills.

“With these engineers working on the development of production vehicles, Honda can create better products for its customers. Honda will continue to bring dreams and joy to its customers worldwide through its motorsports activities, including MotoGP.”

Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports: “This important announcement brings great pride to MotoGP because Honda is one of the first names that comes to our mind when we think about motorcycling racing. The Japanese manufacturer has been such an important part of the past, present and future of the FIM MotoGP World Championship and this renewal reinforces, even more, the commitment between both parties.”

XB Net Strikes Betting Partnership With CrossBet

XB Net, the leading provider of premium content for US horse and greyhound racing, has announced its latest partnership with rising-star operator, CrossBet, an emerging force in Australian sports betting, to expand its international racing coverage.

The deal harnesses XB Net’s delivery of live pictures, data and betting services from a peerless network of over 50 North American tracks (approximately 90% of U.S. horse racing) enabling CrossBet to flexibly fill its programming schedule with a steady stream of rapid-cycle betting opportunities. This dynamic content is proven to drive digital “dwell” time for new and existing sports fans across the Australian operator’s proprietary and innovative mobile applications and betting interfaces.

CrossBet’s breakthrough sportsbook runs off unique data and pricing models, allowing customers to enjoy sophisticated and reactive odds, featuring competitive pricing on all sports, as evidenced by its highly-progressive international racing offering.

XB Net remains the proven pacesetter for live North American racing content, managing international rights, data, odds and live broadcast and video streaming on behalf of its growing global portfolio of partners. Channeling low-latency feeds from more than 2,500 meetings, showcasing over 25,000 races per year, North American racing is engaging more and more bettors as international operators look to provide a legitimate 24/7 for enhanced fan engagement, no matter the time of day.

Now working with many of the world’s leading fixed-odds, spread-betting and commingled wagering companies (such as Flutter Entertainment, Bet365, Codere, William Hill, Playtech and Entain) XB Net enjoys a growing geographic footprint in mature and emerging markets across the UK & Ireland, Europe, North and Central America, Africa and Australia.

Simon Fraser, Senior Vice President of International at XB Net, said: “It’s a real fillip for our diligent team to have landed this new distribution deal with CrossBet, whose racing expertise and customer care is second to none. They’re a rising star on the Australian scene, thanks to a high-class portfolio of top-quality data partnerships. I’m happy to say that XB Net and North American racing now sit neatly and seamlessly within that network. And CrossBet’s support in bringing live North American racing to a passionate and well-informed client-base will help us naturally grow responsible engagement around our bespoke betting products.

“After all, wherever you set your scene on the world stage, delivering the right content at the right time is of paramount importance. XB Net’s wide range of low-latency racing solutions and racetracks bring that flexibility for around-the-clock premium content. CrossBet now provides a category-leading racing and sports-streaming offering to their customers and we’ve delighted that US racing is already helping them to bolster and build their brand across Australian and APAC.”

Brendon Dorff, COO at CrossBet, added: “CrossBet customers have seen the added fun and value that US racing brings to their betting experience, supplying a trustworthy and regular flow of quick-fire betting opportunities. This breakout collaboration with XB Net and their agile wagering solutions lets us fill the gaps on the sporting timetable with quality entertainment that is the envy of many of our Aussie rivals.

“At CrossBet, we pride ourselves on innovation, responsible CS and professionalism. To which end, we’ve developed platforms to facilitate a seamless and secure customer experience from the log-in. Our goals and passions converge in delivering a world-class experience to our customers across all sports, with racing as our core offering.

“Our long-term goals are to go beyond Australia, so partnering with XB Net allows us to be ready for international expansion, catering for all markets across the globe. Thanks to progressive partnerships with the likes of XB Net, we can now provide secure access to the planet’s great sporting events, alongside the high-octane thrill of the best racing from around the world.”

The Scottish Professional Football League Appoints Sport Collective GV6 To Deliver Creative Service

The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) has appointed Sport Collective GV6 to deliver creative services and support the development and implementation of its commercial strategy.

This season sees a big news story unfolding as Rangers look to challenge Celtic’s recent dominance in the Premiership and secure their first title in ten years.

The SPFL are seeking an innovative new partnership to drive a deeper engagement and connectivity with supporters and communities, through a content, digital and purpose-led partnership.

Neil Doncaster, Chief Executive Officer of the SPFL, said: “Scottish football clubs have a unique place in the hearts and minds of fans around the world and this season, despite the challenges being faced by all sports, we are delivering record TV viewing figures to back that up. The League title partnership is an extremely exciting proposition and therefore we were keen to work with Sport Collective GV6 who share our beliefs and vision”.

Steve Maddren, Director of Sport Collective GV6 said: “Through our delivery of the Papa John’s partnership into the SPFL, we have developed a strong understanding of the immense opportunity available for the right brand to connect and engage with the football and community audience through a multi-channel SPFL rights platform.

“We are looking forward to working with the team at the SPFL to create an innovative and progressive partnership to engage with fans in Scotland and the global stage, and feel incredibly proud to have been appointed by the SPFL”.

McLaren Renews Coca-Cola Deal

McLaren Racing have signed partnership extension with The Coca-Cola Company, which will see the iconic beverage brand continue as the Official Soft Drinks Partner of the McLaren Formula 1 team.

Since McLaren and Coca-Cola first partnered in 2018, a range of commercial activations have engaged consumers globally through the McLaren Formula 1 team. Following the success of the ‘Coke Driven to Deliver’ campaign, in collaboration with Coke customer Amazon in 2020, the brands will continue to work together on new campaigns with the new McLaren F1 driver line-up of Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo.

As part of the partnership, Coca-Cola will maintain branding on the cockpit side of the McLaren MCL35M Formula 1 race cars and on the beverage bottles of Lando and Daniel.

Mark Waller, Chief Commercial Officer, McLaren Racing, said: “Coca-Cola is an iconic brand and one of the biggest consumer brands in the world. We introduced Coca-Cola to Formula 1 three seasons ago since then, our collaboration has created innovative campaigns and activations with fans around the world at their centre. We are delighted to extend our partnership in 2021 and continue to support Coca-Cola and its commercial partners in reaching consumers through McLaren and Formula 1.”

Matthew Tarallo, Global VP, Amazon, The Coca-Cola Company, said: “We are excited to be extending our partnership with McLaren into the 2021 season. Since 2018, we’ve executed incredibly impactful global activations, leveraging Amazon’s total ecosystem, and providing direct engagement and exclusive offerings to our consumers around the world. I’m looking forward to continuing this powerful partnership to drive joint value and growth into 2021.”