Matthew Glendinning

The 16 member clubs of the Chinese Super League (CSL) are at a critical stage in the development of their commercial programmes. They are attempting to move away from a funding model based almost entirely on the patronage of the large Chinese corporations which own them to one based on revenues from sponsorship deals with major global brands, media rights income and match-day revenues.

Diageo-owned whisky brand Johnnie Walker renewed its official sponsorship of Formula One team McLaren-Honda in a deal with a significant performance-related component.

The Bank of Montreal will pay the Canadian sports team and venue operator Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment an increased fee as naming rights partner to BMO Field, the home stadium of Major League Soccer team Toronto FC.

Fierce competition in the Mexican telecoms sector and the success of last year’s Mexican Formula One Grand Prix helped push telecoms operator AT&T above the expected market price for Presenting Sponsorship rights to the inaugural ‘6 Hours of Mexico City’ World Endurance Championship (WEC) race.

“Have you been to China recently?” I ask this because the question is really a kind of shorthand for a different sort of enquiry, that is to say: is your sports, brand or agency connected to the potentially vast quantities of money that will be spent on sport by both the public and private sector in China over the next few years?

Global healthcare brand Randox Health seized the opportunity to become the Official Partner of UK horse racing’s Grand National Festival and title sponsor of the world’s most famous steeplechase in a period when the brand was not actively looking to sign a sponsorship property.

Although the two biggest rugby league sponsorship properties in England – title sponsor of the English Super League, the top-tier club league, and title sponsor of the Challenge Cup, the leading club cup competition – have ambitions towards £1m (€1.3m/$1.4m) annual valuations, all central English Super League sponsorship deals are worth six-figures in pounds sterling per year.

Australian nutritional supplements company Blackmores has been a leader in its sector for more than 80 years. The company is committed to the use of high-quality ingredients, consistent delivery of product and the distinctive provision of free health advisory services in a competitive marketplace.