Matthew Glendinning

New Zealand Rugby's 11-year kit deal with adidas, from 2009 to 2019, is the biggest sponsorship in world rugby - worth more than any other kit deal or shirt sponsorship among the major rugby union nations.

Japanese IT company Fujitsu has believes it will gain full value from the brand’s association with the upcoming Rugby World Cup, despite signing as an Official Sponsor less than three weeks before the tournament kick off.

Jean-Claude Biver, chief executive of luxury watch brand TAG Heuer, pushed through the acquisition of sponsorship rights to the German football league “to correct a scandalous weakness” in the brand’s performance in Germany.

 Japanese carrier Japan Airlines has paid a seven-figure euros rights fee to become the Global Partner and Official Airline of the international basketball federation in a 17-month deal, from August 2015 to the end of 2016.

Belgian pay-television broadcaster Telenet has signed this month as a sponsor of the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup in 2015-16 and as the event’s title sponsor, from 2016-17 to 2019-20, in a deal that gives Telenet extensive broadcast rights to the series.

Competition from e-commerce and mobile phone sector companies in India has reinvigorated the value of domestic cricket properties, which struggled last year to meet the expectations of rights holders.

Mobile phone manufacturer Yezz has extended its official partnership with French Ligue 1 football club Girondins de Bordeaux for two more years, from 2015-16 to 2016-17.

Online casino and sportsbook operator BetVictor is targeting international markets with its multi-year deal as the Global Betting and Gaming Partner of English Premier League champions Chelsea.