Analysis
Features
Sina Golden League reaches new high from Dongfeng Qichen deal
Sina is believed to have earned about $5m (€4.4m) from the top sponsor for its Golden League 3x3 basketball competition this year, SportBusiness Sponsorship understands.
LA Galaxy taps local market power with El Silencio spirits deal
Los Angeles-based El Silencio has become the first mezcal brand to strike a partnership deal with a professional sports team in the US
AS Monaco leaves Nike, signs six-year kit deal with Kappa
Italian sportswear brand Kappa will pay between €5m ($5.6m) and €6m per season as the new kit supplier at French club AS Monaco.
Comeback Kings retain full roster, MS Dhoni drives business
Indian Premier League franchise the Chennai Super Kings has changed just one sponsor from last year’s championship-winning season, with the rest of its roster tied up almost entirely until 2020.
UFC renews with AirAsia, signs with PokerStars, Motel 6, LiteCoin, Kraft Heinz
The Ultimate Fighting Championship has inked one renewal and four new partnerships since December last year, raising at least $6m (€5.3m) in sponsorship revenue.
F1 grows tech sector coverage with Cyber Security 1 AB deal
Formula One has struck a “cash, consultancy and supply” deal with Cyber Security 1 AB to protect the motorsports series from potential cyber threats.
Ohio retains top spot in 2018 SportBusiness Postgraduate Course Rankings
Ohio University claims number one position for fourth consecutive year.
P&G adds Duracell to NFL sponsorship portfolio
DURACELL ANNOUNCED a major sponsorship deal with the National Football League (NFL) this week which will see the P&G-owned battery maker known as the “Trusted Battery Power of the NFL.”
Medibank gets in front of Melbourne Marathon
AUSTRALIAN INSURANCE and health services provider Medibank Private has become title sponsor of the Melbourne Marathon Festival in a one-year deal
Deutsche Post diverts Schalke’s shirt sleeve rights to DHL
German postal services and courier group Deutsche Post DHL will honour its shirt sleeve agreement with Bundesliga club Schalke 04 even though the subsidiary brand it supported in the first year of the…
US Soccer launches seven-figure Volkswagen deal, invests in grassroots
German car brand Volkswagen will pay just under $7m (€6.1m/£5.2m) per year to partner with US Soccer, America’s national football federation.
Klinc by Zurich taps into NBA Spain’s millennial fanbase
The Spanish arm of Swiss insurance firm Zurich will pay a six-figure fee for its digital-only partnership with NBA Spain, SportBusiness Sponsorship has learned
PSG signs LoveBet as first regional partner, launches virtual LED
Philippine betting brand LoveBet will pay between €2m and €2.5m per season to partner with French Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain.
Telefónica renews Team Movistar UCI World Tour deal
Spanish telco Telefónica has renewed its title sponsorship of the Team Movistar UCI World Tour outfit from 2019 to 2021.
Telefónica will pay between €12m ($13.5m)
Alfa Romeo pays Sauber extra for full team rights in 2019
Italian carmaker Alfa Romeo is understood to have paid an extra $5m (€4.4m) per year to upgrade from title sponsor of the Sauber Formula One Team to full team rights.
Smartphone maker OnePlus sets new bar with Fnatic shirt deal
Fnatic's new front-of-shirt deal with Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus is believed to be the biggest shirt deal in esports history, SportBusiness Sponsorship has learned.
Coral takes over from Ladbrokes as Challenge Cup title sponsor
UK bookmaker Coral will pay just over £500,000 ($646,000/€571,000) per season as the new title sponsor of the rugby league Challenge Cup.
MGM moved fastest for NBA, NHL and MLB sportsbook rights
Rapid decision-making was key to MGM Resorts’ successful conclusion of sportsbook deals with each of the National Hockey League, National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball last year.
Visa targets new business with Uefa and Afcon deals, says chief brand officer
Visa decided to sponsor women’s football in Europe and the men’s African Cup of Nations because it was pursuing “targeted opportunities” among women and mobile payment adopters respectively.
In
Philip Morris makes branding comeback with Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow
Tobacco giant Philip Morris International is paying $180m (€158m) per season to sponsor the Scuderia Ferrari Formula One team, according to sources close to the deal.
Barça keeps talking to hit €25m per year Naming Rights target
Spanish club FC Barcelona is unlikely to budge from its €25m-per-year ($28.4
Santander gets another year to review LaLiga options
Santander’s one-season title sponsorship extension with LaLiga for 2019-20 was priced at the same rate as the original deal, SportBusiness Sponsorship has learned.
Visa steps up to partner Uefa women’s football programme
Payment services brand Visa is paying Uefa, European football’s governing body, an average of more than €2.5m ($2.8m)
Hyundai’s four-club European football sponsorship offensive inspired by Lyon success
South Korean carmaker Hyundai is investing at least €16.4m ($18.6m) in four new partnerships across four of Europe’s top football leagues this season.
In England, Hyundai is paying between £7m (€7.9m/$9m