Interview

Business analytics software firm SAS’s sponsorship of British Rowing and the elite GB Rowing team could be the first of many tie-ups with sporting organisations, Mark Wilkinson, managing director of SAS UK and Ireland told Sports Sponsorship Insider.

Online gaming company 32Red will use its recently-signed shirt sponsorship with Scottish football club Rangers to drive brand awareness, as well as consideration of the brand when sports fans choose an online gaming provider.

Mutual insurance provider Royal London is using its title sponsorship of one-day cricket in England to end its position as the “best kept secret in financial services”, Clare Salmon, group brand director and executive director at Royal London told Sports Sponsorship Insider.

This month, the second ESA Sponsorship Summit, organised by the European Sponsorship Association, took place in London to debate the main challenges facing the sponsorship industry today and consider the future for sponsorship over the next decade.

Payment systems company MasterCard is using its sports sponsorships as part of a consumer-based marketing strategy despite a lack of direct consumer operations, Ann Cairns, president, international markets for MasterCard, told Sports Sponsorship Insider.

The Lycamobile Group has this month expanded its sports sponsorship portfolio, announcing a new partnership with Powerboat P1 that will see it become the Official Mobile Partner to the race series in 2014 through its flagship brand, Lycamobile – the prepaid mobile SIM card provider for international calls.

The Sony PlayStation gaming console brand has a limited sponsorship budget in Europe because of its Uefa Champions League commitment, but is open to additional regional or national sponsorship deals – even outside of its core areas of football and motorsports.

Since the New Year, the Australian Stock Exchange-listed ANZ Banking Group has bolstered its portfolio of sponsorships in Australasia and Asia by extending sponsorship’s of the Australian Open tennis championship and ANZ Championship netball competition.

Japanese badminton, golf and tennis brand, Yonex, has renewed its title sponsorship of the All England Badminton Championships for seven years from 2015 to 2021 – a sponsorship that underscores Yonex’s positioning as the number one brand in badminton.

Aviva, the UK’s largest insurer with over 14 million customers and one of Europe’s leading providers of life and general insurance, will continue to take a portfolio approach to its sponsorship activity, using key assets in rugby union and football.

Boston-based global insurance company Liberty Mutual Group has a diversified and varied portfolio of sponsorship assets and partnerships in 26 different markets around the world. Its Irish division is using an innovative sponsorship around Gaelic sports to show its commitment in a new market.

Mark Cameron, global brand experience director at Extreme Sailing Series (ESS) main series partner Land Rover, breaks down the company's sponsorship strategy to Matt Cutler at this year's event launch.

Hans Erik Tuijt, global manager, Heineken Activation, has told Sports Sponsorship Insider of his hope that European clubs and rugby unions will come to a consensus on the future of the Heineken Cup that will prevent an Anglo-French breakaway competition.