Asia-Pacific

In the January issue, Sports Sponsorship Insider has the values, strategy and inventory on nine deals, as well as an interview with former IMG sports and entertainment deal-maker George Pyne, now head…
Badminton

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) this month signed its biggest sponsorship deal to date in a multi-property agreement with energy multinational Total driven by the sport’s growing exposure in Asian markets.

Rugby Union

Global soft drinks group Coca-Cola clinched a second-tier Official Sponsor position for the 2015 Rugby World Cup after competition from a rival drinks brand.

George Pyne, the former president of IMG Worldwide’s global sports and entertainment business, now head of global sports marketing firm Bruin Sports Capital, believes the new company’s capital base for acquisitions could exceed the $500m (€450m) reported in the media.

Football

Consumer goods manufacturer Unilever and Premier League football club Manchester United embarked on a partnership in October 2013 which saw the brand become Manchester United’s Official Personal Care and Laundry Partner across Southeast Asia.

Rugby Union

The Samoan Rugby Union, the national governing body of rugby union, has extended a partnership with sporting apparel brand BLK.

Motorsport

Unilever-owned personal care brand Rexona is paying a premium from 2015 to 2016 to partner the Williams Martini Racing Formula One team.

Motorsport

Dutch recruitment company Randstad has renewed its deal with the Williams Martini Racing Formula One team because the team provides an efficient global marketing platform.

Multi-sport

New commercial plans set out by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) could spur twofold or threefold increases in TOP Partner values if executed properly, Timo Lumme, managing director of IOC Television & Marketing Services, has told Sports Sponsorship Insider.

Motorsport

Mexico-based telecoms giant América Mόvil has extended its sponsorship with the Sahara Force India Formula One team for the 2015 season.

Tennis

International Premier League Tennis (IPTL) received a multi-million dollar sum from regional soft drinks group Coca-Cola India for the title sponsorship rights to the inaugural team tennis series with just weeks to spare before its launch on November 28.

Football

Airline Emirates is understood to be in talks with another football property after the company announced it would end its relationship with Fifa at the end of 2014.

Tennis

Asian sportswear and apparel brand Peak has renewed a sponsorship deal with the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).

Football

Chinese telecommunications company Huawei aims to use football sponsorship to increase brand awareness and drive sales in the Spanish market.

Athletics

Healthcare and pharmaceutical brand Abbott has signed the title rights to the World Marathon Majors (WMM) for four years, from 2015 to 2018, as part of a larger overall spend on the six-marathon series.

Medical electronics company Toshiba Medical Systems is looking to move away from branded sponsorships towards commercial partnerships, whereby its products are sold to sports teams.

Football

Global recruitment specialist Hays is using partnerships within the City Football Group (CFG) portfolio to increase brand awareness and engagement, Sholto Douglas-Home, chief marketing officer told Sports Sponsorship Insider.

Athletics

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has negotiated an increase on its current minimum guarantee from Japanese media agency Dentsu for the global marketing and licensing rights, and media rights outside Europe and Africa, to the World Athletics Series, from 2020.