Marketplace Roundup

MARKETING magazine’s John Reynolds reports tennis player Andy Murray is “set to overhaul his portfolio of commercial partners, following the departure of long-standing sponsor Highland Spring.” Murray had been “sponsored by the Scottish water brand” since ‘06. A source said that Murray is “aiming to capitalise on his position as a top-five player in the world rankings with endorsements from bigger global brands.” Murray's current deals with adidas and racket supplier Head “are unaffected” (MARKETINGMAGAZINE.co.uk, 2/15).

PUSHING THE LIMIT: Manchester United looks “certain to be the first Premier League club to break” the £100M (US$161.2M) “barrier for commercial revenue alone.” The “most recent three-monthly accounts showed revenues rising” to US$38.7M over the first quarter of the accounting year (PA, 2/14). Meanwhile, Manchester United announced DHL will become the official logistics partner of the club in a three-year agreement. DHL will provide a range of logistics services to the team. The company will use the partnership in business-to-business and consumer marketing activities and will be featured in digital advertising boards, matchday programs, on Man U’s website and at selected events at Old Trafford. In addition, DHL will work with the Manchester United Foundation (Manchester United).

TIME TO CASH IN: CNBC's Darren Rovell said Packers QB Aaron Rodgers "has a chance to do one or two national deals" after winning Super Bowl XLV earlier this month. The win should make him "big enough for Nike, which has owned his marketing rights for shoe and apparel since his rookie season, to actually utilize him." Rovell: "What's interesting to me is Aaron Rodgers doesn't even have an official website. ... He wasn't on Twitter, he wasn't out there reaching out to fans, which is important" ("Morning Drive," Golf Channel, 2/14).

SCHOOL DAZE: The Sports Authority is the official sporting goods store of the Illinois High School Association, according to a new three-year deal the retailer signed with the IHSA. The agreement was executed by Cleveland-based agency Home Team Marketing, the rights holder for the Illinois state athletics group. As part of the deal, Sports Authority will have a presence at all IHSA-sanctioned sporting events with branding and on-site activation. The IHSA represents more than 750 public and private schools in Illinois, including the nation’s third-largest high school district, the Chicago Public Schools, and its events draw a cumulative audience of 2 million fans annually (Home Team Marketing).