MediaCom Sport Expands Into Russia, Brazil, U.S. and Germany

Specialist sponsorship and strategy team MediaCom Sport is "set to roll out its operation in four key markets in the coming months," starting with Russia this week, according to Arif Durrani of MEDIA WEEK. MediaCom Sport Russia & CIS will open for business in Moscow and "soon be followed by a further three new offices servicing the U.S., Brazil and Germany within three months." The agency has appointed Ken Crease, the former managing director of Sport Media Group, to lead its Moscow office. The eastern European market "is expected to be a key market for sports sponsorship in the next two years, with Russia hosting both the Winter Olympics in '14 and the FIFA World Cup in '18." A number of MediaCom clients are already reported to be signed as partners for the two events, and total sponsorship deals around Sochi 2014 are tipped to be worth $1.2B (MEDIAWEEK.co.uk, 9/24).