The British Basketball Association announced it has reached a five-year agreement with The Aspire Sport Marketing Group (U.K.) Ltd. to handle all ticket marketing, ticket sales and fan development for the new league. The BBA plans to commence league operations in late '14, with a goal of building 12-plus teams in the near future. The Aspire Group's roster of clients includes the NBA, the NHL, the MLB L.A. Dodgers, a host of top NCAA Athletics programs and several English sport properties including Leeds United FC, Coventry City FC and London Irish Rugby Clubs (BBA). ... Second Bundesliga club FC Cologne has signed an early extension with its title sponsor, retail and tourism company REWE Group. The REWE logo will continue to be featured on the team's jerseys until the end of the '14-15 season (FC Cologne). ... Dutch Eredivisie side Feyenoord "has signed a five-year kit deal" with adidas, effective starting in the '14-15 season. Adidas will replace fellow German sportswear brand Puma, "which has been Feyenoord's apparel sponsor" since the '09-10 season (SOCCEREX, 9/9). ... EPL club Sunderland has formed a partnership with NIP+MAN "in a deal that represents the first move into sports sponsorship for the new brand." Terms of the deal were not disclosed, "but NIP+MAN will become Sunderland's official male grooming partner" (SOCCEREX, 9/9). ... GlaxoSmithKline "agreed on Monday to sell two soft drink brands to Suntory Beverage and Food of Japan" for £1.35B ($2.1B). The sale of the brands, Lucozade and Ribena, is part of an overhaul as the company "tries to spin off noncore products so that it can focus on its main pharmaceutical business." Lucozade "is an energy drink that is promoted by" football player Gareth Bale (N.Y. TIMES, 9/9). ... ManU and U.K.-based credit card specialist MBNA have launched a series of limited edition credit cards to celebrate the extension of their partnership into '16. Every fan applying for a new ManU Credit Card can select one of four specially commissioned designs (MBNA). ... Cambodia-based hire purchase firm Group Lease Finance "is the latest business enterprise to support as co-sponsors" the Cambodian national tennis team. This second tier of backing for the Tennis Federation of Cambodia, behind main sponsors NagaWorld, "follows Coca-Cola Cambodia jumping on board as partners two weeks ago" (PHNOM PENH POST, 9/9).
