Members of the Chilean national football team accused shirt sponsor Puma
of providing "replica" shirts for Tuesday's friendly
against Haiti in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Gary Medel tweeted, "Hoy
jugaremos con camisetas réplica. Ojalá ningún haitiano me pida cambiar
camiseta. Que vergüenza !!!" ("Today we will play with replica shirts. I
hope no Haitian player wants to trade shirts. What an embarrassment
!!!"). Puma responded with a short statement "assuring that the shirts
were certified, with the technology used by the Chilean national team in
the past" (AFP, 9/9). ... A ManU fan found an "unpleasant surprise" when he saw that a Radamel Falcao jersey he purchased "had an error printed on the back." Above the jersey number, the shirt said, "Flacao." The customer "proceeded to upload a picture of the shirt and publish it on the Internet" (LA AFICION, 9/9). ... Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt and online broker IG agreed to extend and expand their partnership. After IG received ad space on boards in camera view, the company will now also have logo presence on the LED ring at home games. The deal was brokered by Sportfive (Eintracht Frankfurt).
OIL CHANGE: Dorna Sports and Twin Ring Motegi announced that oil and lubricant specialist Motul is to become title sponsor for the Grand Prix of Japan. Motul advertising will be displayed on signs and banners around the circuit for the entirety of the Grand Prix weekend (MotoGP). ... Pirelli "will continue as exclusive tire supplier for the World Superbike Championship." The current agreement with Pirelli "was due to expire at the end of next year." The new agreement confirms Pirelli will keep its current role for all the classes of the FIM Superbike World Championship until the end of the '18 season, having "won the latest tender" (CRASH, 9/10). ... Fitness First "is Team Great Britian's first official fitness partner." The new partnership "follows an eighteen month-long rebrand, which has seen Fitness First work to become more customer-focused" (MARKETING MAGAZINE, 9/10).
WOMAN'S TOUCH: Brazilian state-owned bank Caixa Econômica Federal "renewed its sponsorship" of the Campeonato Brasileiro Feminino football competition for a second edition. The deal is worth a reported 10M reais ($4.4M) and "will see Caixa effectively bear the costs" of the 20-team women's competition (SOCCEREX, 9/10). ... Gym equipment suppliers Leisure Lines and Star Trac partnered with Premiership rugby side London Irish for the '14-15 season. Leisure Lines and Star Trac are part of the same organization and are the new exclusive suppliers of strength and cardio equipment for the Exiles (London Irish). ... GroupM ESP "enabled key deals for the upcoming Champions League T20 2014." Oppo India was named title sponsor and Birla White central associate sponsor (INDIAN TELEVISION, 9/9).
