Telecom and Internet service provider Three will remain sponsors of the Irish football team and the Irish FA until at least '20 "after signing a deal" worth €8.9M ($9.6M) to the FAI. As primary sponsor of the Irish national football team, Three will continue to have "exclusive branding rights" to include training and playing gear and kit, ticket branding, high visibility pitch-side branding at the Aviva Stadium as well as "Money Can't Buy" experiences, which will be exclusive for Three customers (Irish INDEPENDENT, 11/12). ... German carmaker Audi "has signed a deal to become the official presenter of the '15-16 Four Hills ski jumping tournament." Audi "will receive extensive marketing presence at the four individual events in Germany and Austria." In addition to Audi, the event "agreed to sponsorship deals with Intersport, Bauhaus, Generali and Veltins." The main sponsorships "have an estimated high six-figure value." The presenter package "had an original price tag" of €1.3M ($1.4M) (SPONSORs, 11/12). ... BMW is the new title partner of the SA Open Championship. It is also the new official vehicle partner to South Africa's Sunshine Tour. South Africa's oldest golf tournament -- and the world's second oldest Open Championship -- will now officially be known as the BMW SA Open Championship. The tournament celebrates its 105th anniversary in '16 (BMW). ... Adidas "unveiled the official match ball" for the finals of Euro 2016 in France. The "Beau Jeu," which translates as "Beautiful Game," was revealed by the former France captain Zinedine Zidane, who won the European Championship with France in '00. Teams that have qualified for the finals will be allowed to use the ball in int'l matches from the end of November "to allow them to familiarize themselves with the new ball" (London GUARDIAN, 11/12). ... Australian Football League side Carlton Blues announced CareerOne as its "new joint major partner for the next two seasons." In addition, official education partner Acquire Learning has "extended its partnership with Carlton for a further two seasons." The CareerOne logo "will now appear on all official Blues apparel" including the front of the Carlton away jersey and the back of the home jersey. Acquire Learning's brand "will continue to adorn the Blue's match-day and training shorts" (Carlton). ... Chinese clean energy company Hanergy has partnered with Dutch Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar to "provide the club's stadium with solar panels." As part of the deal, Hanergy has installed 1,725 panels on the roof of Alkmaar's AFAS Stadion, "capable of generating 250,000 kWh of clean energy annually." Hanergy will also become a sponsor of the club (SOCCEREX, 11/12). ... Ugandan Super League side SC Villa has "secured sponsorship from StarTimes." The media company will sponsor the Kampala-based club, which is named after EPL club Aston Villa, "for the next five years." Local reports "value the agreement" at Shs1.5B ($368,000) (SOCCEREX, 11/12). ... Football management video game Football Manager joined forces with EPL side West Bromwich Albion for the remainder of the '15-16 season. The agreement will see the video game's branding featured on key assets at The Hawthorns, such as pitchside LED and interview backdrops (West Bromwich Albion). ... Australian Rugby Union side New South Wales Waratahs confirmed Volvo Cars Australia has extended its partnership with the club for a further three seasons, becoming the naming rights sponsor of the high performance center, official sponsor of the head coach and official vehicle partner of Waratahs Rugby (Waratahs).
SLICE OF THE PIE: Former National Rugby League player and current NFL 49ers practice team member Jarryd Hayne is "set to receive a remarkable, and timely, boost to his now meagre weekly salary -- becoming the only NFL practice squad player with a merchandise range." Despite "being benched by the San Francisco 49ers only a fortnight ago," the club has begun selling a range of personalized Hayne accessories in store at Levi's Stadium. Hayne "has been gifted his own section of the store" (Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH, 11/12).
NO INTEREST: Russian bank VTB announced it will "not extend its sponsorship deal" with the Int'l Association of Athletics Federation. However, the company "has insisted the decision is not connected with the doping scandal which has rocked athletics this week." VTB, the second-largest bank in Russia, has a deal with the IAAF which expires at the end of '15 and "will not be renewing the contract." VTB First Deputy President Vasily Titov said, "We did not plan to renew it. This has nothing to do with the doping scandal in any way" (SKY SPORTS, 11/12).
