Barcelona VP Manel Arroyo and Commercial Dir Francesco Calvo are traveling to Santa Clara, Calif., for the NFL's Super Bowl, "where they will evaluate the market for possible sponsors." They are expected to "observe the mechanics of the sponsorship of the big event and interview execs at various businesses." Sources, however, "clarified that there are no scheduled meetings" (EL PERIÓDICO, 2/1). ... Jaguar Land Rover "will be sponsoring" the U.K. team at the 2016 Invictus Games, when the event is held in the U.S. for the first time.
The Invictus Games is a bi-annual sporting event for wounded, injured and sick serving personnel and veterans.
The second-ever games will take place May 8-12 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla., where the U.K. team "will hope to have 100 athletes competing" (Land Rover). ... Warwickshire County Cricket Club agreed to a one-year extension to its exclusive partnership with Broadway Casino to be the club’s official casino partner for '16. The new package ensures hospitality and promotional rights for Edgbaston’s major match days in '16; this year Edgbaston hosts England in the third Investec Test Match against Pakistan and the second Royal London One Day Int'l versus Sri Lanka as well as NatWest T20 Blast Finals Day (Edgbaston). ... England captain and Premiership rugby side Northampton Saints player Dylan Hartley "has become Canterbury's latest ambassador."
As part of the three-year agreement, Hartley "will endorse the brand’s comprehensive range of training wear and rugby lifestyle clothing" (YAHOO SPORTS, 2/2). ... Technogym signed a two-year partnership agreement with Paris St. Germain. Technogym has become the club’s official fitness and wellness equipment supplier. The club’s three professional teams will receive Technogym’s athletic preparation equipment. The training center of Ooredoo, the Parc des Princes, the training center of Bougival and the Coubertin Stadium will be equipped with machinery built by the Italian manufacturers (Paris St. Germain).
IN THE KITBAG: Fanatics completed its acquisition of U.K.-based e-commerce company Kitbag, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Findel. Kitbag has deals with football clubs including ManU, Real Madrid, Man City, Chelsea and Everton, in addition to relationships with the French Open, Wimbledon, F1, the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup. Kitbag also operates e-commerce businesses in Europe for the NFL, NBA and NHL, all leagues with which Fanatics has long-term partnerships (Fanatics). ... France Galop, which owns together with LeTROT the French betting company PMU, has chosen Infront Sports & Media to support its overall development strategy alongside the marketing of its events. The French company organizes galloping races including major events such as the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the Prix de Diane Longines, the Prix du Jockey Club and also operates the following six hippodromes: Longchamp, Auteuil, Chantilly, Deauville, Saint-Cloud and Maisons Laffitte.
Infront will build a new sponsorship package around events such as the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris, the Meeting de Deauville Lucien Barrière and the Grand Prix de Paris and will also provide support in the context of other events operated by France Galop (Infront).
