Chinese Super League side Tianjin Teda announced financial services firm Home Credit Group as its first sleeve sponsor ahead of the '16 season.
The deal will run for three years and "will see Home Credit’s logo appear on the sleeve of Tianjin Teda shirts during matchdays, and includes additional in-stadium promotional assets for the firm."
Tianjin Teda "has already signed a one-year strategic partnership deal with bottled water brand Yue Longquan" (SOCCEREX, 3/9).
FORMULA E: Formula E Team Aguri announced that Gulf, through its recently appointed Mexican fuel licensee, IF Vertical 2, will become the team’s title sponsor ahead of the Mexico ePrix this weekend.
To mark the partnership, the Team Aguri cars will sport a new livery, running in the Gulf Oil Int'l blue and orange racing colors.
The deal marks Gulf’s first foray into electric motorsport. Formula E makes its debut in Mexico this weekend. Dragon Racing secured sponsorship with Panasonic for the remainder of season two of the Formula E Championship.
The deal comes in conjunction with an arrangement with Mouser Electronics, which will co-sponsor the American-based team (Formula E).
MODENA PARTNERS WITH SAFIM: Italian Serie B side Modena FC announced local firm Safim Architecture as its new shirt sponsor.
Safim Architecture "will appear as the front-of-shirt sponsor" for the rest of the '15-16 season.
The company "will replace software firm Cpl Concordia Group" and will receive exposure at the Stadio Alberto Braglia (SOCCEREX, 3/9).
MARKETING BRIEFS ...
A Volkswagen spokesperson confirmed reports that the car brand will end its sponsorship deals with Bundesliga side FC Schalke and 2nd Bundesliga club 1860 Munich. The spokesperson said, "Volkswagen will not renew the contracts with Schalke 04 and 1860 Munich, which are set to expire at the end of the season" (SPONSORs, 3/9).
Sandown announced U.K. merchant banking group Close Brothers as the new sponsor of Saturday's Imperial Cup -- "but no winning cash bonus for following up at the Cheltenham Festival will be on offer."
Close Brothers, "which also sponsors the novices' handicap on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival, replaces William Hill as backers of the feature handicap" (SKY SPORTS, 3/9).
La Liga side Valencia will wear the logo of int'l sports betting company Codere Apuestas on the front of its shirts against Athletic Bilbao. The partnership is a step forward in the strengthening of ties between the club and the betting company (Valencia).
Sports PR agency Pitch has been appointed by English Premiership side Harlequins Rugby Union "as its lead creative agency for match days, responsible for the development of match day marketing assets and advertising." Pitch has been working with Harlequins, creating and implementing the "Bring the Colour" campaign which spans across print, digital and at-ground assets (ISPORTCONNECT, 3/9).
The Rugby Players’ Association announced Argentine steak restaurant Gaucho as its official restaurant partner.
The new partnership agreement comes as the RPA relaunches its Rugby Heroes Dinner series. Gaucho, Piccadilly will host the two exclusive dinners which will coincide with England’s summer tour to Australia and England’s match against Argentina in the 2016 Old Mutual Wealth Series (Autumn Internationals) (RPA).
Barcelona unveiled a sponsorship agreement with Saigon - Hanoi Commercial Joint Stock Bank, a top five private commercial bank in Vietnam. SHB is the first and only banking partner of Barcelona in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. This enables SHB to open various business opportunities in the retail sector in the territories, and bring the club closer to the Vietnamese Barça fans (Barcelona).
