A partnership has been announced between Godolphin and Under Armour for performance footwear, apparel and equipment. This marks the first time an int'l equestrian organization has teamed up with a global sports brand to be supplied with a bespoke clothing range. UA will produce a kit that is worn by jockeys, trainers and members of Team Godolphin, as they train and compete in the U.K., Ireland, Australia, the U.S., France and Dubai (Godolphin).
FLYING HIGH: British Airways has signed up as the "official airline partner of the Team GB and ParalympicsGB teams ahead of Rio 2016." In its role as official airline partner it will "fly over 1,500 British athletes and their equipment back to London for a welcome reception." British Airways’ support of British Olympic and Paralympic athletes "stretches back to the Beijing 2008 Games." British Airways has "hinted it will not run a major marketing campaign to promote its Rio 2016 sponsorship" (MARKETING MAGAZINE, 4/13).
MARKETING BRIEFS ...
The Rugby Football Union announced a partnership with the main partners of Gloucester Rugby, Mitsubishi Motors UK, which will become an official partner of England Rugby from the start of the '16-17 season. The long-term relationship will see the Mitsubishi Motors logo featured on the front of next season's England U18 and U20 playing and training kits. The agreement will also extend to title partnership of the Exeter leg of the Rugby Europe Sevens Grand Prix Series, which will become the Mitsubishi Motors Exeter Sevens (Gloucester Rugby).
World U8 chess champion Nguyễn Lê Cẩm Hiền "received a sponsorship from NutiFood." Under the contract, NutiFood will "finance Hiền as she takes part in training and competitions for the next nine years." The value of the contract "is not fixed." It will be "based on her schedule" (VIETNAM NEWS, 4/13).
Online gambling operator Unibet will continue its support of major Professional Darts Corp. events as the title sponsor of the Unibet World Grand Prix, which will take place from Oct. 2-8 at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin (PDC).
Bundesliga side Werder Bremen "renewed its deal" with beer partner Anheuser-Busch InBev for another five years through '20-21. The brewery "will continue as a second-tier Top Sponsor of the club" and pay an estimated €1.7M ($1.9M) annually for the rights. AB InBev "will continue to sell its brands Haake-Beck and Becks at the stadium." It will also "promote its non-alcoholic beer, Becks Blue, through sideline signage in camera view" (SPONSORs, 4/13).
Second Bundesliga club VfL Bochum extended its deal with sausage brand die "Echte." Meat producer Dönninghaus has been a partner of the club since '10 and will stay on until at least '19 (VfL Bochum).
Mongoose Sports & Entertainment, part of the Mission Marketing Group, has acquired Generate Sponsorship to form one fully integrated sponsorship agency. The agency will combine Mongoose's existing brand activation approach with Generate's consulting, activation and sponsorship sales capabilities. Based in London, Generate has a long track record of working with global brands and rights holders across sport, entertainment and CSR (Mongoose).
German football side Dynamo Dresden has renewed with lead partner Feldschlösschen until '17. The beer brand will continue as the main shirt sponsor of the 3. Liga side, and will retain a range of promotional rights and continue to run promotions at Dynamo home games. The financial terms of the extension, brokered by Lagardère Sports & Entertainment, were not released (Lagardère Sports).
