NBA China and eHi Car Services Ltd. announced a multiyear marketing partnership that will make eHi the official marketing and car rental services partner of the NBA in China. The new partnership marks NBA China's first relationship in the car rental services category and eHi's first association with a professional sports league. The announcement builds on eHi's existing endorsement deal with Golden State Warriors player Stephen Curry (NBA China).
The French Professional Football League (LFP) signed Fiat to a two-year sponsorship deal to make the car brand an official partner and the official vehicle of the Coupe de la Ligue. The partnership gives Fiat sideline LED signage as well as visibility on interview backgrounds and on tickets. The Italian automobile company will also benefit from media billboards as well as commercials on Canal+ and France Télévisions during Coupe de la Ligue broadcasts. Fiat will also activate a program on its digital platforms to give fans the chance to win tickets to matches (LFP).
Chinese brewery Tsingtao has become the latest company to enter into a commercial partnership with the Asian Football Confederation after the announcement of a four-year extension to their existing deal was made on Tuesday in Kuala Lumpur. Tsingtao will be partners for the AFC Champions League and the new format of the AFC Cup from the start of the '17 season (AFC).
England Netball announced iPro Sport as the new preferred hydration drink of England Netball and the Vitality Netball Superleague for the next two years. The partnership will see iPro Sport hydrating the England Netball Roses ahead of the Commonwealth Games in '18 (England Netball).
Ooredoo was the official telecom sponsor of the Barcelona vs. Al Ahli friendly. The event, named Qatar Airways "Match of Champions," took place Tuesday in Al Rayyan, and "several top players from both teams" took part, including Ooredoo global brand ambassador Lionel Messi (GULF TIMES, 12/12).
Women's Volleyball Bundesliga club Schweriner SC "has agreed to a new title sponsorship" with furniture producer Palmberg. Starting immediately, the club "will compete as the SSC Palmberg Schwerin." The furniture brand "has been the team's shirt sponsor for the past four years and is also the naming-rights partner of the Palmberg-Arena." The new team title sponsorship "will run through '21." Palmberg "will pay an estimated low-six figure amount for the association" (SPONSORs, 12/13).
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Kyocera Corp. announced that it will provide its Torque G02 smartphone as the official smartphone for Honda Racing Corp.'s Monster Energy Honda Team, which will participate in the Dakar Rally 2017 motorbike category (Kyocera).
The Quick-Step Floors cycling team revealed its new jersey design for '17 on Tuesday "to reflect the change in team name from Etixx-Quick-Step." The Belgian WorldTour team "elected to use a lighter" color blue for '17 compared to '16, "harking back to older incarnations of the squad's jersey" (CYCLING WEEKLY, 12/13).
National League side Macclesfield Town's "main sponsor offered each player a free king-size bed" if the club beat Oxford United in its FA Cup second-round replay. The Silkmen drew 0-0 against the League One club at Moss Rose on Dec. 2 and traveled to Kassam Stadium on Tuesday (BBC, 12/12).
Serie A side Sampdoria and Veratour have joined forces. The tour operator will officially appear as the main sponsor on the Sampdoria shirt (Sampdoria).
