Logistics company DHL renewed its multi-million rand title sponsorship of Currie Cup side Western Province Rugby for a four-year period commencing in '17, making it the longest-standing title sponsorship in Western Province Rugby's history. The terms of the sponsorship include naming rights to Western Province Rugby's home stadium, DHL Newlands (Western Province Rugby).
Chinese Super League side Tianjin TEDA announced new sponsorship deals with investment firm TEDA Holding and environmental company Elion Group for the '17 season. The Tianjin side is owned by TEDA Holding -- "it is not uncommon for Chinese clubs to have their owners' names incorporated into their own." The club unveiled the Tianjin TEDA Greening Group as a "sponsor for the back of the new shirt" for the '17 season. The club's main shirt sponsor is Elion Group, which, "as well as the first team," sponsors the club's youth teams (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 3/8).
Bundesliga side Werder Bremen signed a kit deal with Umbro. Werder Bremen's current deal with Nike expires at the end of the '17-18 season. The Umbro partnership will come into effect at the beginning of the '18-19 German football season. According to German publication SPONSORs, the deal will see Umbro pay €3.5M ($3.7M) per season, an increase of €500,000 ($527,000) over what Nike was "believed to be paying" (FOOTY HEADLINES, 3/7).
Danske Bank extended its partnership with the Northern Ireland Football League as title sponsor of the Premiership and the Women's Premiership for a further three years (NIFL).
Legardère Sports announced it signed women's tennis player Ana Konjuh for management and marketing representation. The 19-year-old Croatian is currently the No. 33 ranked women's player in the world. Konjuh won her first singles title on the WTA Tour at the 2015 Nottingham Open (Legardère Sports).
