Premier League side Stoke City announced mobile football management game Top Eleven as its official sleeve partner. The multi-year deal will see Top Eleven's logo on the left sleeve of Stoke City's first team, U23 squad and ladies shirts for all league games from the start of next season. Stoke City is the first club to strike a sleeve partnership with a new brand rather than an existing partner (Stoke City).
The
Australian Open announced a partnership extension and expansion with Swiss watchmaker
Rolex. The new agreement will continue to see Rolex as the official timekeeper and associate sponsor of the Australian Open until '27 (
Tennis Australia).
Snapchat agreed to a partnership with a "number of" Brasileiro clubs. The mobile photo and video messaging app will "join forces" with Corinthians, Flamengo, São Paulo, Santos and Palmeiras to "promote the beginning" of the new Brasileiro campaign. The deal will give fans of each partner team access to "unique Snapchat geofilters" (SOCCEREX, 5/15).
Team New Zealand signed tire maker Pirelli as a sponsor, "just over a week before racing begins in the build-up to the 35th America's Cup in Bermuda." New Zealand is already sponsored by airline Emirates, Japanese carmaker Toyota, Swiss watchmaker Omega and coffee group Nespresso (REUTERS, 5/16).
Gillette announced Chinese League of Legends team EDward Gaming as the brand's first global esports team partner. EDG will line up alongside Barcelona and the NFL New England Patriots to round out Gillette's portfolio of team partnerships (Gillette).
U.K. charity Lord's Taverners rugby sevens tournament, which was launched by advertising agency JAA and held on Sunday, raised more than £10,000 ($12,900) for the U.K.'s "leading disabled sports charity." Lord's Taverners COO Tim Berg said, "I was delighted to see 14 teams (supported by Verve) running their hearts out" (THE DRUM, 5/15).
