Pro14 club Leinster and Bank of Ireland announced a five-year extension to their partnership. In addition to exclusive branding of all playing and training kits for the team, the partnership encompasses all Leinster rugby activity through grassroots community, school and club levels (IRISH TIMES, 9/20).
The Spanish Basketball League (ACB) named travel agency El Corte Inglés an official sponsor of the league and its official competitions from '17-20. El Corte Inglés became a sponsor of the ACB at the start of the '16-17 postseason "and has now decided to extend its deal for the next three seasons" (MUNDO DEPORTIVO, 9/21).
The Scottish Rugby Union decided not to renew its deal with Viagogo, its exclusive secondary ticketing partner, after complaints that the platform "is used by touts to inflate the price of tickets supplied directly from the governing body without first being offered to rugby fans." The SRU admitted that Viagogo was receiving an allocation of premium tickets that fans "were not allowed to purchase through the normal system" (RUNNING RUGBY, 9/19).
FIFA sponsor Coca-Cola teamed up with EA Sports to sign Alex Hunter as a brand ambassador in advance of the 2018 World Cup. Do not "bother trying to work out who Hunter plays for, he only exists as a virtual athlete in the FIFA 18 game." Hunter debuted on the virtual scene last year in FIFA 17 via "The Journey" narrative that allows game players to influence his football career (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 9/21).
The NFL Jacksonville Jaguars named wealth management company LGT Vestra US an official U.K. founding partner. The deal will see LGT Vestra US work in conjunction with the Jaguars through a variety of business-to-business activities, including the Jaguars' annual home game at Wembley Stadium each year. In addition to working together in a business capacity, the partnership will see the Jaguars and LGT Vestra US collaborate on community outreach projects (Jaguars).
