League Championship side Leeds United partnered with Aspire Academy, which will provide long-term benefits to the club's on-field performances. Aspire will provide support and insight in academy and youth development, performance analysis and sport science. (Leeds United).
World No. 1 Simona Halep is the top seed at this month’s Australian Open. Despite her status, she is "without a clothing sponsor" after recently parting with adidas (LONDON TIMES, 1/4).
Andy Murray made a move toward "life after tennis" by signing another "promising young sporting talent" to his new management agency, 77 Sports Management. He signed Katie Swan, an 18-year-old who is "widely regarded as Britain's most talented young female tennis player" (SCOTLAND HERALD, 1/3).
Scandinavian sports and fashion brand Peak Performance partnered with English golfer Alfie Plant, who turned professional late last year following an amateur career that saw him win the silver medal at the 2017 Open Championship. The deal was negotiated by Plant's management agency, Lagardère Sports (Lagardère Sport).
The World Squash Federation named footwear brand Teuton its official shoe partner. The German brand signed a three-year agreement with the WSF (INSIDE SPORT, 1/4).
The Volvo Ocean Race partnered with Bluewater to provide water purification solutions in all race villages to turn polluted and waste water into clean drinking water. Bluewater joined the Volvo Ocean Race Sustainability Program, along with 11th Hour Racing and the Mirpuri Foundation (Volvo Ocean Race).
US Open winner Sloane Stephens is joining Nike’s roster of endorsers, and the tennis player will now wear Nike apparel and sneakers as part of a new deal. Stephens is leaving Under Armour after joining that brand in '10 (Daniel Kaplan, SportsBusiness Journal).
Argentine Superliga side Newell's Old Boys named Umbro its new technical sponsor (Newell's Old Boys).
La Liga side Leganés named BeSoccer its technological partner. BeSoccer's logo will be present on the left side of the team's shorts. The deal will run through June '19 (BeSoccer).
