November 12 – UEFA has announced Takeaway.com as an official partner of the Euro 2020 championship, no value has been given for the deal which will the online food delivery service designated as the ‘Official Food Delivery Services Partner’.
November 11 – China-based football social networking and media app Dongqiudi has added Watford to a partner list that includes Manchester City and Crystal Palace, becoming the club’s official media partner in China.
By Osasu Obayiuwana
November 5 – The Confederation of African Football’s 12-year contract with Lagardere Sport (LS), which is supposed to last until 2028, is on the verge of ending. CAF has formally written to LS to terminate its contract.
October 31 – As Osasuna socios ask their board to rethink the club’s shirt sponsorship by Kirolbet, so betting company activity in football is also focussing minds in Belgium where the Belgium Gambling Commission (BGC) has opened an investigation into Jupiler Pro League club KAA Gent.
October 31 – AS Roma have teamed up with Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport until June 2021.
October 30 – Sky Sports Football earns more than $1 million a month from YouTube while the top football club earner on the social media video platform, Liverpool, earns over $650,000, according to new estimates.
October 30 – LaLiga’s Osasuna will meet with betting firm Kirolbet who hold the club’s main shirt sponsorship to discuss the possibility of terminating the contract early. The current contract ends in 2021.
October 29 – Coca-Cola – sponsors of FIFA’s World Cup since 1974 and UEFA’s Euros since 1985 – has expanded its club football partnerships with a two-year deal with Serie A giants Juventus.
October 25 – Budweiser who activated a sponsorship of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the US with its post-World Cup #WontStopWatching campaign to boost attendances and profile of women’s pro clubs and players, has given the league another push forward by challenging other brands to become ‘future’ sponsors.
October 25 – Manchester City has brought on Nestlé Professional as the club’s Official Coffee, Vegan and Vegetarian Partner in what is described as a multi-year deal.
October 23 – The sports rights geo-political battle being waged in the middle east between Qatari broadcaster beIN Sport and Saudi Arabian-supported channels and broadcast rights interests, has taken a new twist.
October 22 – UEFA has signed three start-up businesses as part of its business innovation drive to develop new technologies and products that will significantly impact the commercial management and promotion of football and its assets.
By David Owen
October 21 – India’s Reliance Industries is mulling bidding for Indian streaming rights for the English Premier League and other top-notch sports competitions in future. Nita Ambani, a Reliance board member, told the Financial Times: “I would be very interested to get the digital rights of some of these games to be shown on digital in India.”
October 16 – Health and wellness brand Vejo have announced a partnership with a second of Europe’s biggest clubs. It will become the Official Sports Nutrition Smart Blending Device in North America, Germany, Austria and Switzerland of FC Bayern Munich.
October 14 – The revelation last week that middle eastern broadcaster beIN Sport will now, as a result of piracy, be treating all its sports rights acquisitions as non-exclusive, and will be dropping prices accordingly, is a wake-up call to football’s rights owners.