Liverpool adds Marathonbet who open with 10/1 for Reds to make top 4
July 20 – Premier League Liverpool have added Marathonbet as one of its suite of betting partners that currently includes 188BET and Comeon.
Football Marketing
Liverpool players grounded for kit launch, but Fowler dropped from a height
By Paul Nicholson
July 17 – Liverpool took the opportunity of the Australian leg of the club’s pre-season tour to launch their new away kit, the first away kit with New Balance. While current players Simon Mignolet, Martin Skrtel and new signing James Milner modeled the kit in King George Square in Brisbane, club legend Robbie Fowler was launched from a light aircraft wearing the Reds’ new white jersey.
Sportradar agrees official data deal with Russian Premier League
July 16 – The Russian Football Premier League has signed a multi-year data partnership with Sportradar which will become the league’s ‘Official Sports Data Partner’, starting with the 2015/16 season.
Spurs sign with Fanatics for US online retail market
July 16 – Premier League Tottenham Hotspur have continued their push into the north American market with a merchandising hook-up with US sports eCommerce giant Fanatics.
IMG picks up Barca TV for renewed international push
By Paul Nicholson
July 15 – The Spanish TV market is hotting up as the country’s power clubs and La Liga push the Spanish brand harder in international broadcast markets. Global sports marketing agency IMG has picked up the sales and distribution rights to Barcelona’s TV channel in a three-year deal licensed to them by Spain’s telecommunications giant Telefónica.
Arsenal fly colours on Emirates as they head out for Asia Trophy
By Mark Baber
July 14 – Arsenal Football Club finally have an aircraft branded in their name, it was revealed as the players set off for the pre-season Barclays Asia Trophy in Singapore.
Spurs renew ticket resale deal with StubHub
July 10 – English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur has renewed its exclusive ticket resale partnership for a further two seasons with StubHub. With the club in the early stages of building a new 61,000 capacity stadium and a deal announced to stage NFL matches, StubHub will be looking to position itself for Spurs’ new era of larger crowds and more stadium events.
Girondins de Bordeaux says Yezz to extended shirt deal
By Mark Baber
July 9 – US mobile phone brand Yezz has extended its deal with Ligue 1’s Girondins de Bordeaux for another two years in a deal negotiated with the support of Infront Sports & Media, it was announced on Wednesday.
CSKA holds value as broadcasters battle for amateur league rights
By Alexander Krassimirov
July 9 – Bulgaria’s CSKA Sofia may have been dropped to the amateur divisions of the country’s football structure, but the club is still in demand. Four Bulgarian broadcasters are fighting over TV rights for the club’s matches in the amateur V league.
Spanish clubs Guadalajara and Rayo come out with rainbow kits
July 8 – Third division Spanish team CD Guadalajara has demonstrated its support of the LGBT movement in its newly unveiled home kit. A rainbow stripe runs down the center of the purple shirt, in aim of challenging social injustices such as homophobia.
Synot Tip bets on Sparta Prague with new deal
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
July 6 – Czech betting operator Synot Tip has signed a sponsorship deal with Sparta Prague. The company will become the club’s main sponsor until at least 2017.
Nissan adds Swiss Football League to sponsorship roster
By David Owen
July 6 – Nissan, the Japanese carmaker, has signed up as official sponsor of the Swiss Football League, in a deal that will give the brand visibility at all live TV games this season.
PepsiCo ends long term MLS deal but opens with New York City new boys
July 3 – New York City FC has added PepsiCo to its burgeoning list of partners, who will now serve as the club’s exclusive partner for carbonated soft drinks, bottled water, iced tea, potato chips and salty snacks. NYC FC in its inaugural season has already become one of the league’s most visible clubs.
Lyoness inks €1.8m sponsor deal with Rapid Wien
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
June 29 – Global shopping brand Lyoness has signed a contract to become the main sponsor of Rapid Wien. The company will serve as the Austrian side’s main sponsor, starting in the 2015/2016 season, for a five-year period under a deal worth some €1.8 million per year, Rapid said.
EBU picks up EURO2016 broadcast rights for 26 countries
By Samindra Kunti
June 26 – The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the alliance of free-to-air European broadcasters, has struck an agreement with UEFA for the exclusive broadcast rights for EURO2016 across 26 European territories.