Fluminense to launch Dryworld in Brazil after dropping Adidas deal
By Samindra Kunti
January 7 – Rio-based club Fluminense have teamed up with sportswear manufacturer Dryworld in a five-year kit supply deal.
Football Marketing
Man Utd switch on MUTV in China with Sina Sports
January 7 – Manchester United is to launch its dedicated TV channel in China with Sina Sports. The multi-year deal is exclusive to Sina Sports.
Spanish opt for giant Vizrt video wall to boost TV talk show
January 6 – In the battle to bring innovative broadcast technology to football, Canal+ in Spain has turned to Norweigan company Vizrt to revamp the look and feel of its popular ‘Mucho Más Deporte’ (Much More Sports) show.
Sponsor power? Adidas CEO puts his predator boot into Man Utd playing style
By Mark Baber
January 5 – Herbert Hainer has excited world-wide attention after the Adidas boss criticised the playing style of Manchester United – the club with whom he signed a world record £75m a year kit deal in 2014.
New frontier? Daily Fantasy gaming facing muddled future as NY ruling awaited
By Paul Nicholson
January 5 – The daily fantasy sports (DFS) business that has taken the US fantasy gaming market by storm and is preparing for entries into the European football market, is facing a defining moment this week in the New York courts as to whether it will be allowed to continue.
Liverpool’s Barnes leads final week of Premier League carnival in Tianjin, China
January 5 – China’s Super Sports is now 30 days into its 38-day English Premier League ‘carnival’. The Chinese broadcast rights holder has been promoting the league and its clubs with events focussed in the Aegean Shopping Mall based in Tianjin.
PSG lands 13 million Youtube views with Ooredoo campaign
January 4 – Paris St-Germain partner Ooredoo has announced a recent digital promotion generated more than 13 million Youtube views. The promotion, a fan competition, culminated with the sending of 15 winners to Qatar to meet the players and watch a friendly match between Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain on December 30 at Qatar’s Al Sadd Stadium.
Santos land Royal Maroc deal to ease financial pressure
By Samindra Kunti
December 21 – Santos have signed a sponsorship agreement with Royal Air Maroc as the club seeks financial stability next season.
The BIG show: FIFA’s World Cup showcases beat TV records worldwide
By Paul Nicholson
December 21 – FIFA has released more record breaking TV numbers for both for its men’s and women’s world cups – a poignant reminder of the popularity of the world’s favorite event as US justice authorities reiterate their crusade against football corruption on their own continent and their thinly veiled objective of bringing down world governing body FIFA.
Chelsea tweet the blues as Leicester City break into top tier
By Paul Nicholson
December 18 – It has been a tumultuous week for Chelsea and Leicester City. On the pitch Leicester deepened the Blues at Chelsea with a Premier League victory that put them top of the league and eventually pushed Jose Mourinho out of Stamford Bridge. On twitter Leicester had the biggest percentage increase in followers of any Premier League club this week at 4.25% – Chelsea recorded a 0.45% increase.
Adidas chief raises question over FIFA sponsorship, but really has Nike in his sights
December 17 – Adidas CEO Herbert Hainer has raised a questionmark over his company’s future sponsorship of FIFA saying that of they are to continue then the governing body’s reform has to be robust and real.
Dentsu’s Team Twelve wins China League One data contract
By Mark Baber
December 16 – The Chinese Football Association (CFA) has announced that China League One, the second tier professional soccer league in China, has agreed a partnership deal with South Korean based Team Twelve Inc, a part of the Dentsu Sports Network.
Tennent’s unveiled as new sponsor of Irish Cup
By Mark Baber
December 15 – Tennant’s NI has been unveiled as the new title sponsor of the world’s fourth-oldest national cup completion – The Irish Cup – which will now be known as the Tennent’s Irish Cup.
Citroën promo uses Arsenal stars in Footpool challenge
December 15 – Arsenal’s automotive partner Citroën has activated its sponsorship with a promotion for the Citroën C4 Cactus which has first team stars playing Footpool on a specially created ‘table’ using the car’s Airbump technology.
MLS Cup final TV figures slump after a season of growth
By Ben Nicholson
December 14 – The 2015 MLS season came to an end last week with the MLS Cup final between Portland Timbers and Columbus Crew. And while the league’s lofty ambitions have been creating international stir in recent months, the cup final failed to generate much of a domestic stir, according TV viewership figures.