IMG Secures 24-School College Football Sponsorship

IMG has secured another national marketing partner in automaker, Hyundai. Hyundai Motor America will launch a college football platform at 15 IMG schools this year with nine additional schools to be added to the program in 2012. Hyundai will receive rights to vehicle displays on-site, media and hospitality opportunities, as well as digital marketing programs at Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, A...

Friends of Coal Sponsors Kentucky Rivalry Game

The Kentucky Coal Association (KCA) will sponsor this year’s cross-state rivalry between the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville will be sponsored by the Friends of Coal–Kentucky. While game sponsorships usually run in the $25K range, this sponsorship, which includes sponsorship of two other athletic events, cost $85,000. “This rivalry game is watched closely by Kentucki...

Nebraska Huskers Pull Controversial Pipeline Sponsorship

Less than five months into a sponsorship agreement, Nebraska Athletic Director Tom Osborne today announced that the school will terminate a sponsorship agreement with Calgary energy company, TransCanada. IMG/Husker Sports Network negotiated a sponsorship deal that gave TransCanada's video advertisement exposure on the Memorial Stadium's HuskerVision screen, but increased controversy over the co...

Fashion Week: Clever Automobiles Aid Ambush Attempts

Sponsors and ambushers have found some common ground at this year's Spring 2012 Fashion Week: their affinity for automobiles that activate. Some, like official sponsor, Mercedes-Benz and non-sponsor, Band-Aid, are in fact using automobiles to activate around pretty much the same theme of fashion emergencies. “Sponsors are increasingly demanding of the property owners that they provide prot...

NYC's Next Big Branding Opp: Bike Share?

If you've ever tried to rent a bike in NYC you know it can be an expensive pain in the $#!@%. Thankfully, New York City will soon be a lot more bikeable. Mayor Bloomberg and the city's Department of Transportation yesterday announced plans for an ambitious bike-share program, which is slated to launch in Summer 2012. Portland-based Alta Bicycle Share has been selected to run what is expected t...

SI Launches Rivals App Presented By Coke Zero

Sports Illustrated, as part of its digital development strategy, has launched a new app called Football Rivals which gives fans a look at some of the greatest rivalries in football history — supported by more than 300 pages of rich content including rare photos, 3D interactivity, documentary style videos, game highlights, an interactive timeline of each rivalry, historical stats and more. The...

Visa Activation Celebrates 'Social Aspect of Being An NFL Fan'

VISA's tentacles reach far and wide throughout the sport of pro football. From sponsoring 15 different NFL teams to its 16-year old league deal and from Fantasy Football sponsorship on Yahoo! to its Financial Football game distributed to more than 12,000 high schools annually, the one constant in all of the payment processor's football activations is "social." That's according to Alex Craddock...

Josh Hamilton Grand Slam Brings Down Carpet Co. Website

The Texas Rangers' Josh Hamilton hit his first grand slam since 2008 last night. For CC Carpet and Flooring's insurance firm, that meant that the company will have to refund approximately half a million dollars in September sales. CC had been offering to refund flooring and countertop sales from September if Hamilton hit a grand slam during the month. CC Owner Steve Fitzgerald estimat...

Maple Leafs Become Latest NHL Team With Practice Jersey Sponsorship

The Toronto Maple Leafs will become the latest NHL team to launch a practice jersey sponsorship this morning when the club debuts an expanded partnership with shipping and courier service Purolator, according to the Toronto Star. Headquartered in Ontario, Purolator has been the Official Courier of the Toronto Maple Leafs since 2005. From Manchester United to the NFL, practice jersey patches...

Degree Men To Launch Branded Obstacle At Toughest Event on Earth

Degree Men will be the official anti-perspirant and deodorant for the Tough Mudder, a fast growing series of obstacle course competitions that bills itself as “probably the toughest one day event on the planet.” Founded less than two years ago, Mudder is aiming to reach over 30 events throughout the globe in 2012. The Degree Men deal, which will integrate branded obstacles into the event, is on...