Capital One Extends NCAA Commitment By Titling Academic All-American Program

Capital One Financial, already the exclusive credit card and retail bank of the NCAA, has formed a partnership with the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) to become the title sponsor of the Academic All-America Program. As part of its partnership, Capital One will receive title sponsorship of the Academic All-America Program - as well as for each of its individual progr...

Florida Marketing Firm Suing IRL Over Izod Contract

A Florida-based sports marketing firm that claims it is owed millions of dollars in commissions for landing Izod as the Indy Racing League’s title sponsor is suing the series. Read More >> photo credit

Brand Affinity & GMR Formalize Partnership

GMR and Brand Affinity Technologies (BAT) today announced a formal partnership that will provide GMR with access to BAT's technology and proprietary platform data, as well as a range of celebrity endorsement and advertising offerings. The partnership is an extension of the working relationship both have developed on numerous client projects over the last 18 months. "As an agency, we're con...

AEG, Farmers Insurance Agree To $700M Deal For LA's Proposed NFL Stadium

Backers of a plan to build a football stadium in downtown Los Angeles are set to announce Tuesday that they have reached a naming-rights deal worth $700 million, which would be the most valuable such agreement ever and a significant step toward bringing an NFL team to Los Angeles. AEG, the huge entertainment company that, among other holdings, owns Staples Center and the L.A. Live complex, p...

Analyst To ISC: Why Aren't You Doing Better?

At last week's Q4 conference call, analyst Barry Lucas, of Gabelli & Company, had a hard time reconciling ISC's flat sponsorship projections in light of an improving economy. Earlier in the call, ISC President John Saunders had mentioned in regard to sponsorship escalators, that "flat is the new up." Lucas posed this blunt follow-up question to ISC execs: "Whether we are talking about corp...

Why Volvo Sponsors Golf

Volvo's investments in sponsorship are primarily focused on golf, sailing and cultural properties. Among its golf holdings are title sponsorships to the Volvo China Open, the Volvo World Match Play Championship and the Volvo World Golf Challenge (formerly the Volvo Masters Amateur). These are just a few of what the automaker says is over 120 sponsorships in the game. Here's Karin Bäcklund, Dir...

MLSE & Live Nation Form Canadian Alliance

Live Nation Entertainment and Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment have formed a strategic partnership aimed at maximizing their respective operations across Ontario. As part of the new alliance, MLSE will sell and service Live Nation's sponsorships in its properties, which includes the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre. "The Greater Toronto Area is the third highest grossing event market in North A...

Starwood Extends Live Nation Pact

Starwood Hotels & Resorts will extend the multi-million dollar sponsorship alliance it signed with Live Nation in 2009. As part of the renewal, members of the Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) program will continue to be able to use points towards exclusive Live Nation music experiences. Starwood will continue to run promotions and redemption opportunities with SPG, have access to acoustic perf...

MBFW Sponsors Take Fashion To The Masses With Consumer Activations

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week has announced this season’s official sponsors and while the usual suspects are back entertaining fashion's elite at Lincoln Center, many of this season's activations have a downright consumer feel to them. While not everyone can make it into the tents, a few brands are extending the experience beyond Manhattan's Upper West Side. Check out the sponsors that are usherin...

Sponsorship Announcement Gone Wrong

The CEO of Synergy sponsorship consultancy, Tim Crow, asked whether this was the sponsorship gaffe of the year? He was referring to the CEO of Virgin Blue, who yesterday inadvertently announced that Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe (whom the airline just signed to a lucrative sponsorship deal) would win many more medals for Qantas, Virgin Blue's competitor and Borghetti's former employer. The ...