Nationwide CMO Talks Sports Sponsorships and ROI

Nationwide Insurance is building on the success of its three-year deal with NASCAR to include sports sponsorships this year with football teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals, North Carolina Tar Heels and the PGA Tour’s Memorial Tournament. The architect of Nationwide's strategy, CMO Jim Lyski, is now applying its national NASCAR sponsorship model to regional sports deals. Lys...

Harlem Globetrotters Renew Key Partners

Harlem Globetrotters today announced partnership renewals with Howard Johnson International, America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses, and Spalding, in time for the Globetrotters 85th anniversary season in 2011. These three partners join long-time partner Campbell Soup Company–which signed a three-year renewal with the Globetrotters in 2008 (check out the Campbell Soup Co. activation with Glo...

Kia Re-ups As NBA's Official Auto

In a move first reported by SBJ last month, the NBA and Kia Motors America have extended their marketing partnership, both parties confirmed yesterday. Returning as the Official Automotive Partner of the NBA, Kia Motors is now also the Official Automotive Partner of NBA All-Star, an Official Automotive Partner of NBA Cares, and the title partner of the Kia NBA All-Star MVP award. Kia will inc...

Did Affliction Sponsorship Alter Pacquiao's Practice Regimen?

This seems like a far fetched assumption for Roz Zurko from Associated Content to extrapolate. Posturing, which in this case took the form of a mid 5-figure "you eat what you kill" sponsorship, has been a natural part of the sport since it was born. A better angle on the story would have been to discuss all the free publicity the apparel-maker is garnering for what on the surface appears to be ...

BMW Named Title Sponsor of 38th Berlin Marathon

Starting in 2011 German-based motor company, BMW will be the new title sponsor of the Berlin Marathon. The three year partnership was unveiled at a press conference with Rüdiger Otto, managing director of SCC EVENTS, Klaus Wowereit, Governing Major of Berlin, and Martin Bräunl, head of marketing of BMW Germany. The announcement coincided with online registration for the 38th BMW Berlin Maratho...

Vizio Will Be New Rose Bowl Presenting Sponsor Through 2014

Vizio Inc. will be the new presenting sponsor of the Rose Bowl from 2011 to 2014, when the college football game celebrates its 100th anniversary. Read More >> photo credit

Washington Huskies Search For New Arena Sponsor

Clarence "Hec" Edmundson isn't sharing the billing at the University of Washington any more. The 10-year naming rights deal with Bank of America for the basketball arena expired this year and athletic director Scott Woodward said UW is seeking a new corporate sponsor. Read More >> photo credit

PepsiCo Partners With Brand Affinity Tech.

PepsiCo and Brand Affinity Technologies, the California start-up looking to digitize endorsement and celebrity marketing transactions, are working together on new approaches to engage consumers via BAT's stable of athletes and celebrities. As part of the relationship PepsiCo is leveraging BAT's celebrity affinity intelligence and has partnered with BAT as the first sponsor of its netBAT mult...

Globetrotters & Greyhound Strike Deal

The Harlem Globetrotters now have an “Official Bus" -- Greyhound Lines -- and they plan to put it to good use. Deal terms were not released, but the sponsorship is said to be a three-year, seven-figure deal running through 2013. For the Globetrotters' upcoming 85th anniversary world tour in 2011, the team will log over 60,000 miles on Greyhound as they travel to more than 200 cities across Nor...

Dunkin' Donuts Renews Celtics Sponsorship

Dunkin' Donuts has renewed its sponsorship agreement with the Boston Celtics in a three-year extension, which will run through the 2012-13 NBA season. As part of the extension, Dunkin' Donuts will retain its designation as an official team sponsor and continue to have rights to use Boston Celtics team marks and logos in external and internal marketing and advertising campaigns. "We are thr...