NFL Creates New Category for P&G Sponsorship

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that a long-rumored deal, three years in the making in fact, will finally come to fruition today when the NFL and Procter and Gamble announce a multi-year exclusive sponsorship for the newly created "locker room products category" covering 13 separate P&G brands. Back in January, SBD reported that the two parties were close to a five year deal that wou...

Deal Flow 8-4-2009

The Dallas Cowboys announced today that it's extending its contract with Direct Energy as the "Official Electricity Provider to the Dallas Cowboys and Cowboys Stadium." The Dallas Cowboys are also teaming up with the Texas Lottery Commission on a new co-branded scratch-off game. LG Electronics was named title sponsor of F1 Rocks, a global music event run by Universal Music and Formula1. The...

PGA Tour Finds Its Bunker in Sponsorship Fallout

As was widely predicted, Buick has ended its sponsorship agreements with the PGA Tour, including the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines. On Wednesday, the Greenbrier, a resort nestled in West Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains and a former secret Cold War bunker for Congress, is expected to announce a new event on the PGA Tour, replacing the tournament that has been known as the Buick Open. Gree...

Make Community Programs A Winning Sponsor Proposal

Going back to the mid 1980's when I was first a ‘baby’ in the sports marketing world, we developed a unique niche by packaging the team’s community programs to our sponsors, a practice that most businesses had never before seen nor been asked. Back then, most sponsorship proposals were about as vanilla as you could get, including the usual mix: a program ad, game tickets, a shootout promotion a...

Sponsorship: Bothersome Neighbor or Favorite Uncle?

The other day someone asked me what the difference was between "Sponsorship" … and "Advertising"? A great question – and truth be told, sponsorship is really nothing more than a "kind" of advertising. After all, they both involve trading cash and/or in-kind "value" in exchange for commercial access to your customers and prospects. In that regard, a sponsorship isn't really all that different f...

Activation Tactic of the Week: Retail Sweeps

Are you looking for creative ways to leverage partnerships at retail? Are you looking for new ways to sway consumer buying behaviors? The Carolina Panthers have teamed up with Harris Teeter in 2009 to create a "Total Tailgate Sweepstakes" that will reward one (1) customer with an ultimate tailgate party for 20 people at the Panthers-Redskins game on October 11, 2009 at Bank of America Stadium....

Deal Flow 8-13-2009

Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation announced today that it has entered into a sponsorship agreement with the NFL Carolina Panthers, which includes the Company's signature products being available during all home games for the next three seasons. Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. will sponsor a three-person team that will compete in the Professional Bull Riders 2009 Built Ford Tough Series. Cooper ha...

Is Your Brand Invited to the Party?

No one likes it when someone comes to a party empty-handed. Despite lots of talk about activation, it seems there's still sponsors that are crashing the party. Sure they'll bring their logo, and in many cases, pay a lot of money to do so, but that's about it. They won't fit in. And even worse, some won't even try. What happens next? You guessed it. People start crying that sponsorship is...

Lakers to Celebrate Responsibly with 1800 Tequila

Proximo Spirits, Inc. and 1800 Tequila today became the first spirits company to sponsor the Los Angeles Lakers, allowed under a recent NBA ruling that now permits courtside spirits ads. "Our goal is to ensure that Lakers games are the most enjoyable and exciting games to watch," said Los Angeles Lakers Chief Marketing Officer Tim Harris. "Through this groundbreaking partnership, 1800 will pr...

The Deal's Not Done Until...

I want to share with you a short story about the importance of getting the paperwork completed after you land your sponsors… I ran into a good sponsor friend of mine a few years ago who shared with me a story that still has me shaking my head. Her employer, a well-known bank, had agreed to sponsor a professional ball club and went into the new season with high expectations for success. The neg...