Man City greenlight Unilumin LED deal
January 25 – Manchester City has signed a global partnership with Chinese LED displays solution provider Unilumin Sports, focussed on its pitchside LED solutions.
Football Marketing
Seven League digital report predicts key trends for 2021
January 22 – Digital sports consultancy Seven League has released the third annual edition of its ‘seven key trends’ report that focuses on key areas of impact it expects to see in the digital sports landscape in 2021.
Roll-on end to lockdown. Everton agree ticket and travel partnership
January 21 – With hopes for an end to lockdown seemingly high in the north-west of England, Premier League Everton have agreed a multi-year deal with Clarity Sports to become the club’s new Official Team & Business Travel Partner and Match Break partner.
Montreal says its new French club name will have more impact
January 20 – Canada’s MLS franchise based in Montreal will start the 2021 season with a new name, changing its 28-year moniker from Montreal Impact Club de Foot Montréal (CF Montréal).
Chinese TV channel countersues Premier League for $116m over broken contract
January 20 – In an escalation of a Covid-19 dispute, Chinese broadcaster PPLive Sports International has countersued the English Premier League for failing to live up to the terms of its contract.
AC Milan to go crypto with upcoming Fan Token launch
January 19 – Serie A’s AC Milan has become the latest club commit to blockchain driven cryptocurrency fan tokens, saying that it will launch the $ACM Fan Token on Socios.com in the coming weeks.
Serie A hedges its bets as it hunts for funds with Middle East broadcast tender
By Paul Nicholson
January 15 – Serie A, who are in the final stages of hiving off their commercial rights to venture capitalist CVC for $1.7 billion, will have an early test of that value with the league having issued a tender for the broadcast rights for the Middle East and Africa.
LFP to issue new domestic TV tender as it frantically looks to replace Canal+ deal
January 18 – The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) is to issue a new tender for French domestic TV rights after broadcaster Canal+ returned its Ligue 1 media rights to the LFP.
Hummel agree 5-year Saints deal as Under Armour exits early
January 18 – Premier League Southampton have ended their kit deal with US firm Under Armour three seasons early in favour of a new partnership with Danish sportswear brand, hummel.
Spurs’ favourite Son opens up Korean Twitter platform
January 18 – English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur have launched a new Twitter account in South Korea to further engage its growing fanbase in the homeland of the club’s star forward and Korean captain, Heung-Min Son.
Sportradar picks up official AFC data rights in 8-year deal
January 14 – Sportradar has taken over as the official video and data distribution partner for the Asian Football Confederation’s national and club competitions, in an eight-year agreement running from 2021 to 2028.
French league crisis deepens as Canal+ hands rights back saying league is ‘devalued’
January 13 – In another major blow to French football, broadcaster Canal+ will return the Ligue 1 media rights to the LFP, demanding a new tender is issued.
Ziggo rolls over Ajax shirt sponsorship deal
January 12 – Dutch cable operator Ziggo has added another year to its shirt sponsorship of Ajax with an option to extend until 2025.
Cinch looks for traffic as it parks logo on Spurs’ sleeve
January 8 – Tottenham Hotspur have unveiled a multi-year deal for their first sleeve sponsorship. Online car retail platform cinch will become the club’s Official Sleeve Partner, starting with this weekend’s matches.
Apollon FC gives crypto Fan Token holders right to pick next season’s kit
January 8 – Cypriot top flight club Apollon FC are giving their fans the opportunity to vote on the club’s Puma kit for the 2021/22 season. Earlier this season the club gave the fans the chance to select the starting 11 for a friendly against Aris Limassol.