BodyArmor expands MLS deal with 19 club partnerships
January 16 – Sports drink BodyArmor has expanded its partnership within Major League Soccer, announcing it now has ties with 19 of the MLS’s clubs.
Football Marketing
New launch LaLigaTV adds Virgin to Sky distribution and 11m+ market potential
January 15 – The new LaLigaTV channel that launched this week on the Sky TV platform in the UK as a standalone service has now added the Virgin Media cable platform to its distribution. The channel now has access to a potential 11.7 million subscription market in the UK.
Fanatiz raises $10m from 777 Partners to roll out streaming service beyond Americas
January 15 – The investor rush to secure positions in technology companies and applications that are changing the football business, and the broadcast business in particular, has seen another investment in a streaming service.
Bundesliga teams with Amazon to game-change fan experiences, starting this weekend
January 14 – Amazon is developing in the football space as more than just a rights buyer for big league football. Germany’s Bundesliga has announced Amazon Web Services (AWS), as its official technology provider.
English FA to review TV deal after Bet365 restricts viewing to those with a bet placed
January 9 – English football authorities have agreed to review their decision to allow broadcast rights for FA Cup games to be sold for streaming by betting companies after critics warned the arrangement could encourage gambling.
BeIN scores twice with Euro 2020 rights in France and US distribution deal
By Paul Nicholson
January 9 – It has been a good week so far for Qatar-based broadcaster BeIN Sports who have secured the rights in France to the UEFA 2020 European Championships, while in the US expanding its free service, BeIN Sports Xtra, on to the HC2 Broadcasting platform.
Advertising regulator orders Betway to pull video featuring West Ham starlet Declan Rice
January 9 – The UK’s Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) has ordered Betway to drop a video promotion that it deems to be advertising and in breach of advertising regulations.
Man City lands global appliance giant Midea as sponsor partner
January 8 – Premier League Manchester City has unveiled a new global partnership with consumer appliances manufacturer Midea.
Liverpool seal £70m+ kit deal with Nike
January 7 – Liverpool have formally announced that Nike will become the club’s official supplier from the start of the next season when the current New Balance deal ends.
Fiorentina and Genuino innovate with blockchain chipped shirt product
January 7 – Serie A’s Fiorentina have set a blockchain-meets-football first with each of the club’s playing shirts to be inserted with a dedicated chip that can be tracked and will prevent counterfeiting.
GFA cracks down on ‘illegal’ bookies offering markets on Ghana Premier League
January 6 – New Ghana Football Association (GFA) president Kurt Okraku has acted swiftly to crackdown on the illegal betting markets being offered by bookmakers on the country’s Premier League (GPL), threatening legal action.
PSV poised to swap Umbro for Puma in €40m+ deal
January 6 – The ink now appears to be drying on the new Puma deal with Dutch club PSV Eindhoven that will begin with the 2020-21 season and sees the German sportswear giant take over from Umbro as the club’s kit supplier.
Tanzania’s Simba club launches payment card with Equity Bank
By Osasu Obayiuwana
December 20 – In what is a unique drive, in African football, to increase revenue, leading Tanzanian club Simba has launched its own bank payment card. They hope to raise a minimum of $10 million through the deal.
Game over for Ozil in China as Netease removes him from PES 2020 video title
December 20 – Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil who tweeted about China’s detention and persecution of Uighurs and other Muslims in the Xinjiang province, has been removed from the Chinese edition of Konami’s PES 2020 video game.
Liverpool adds cyber storage partner to sponsorship portfolio
December 20 – Premier league Liverpool has added cyber storage company Acronis to its sponsorship roster in what is described as a multi-year partnership. No value was given for the deal.