By Paul Nicholson
August 17 – What a difference a year makes in the Premier League Twitter world. Both Arsenal and Chelsea had more followers than Manchester United at start of last year but now the Manchester giants have taken a substantial lead.
August 17 – Konami Digital Entertainment has signed a deal with Liverpool for the video game maker’s Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 that will see the club’s players digitally reproduced in its newest game to be released September 13/14.
August 16 – Manchester City is continuing to set the pace in the digital media space, with its latest move being a content deal with India’s VEQTA to broadcast content on its sports platform.
August 16 – MLS team LA Galaxy has signed a multi-year partnership with Virtual Reality firm Laduma to create original 360-degree 3D VR content experiences around the club and its star players.
August 16 – William Hill has agreed a three-year title sponsorship of The Football Writers’ Association (FWA), taking over from Barclays Bank after 15 years as the organisation’s principal supporter.
August 15 – Roma’s proposed Stadio della Roma may not have started its build yet but it does have management consultants contracted, emphasising AS Roma’s American president Jim Pallota’s ambition for the club to build a new home in what is a challenging local construction environment.
August 15 – Premier League Stoke City has stepped up its push into Arabic markets with the appointment of KingFut as the club’s official digital media partner.
August 12 – Premier League Crystal Palace have added a third new sponsor partner in time for the start of the season this weekend. New Amsterdam Vodka has become the club’s Official Vodka Partner.
August 12 – Will he stick to his promise? Halfway through last season, as Leicester City, 5000 to 1 outsiders at the start of the campaign, looked like they might win the English Premier League title, former England striker and BBC television presenter Gary Lineker boldly proclaimed that he would appear in his underpants at the start of this season’s campaign if his beloved Foxes somehow went go all the way.
August 12 – Another Premier League club has announced an Asia-Pacific regional betting sponsorship. Online sportsbook Tempobet has become an Official Regional Betting Partner of Manchester City.
August 10 – Hard on the heels of its announcement of an estimated £85 million sponsorship of the Premier League as a ‘Lead Partner’, EA Sports has followed up with confirmation that it has concluded a deal with the Premier League’s biggest club, Manchester United.
August 10 – Premier League West Ham United have announced a three-year partnership with American destination marketing firm, Experience Kissimmee. The Florida-based firm will be the club’s Official Destination Partner starting this season.
August 10 – Online bookmaker FUN88 has returned as a Tottenham Hotspur sponsor in a two-year deal after having taken a two-year break from the club.
By Paul Nicholson
August 9 – The Premier League has been cleared to continue its UK broadcast rights sales after regulator Ofcom closed an investigation into how live rights are sold and whether the auction system restricted or distorted competition.
August 9 – The Premier League has announced video game maker EA Sports as a new Lead Partner in a three-year deal that significantly expands its current partnership with league.