Dubai banks on power of Messi to ramp up global buy-in to World Expo 2020
By Mark Baber
January 14 – Lionel Messi has been announced as the first Global Ambassador for Dubai’s World Expo, taking on a role as a champion for Expo 2020 Dubai.
Football Marketing
Liverpool gets emoticon-al with global Skype partnership
January 13 – Supporting Liverpool is clearly an emotional experience as the club agonisingly battles to return to former domestic glories and trophies. In a city that wears its emotions very high on its sleeve, Kopites now can add a LFC emoticon to their Skype communications following a new partnership.
DFS’ high stakes game continues in NY as court lets the ‘fantasy’ play on
By Paul Nicholson
January 12 – The daily fantasy sports (DFS) operators have been given permission to continue operations following a decision by a panel of four judges from the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court to grant a further stay while a case against DraftKings and FanDuel is being reviewed.
EZTrader bets higher with new Spurs partnership
January 12 – Tottenham Hotspur have announced EZTrader as its Official Binary Options Trading Partner. Spurs are the sixth football club partner for the binary options broker.
Man Utd top Xmas Twitter table but still have gap to close on Arsenal
By Paul Nicholson
January 8 – The last two weeks have seen a huge amount of tweeting by Premier League clubs who, combined, averaged just over 7,000 tweets a week compared to an average of about 4,500 tweets a week, in the four weeks leading up to Christmas.
Liberian FA and sports minister get lines crossed in cellphone turf war
By Mark Baber
January 7 – The Liberian Football Association (LFA)and the country’s sports minister are at loggerheads after the minister Lenn Eugene Nagbe entered into a sponsorship arrangement with LoneStar Cell/MTN the rival to Cellcom GSM, the LFA’s partner and apparently holder of sole rights to sponsorship of football-related activities at LFA stadiums.
Fluminense to launch Dryworld in Brazil after dropping Adidas deal
By Samindra Kunti
January 7 – Rio-based club Fluminense have teamed up with sportswear manufacturer Dryworld in a five-year kit supply deal.
Man Utd switch on MUTV in China with Sina Sports
January 7 – Manchester United is to launch its dedicated TV channel in China with Sina Sports. The multi-year deal is exclusive to Sina Sports.
Spanish opt for giant Vizrt video wall to boost TV talk show
January 6 – In the battle to bring innovative broadcast technology to football, Canal+ in Spain has turned to Norweigan company Vizrt to revamp the look and feel of its popular ‘Mucho Más Deporte’ (Much More Sports) show.
Sponsor power? Adidas CEO puts his predator boot into Man Utd playing style
By Mark Baber
January 5 – Herbert Hainer has excited world-wide attention after the Adidas boss criticised the playing style of Manchester United – the club with whom he signed a world record £75m a year kit deal in 2014.
New frontier? Daily Fantasy gaming facing muddled future as NY ruling awaited
By Paul Nicholson
January 5 – The daily fantasy sports (DFS) business that has taken the US fantasy gaming market by storm and is preparing for entries into the European football market, is facing a defining moment this week in the New York courts as to whether it will be allowed to continue.
Liverpool’s Barnes leads final week of Premier League carnival in Tianjin, China
January 5 – China’s Super Sports is now 30 days into its 38-day English Premier League ‘carnival’. The Chinese broadcast rights holder has been promoting the league and its clubs with events focussed in the Aegean Shopping Mall based in Tianjin.
PSG lands 13 million Youtube views with Ooredoo campaign
January 4 – Paris St-Germain partner Ooredoo has announced a recent digital promotion generated more than 13 million Youtube views. The promotion, a fan competition, culminated with the sending of 15 winners to Qatar to meet the players and watch a friendly match between Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain on December 30 at Qatar’s Al Sadd Stadium.
Santos land Royal Maroc deal to ease financial pressure
By Samindra Kunti
December 21 – Santos have signed a sponsorship agreement with Royal Air Maroc as the club seeks financial stability next season.
The BIG show: FIFA’s World Cup showcases beat TV records worldwide
By Paul Nicholson
December 21 – FIFA has released more record breaking TV numbers for both for its men’s and women’s world cups – a poignant reminder of the popularity of the world’s favorite event as US justice authorities reiterate their crusade against football corruption on their own continent and their thinly veiled objective of bringing down world governing body FIFA.