E-commerce platform AliExpress joins Euro 2024 partner roster
March 28 – Online retail marketplace AliExpress, part of China’s e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, has been unveiled as an official partner of Euro 2024.
Football Marketing
Premier League brings VR developer Rezzil in-house with 4-year deal and stake in business
March 28 – The Premier League has agreed a four-year partnership with virtual reality (VR) software developer Rezzil to develop a VR game which is expected to be launched later this year.
Aston Villa agree £40m Betano deal taking them to deadline for end of betting sponsorships
March 27 – Betano has been named the new shirt sponsor of Premier League Aston Villa in a two-year deal worth £20 million per season.
Real Madrid and Man City out-smart each other ahead of UCL showdown
March 26 – Designer brands are elbowing their way into touchline fashion as Real Madrid and Manchester City pen new designer deals to keep the football world in style ahead of their quarter final clash in April.
Turkish FA signs 4-year retail deal with 11teamsports Group
March 26 – The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has signed an exclusive four-year retail partnership with 11teamsports Group.
LaLiga passes 10m subs on YouTube
March 25 – La Liga EA Sports has become the first football league to reach 10 million subscribers on YouTube, collecting the prestigious diamond play button trophy to mark the milestone.
Romanians dress up for Euro 2024
March 25 – The Romanian Football Federation (FRF) and Romanian fashion brand Bigotti have signed a partnership agreement until the end 2027. Bigotti becomes the official partner of the Romanian national football team, announced FRF.
Three stripes are out after 70-year run as Nike swoosh in for DFB deal
March 22 – The German FA (DFB) will drop Adidas for Nike as a kit supplier, bringing to an end a seven-decades-long partnership with the Bavaria-based sportswear giant.
Malaysia Airlines agrees global multi-year sponsorship with Man Utd
March 22 – Premier League Manchester United have agreed a multi-year global partnership Malaysia Airlines who become the club’s official commercial airline.
AWS extends DFL partnership deeper into generative AI
March 21 – Amazon Web Services (AWS), the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga Official Technology Provider, has expanded its partnership to become the Official Generative AI Provider of the DFL.
Newcastle to launch digital trading cards and collectibles on Quidd marketplace
March 21 – Premier League Newcastle United are launching a digital trading card on the Quidd platform, Animoca Brands’ digital collectibles and NFT marketplace. The first cards will be released later this month and will grow to more than 200.
French league takes control of its IP with development of blockchain-based fantasy game
March 19 – Blockchain and crypto specialists Chiliz has entered into a strategic partnership with game studio Unagi and the French Professional Football League (LFP) to launch fantasy football Coach Ligue 1, the first time a league has developed their own game.
Europe’s sponsorship market hits €30.9bn record
March 15 – European sponsorship has surged to €30.9 billion, marking a return to pre-pandemic levels, according to the latest research by the European Sponsorship Association (ESA) in collaboration with Nielsen Sports.
Albanian FA revamps packages in hunt for new national team sponsorship
March 13 – The Albanian Football Federation (FSHF) has increased efforts in looking for sponsors and partners for the country’s national team, issuing an open invitation to join a revamped sponsorship programme.
Betano build on Romanian Cup deal with 6-year extension
March 12 – The Romanian Football Federation (FRF) and online bookmaker Betano, part of Kaizen Gaming, have extended their strategic partnership until 2030, becoming the brand’s longest partnership globally.