AC Milan divorce Adidas after 20 years, Puma poised to take over kit deal
October 26 – After almost 20 years AC Milan have agreed with Adidas to end their technical sponsorship deal early at the end of the 2017/18 season.
Sponsorship
Booking.com checks in with UEFA for 4-year national competitions deal
October 19 – Booking.com has become the UEFA’s official accommodation booking partner for national team football competitions in a four-year global deal running from 2018 to 2022.
Nike hot foots Portugal extension as trans-Atlantic battle with Adidas heats up
By Mark Baber
October 12 – Nike and the Portuguese Football Federation have extended their long-term partnership until 2024. No value was announced for the deal.
Arsenal score upgraded deal with Konami and PES
October 11 – Arsenal have turned their in-game license agreement with video game PES (Pro Evolution Soccer) into an official partnership with the game’s maker Konami Digital Entertainment.
El Corte Inglés signs on for one-year sponsorship journey with La Liga
October 10 – Spain’s LaLiga has added another top tier sponsor partner for the Spanish market. El Corte Inglés has signed a one-year deal for LaLiga’s top two divisions.
Le Graët tickled pink with new Orange deal for national teams
October 6 – The French Football Federation (FFF) has upgraded its deal with Orange who become a major sponsor of the national mens and womens teams in a four-year deal staring in 2018.
Burnley tee-off late with Golf Clash sleeve sponsorship
October 3 – Seven matches into the Premier League season sponsors are still mopping up the newly created sleeve sponsorship positions on club shirts with Burnley being the latest to announce the ‘Golf Clash’ mobile game as their new partner.
Saints build their Asian profile adding Brickhill as forex partner
September 22 – Premier League Southampton have announced Brickhill Capital as the club’s official Asian Trading Partner in a two-year deal.
An Angry Bird on both arms, Everton announce video game as first sleeve sponsor
September 19 – Everton’s announcement of video game Angry Birds as its first sleeve sponsor turned into a social media gift Monday as the club’s returned child progidy Wayne Rooney was convicted of drunk driving. Twitter was buzzing with comment on the irony.
Nissan drives hard for Asia and innovation with Champions League renewal
By Paul Nicholson
September 11 – With the first round of Champions League fixtures kicking off this week, Japan’s motor company Nissan has confirmed a three-year extension to its global sponsorship, taking it through to the end of the 2020/21 season.
MRF scores hat-trick of Newcastle, West Ham and West Brom sleeve sponsorships
September 9 – Indian tyre brand MRF has signed a hat-trick of sleeve sponsorships in the Premier League signing Newcastle United, West Ham United, and West Bromwich Albion in one-season deals taking them through to May 2018.
Brighton debut with JD sports as first sleeve sponsor
September 8 – Sports fashion retailer JD has become the first shirt sleeve sponsor of Premier League new boys Brighton & Hove Albion in an initial one season deal. No value was given for the sponsorship.
Chinese change Inter Milan ‘culture’ bringing in bwin as first betting partner
By Mark Baber
September 1 – Inter Milan’s long refusal to get entangled with betting companies is now at an end as the Chinese-owned club has signed online bookmaker bwin as its first official betting partner.
Aguero, Kane, Pobga and Lindelof in one-on-one challenges with NFL stars
August 30 – Premier League or NFL, who has the bigger, better, faster, most skilful athletes? Whistle Sports in partnership with the NFL have picked up the challenge to find out via a series of tests that pits the athletes against each other.
Mansion go all-in with Bournemouth adding sleeve to shirt front sponsorship
August 30 – Premier League Bournemouth’s main sponsor Mansion has extended its deal with the club to include the sleeve sponsorship position. The club played with the new logo on its sleeve for the first time last weekend against Manchester City.