December 15 – The International Champions Cup (ICC) – the growing pre-season tournament that sees many of Europe’s elite clubs compete in a semi-formal club competition around the world in showcase matches – has signed tourism marketing body Visit Orlando in a multi-year partnership.
By Paul Nicholson
December 14 – The timing is interesting, if not ironically amusing. In the week that three former chairman of the English Football Association and two former chief executives wrote to parliament saying the governing body was not fit to govern, Nike confirmed it has extended its partnership with the FA for an additional 12 years through to 2030.
December 13 – Manchester United has unveiled digital music platform Deezer as its exclusive music streaming partner in a global deal.
December 12 – At Manchester City they call it ale, and if you want one in the Etihad stadium it will be a Heineken brand. The Dutch brewer have renewed their 20-year beer and cider sponsorship of the club for an undisclosed term or amount.
December 8 – Hannover 96, battling to return to former glory and the Bundesliga’s top tier, has renewed its main sponsorship with house builder Heinz von Heiden Massivhäuser.
December 7 – Nike is set to extend its kit deal with England for a further 12 years. The deal with the FA is said to be worth £400 million and is a small increase on the previous deal.
December 2 – Manchester City have added Chinese-based mobile phone brand, TECNO Mobile, as a new global partner. Described as a multi-year deal, no amount for the sponsorship was announced.
December 1 – Spain’s LaLiga has added another new global sponsor. Although no amount was announced for the deal, La Liga said it now expected to earn €70 million from sponsorship this year, more than double its annual sales of previous years.
November 23 – Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven have signed online trading company iFOREX as their Official Sponsor and Official Trading Partner, no figure has been released for the deal.
November 17 – The rumour was that it would be a Chinese sponsor but in the end it was Japan’s Rakuten that signed up as FC Barcelona’s new main global partner in a four-year €220 million deal that could rise with bonuses.
November 17 – Paris St. Germain have signed an official partnership with Swedish telecom Ericsson that will see the company provide the club with a suite of solutions and services that will revamp the digital experience for fans.
November 11 – Rumours have intensified that Barcelona are close to announcing a new main sponsor who will replace Qatar Airways on the front of the club’s shirt. The deal is expected to be announced next month, but the identity of the new sponsor is still a secret.
November 12 – The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has partnered with the country’s leading train operator Trenitalia in an official sponsorship that will see the train operator transport all national teams to home matches.
November 9 – Manchester City has added financial trading platform iTrader.com as a sponsor partner for Europe, the Middle East and Africa in what the club is calling a multi-year deal.
November 4 – LaLiga has announced a three year sponsorship with the Hacienda y Viñedos Marques del Atrio winery that sees the Marques del Atrio brand as the league’s official wine partner across its three divisions.