MLS picks SendtoNews to boost digital content reach
March 27 – Video platform SendtoNews will exclusively distribute MLS highlights to local partners as the league seeks to boost its digital content footprint.
Football Marketing
Seat, Pelayo, and Sanitas renew deals with RFEF
March 25 – The Royal Spanish Fottball Federation (RFEF) has scored a hat trick of sponsorship renewals with Spanish carmaker Seat, insurance firm Pelayo, and private health clinic Sanitas all agreement extended terms.
England’s WSL lands Barclays as title sponsors in £10m deal
By Samindra Kunti
March 21 – In a landmark moment for English women’s football Barclays Bank signed a three-year, deal with the Women’s Super League. The top flight league will be rebranded as the Barclays FA Women’s Super League from next season.
PSG accues Evra of homophobia over ‘we’re men speaking’ post after UCL exit to Man Utd
March 21 – Ex-Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has denied he is homophobic after Paris Saint-Germain condemned what they say were insulting remarks aimed at the club by the former France captain.
France 2019 World Cup completes National Supporter line-up with Orange deal
March 20 – Women’s football is on a commercial roll. With nine nations confirmed as formally expressing interest to host the 2023 Women’s World Cup yesterday, the France 2019 Local and Organising Committee and FIFA have announced the sixth National Supporter sponsor for the World Cup to be played June 7 to July 7.
MLS spins the wheel with 4-year MGM betting partnership
March 19 – With the end to the prohibition of online sports betting in the US, sports now starting to see the licensing of digital gaming operators, sports bodies have been quick to seize the marketing and sponsorship opportunities.
Twitter secures broadcast deal for topflight Brazilian women’s matches
March 19 – The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has teamed up with social media platform Twitter in a broadcast deal for the Brazilian women’s top flight, the 2019 Campeonato Brasileiro de Futebol Feminino.
UEFA picks IMG to sell EURO 2020 hospitality for UK and Ireland
March 19 – UEFA, which last week issued a tender splitting its beer sponsor package into 12 pieces for the EURO 2020 championships, has these week awarded an exclusive sales agency contract to IMG to be its official hospitality sales agent for England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland.
UEFA splits Euro 2020 official Beer Partner tender 12 ways
March 15 – UEFA has launched a multi-opportunity tender to be the ‘Beer Partner’ of the 2020 Euros which will be played in 12 host cities across Europe.
Sharing Budweiser: Brewer adds England women to roster alongside men’s deal
March 15 – Budweiser has expanded its English football sponsorships becoming an Official Partner and the Official Beer of the England Women’s Football Team, a moniker it already holds for the men’s team.
AFC streaming of ACL reaches 1m in Saudi Arabia but now Saudi 24 channel joins piracy
By Paul Nicholson
March 13 – The streaming of the Asian Champions League match involving Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli Saudi away to Uzbekistan’s Pakhator was watched by close to 1 million people in Saudi Arabia on the AFC’s YouTube and Facebook Live channels.
Nike join VISA on UEFA Women’s Football partner roster in 5-year deal
March 13 – Nike has signed a five-year exclusive deal with UEFA Women’s Football to supply their ball to all UEFA women’s competitions and become an official partner of the Together #WePlayStrong campaign.
AFC step in to beIN/beoutQ broadcast row to stream Saudi ACL games on its digital channels
By Paul Nicholson
March 12 – Football fans in Saudi Arabia will be able to watch tonight’s Champions League match involving Al Ahli Saudi FC away to Uzbekistan’s Pakhator FC legally and without having to resort to beoutQ’s piracy of BeIN Sport’s broadcast.
Lucozade Sport sign first women’s team sponsorship as England ready for France 2019
March 8 – Lucozade Sport has signed its first sponsorship in women’s football as the official sports drinks and hydration partner of the England Women’s team ahead of the France 2019 World Cup.
Gatorade expands Man City deal to include women’s team
March 6 – Just as England were celebrating their tournament win in the SheBelieves Cup in the US, one England’s top women’s teams was welcoming a new sponsor partner with Gatorade becoming the Official Sports Nutrition Partner of Manchester City Women.