Man City targets US youth with SkillCity app and a round the world prize
October 3 – Manchester City has unveiled details for the final of its skills challenge app, SkillCity, targeted at 5-14 year olds.
Football Marketing
Mexican stand-off: Televisa and TV Azteca renew rights but rival bidders protest
October 2 – The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) has defended its tender for the rights of the Mexican national team after a controversial extension with broadcaster Televisa and TV Azteca.
Star Beer unveiled as official partner at Chelsea
October 2 – Nigerian brewer Star Lager has added Chelsea to its growing roster of football club partners. As well as the Premier League champions, Star have deals with Arsenal, Manchester City, Juventus, Real Madrid, Paris St. Germain and Barcelona.
Perform IMG $1.4bn joint bid wins Conmebol club competition rights
By Mark Baber
September 29 – A joint IMG/Perform joint bid has won the commercial rights to South American confederation Conmebol’s continental club competitions – the Copa Liberatores, Copa Sudamericana and the Recopa – along with several other tournaments.
Premier League’s big six clubs demand bigger share of overseas TV cash
September 29 – In what is perhaps a sign of the times in football’s monied circles, the Premier League’s big six clubs are demanding a larger share of the new international television deals that will start in 2019. In the current three-year cycle clubs earn an equal £39 million annually from the aggregate £3 billion deal.
PES breaks new ground with UEFA, signing as official eSports competition
September 28 – Konami has signed a deal with UEFA Champions League to make its PES League World Tour 2018 the official UEFA Champions League eSports competition.
Nottingham Forest given boost with Healthspan partnership
September 26 – Championship club Nottingham Forest have signed a one-year partnership with vitamins and supplements manufacturer Healthspan.
SCG pitch-in with enhanced partnership at expanding USL
September 26 – American second tier league the USL has named SCG Fields as the Official Field Builder. SCG will be an official supplier for the United Soccer League, USL’s Division III, the Premier Development League (PDL) and the Super Y League.
China’s Super Sports grabs Nations League as LeSports has strategy rethink
September 25 – UEFA has wasted no time securing its first media deals for its newly announced Nations League competition with China’s Super Sports Media stepping up to acquire exclusive digital media rights to the competition in China for the 2018-19 and 2020-21 editions of the competition.
Real Madrid hits €70m with Emirates deal as revenue breaks records
September 22- Real Madrid have renewed their shirt sponsorship deal with Dubai airline Emirates in a record value deal taking them through to the end of the 2020/21 season.
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.
Coke signs FIFA 18 virtual athlete Alex Hunter as brand ambassador
By Paul Nicholson
September 21 – FIFA sponsor Coca-Cola has teamed up with FIFA 18 video gamemaker EA Sports to sign Alex Hunter as a brand ambassador in advance of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Don’t bother trying to work out who Hunter plays for, he only exists as a virtual athlete in the FIFA 18 game.
LA Galaxy support H20 Claro campaign to its core Hispanic communities
September 20 – MLS side LA Galaxy have linked with the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) to promote the charity’s ‘H20 Claro’ campaign to Hispanic communities in Los Angeles.
Montagliani takes lead at FIFA Ticketing for Russia 2018 World Cup
By Paul Nicholson
September 19 – It is one of the most important positions in FIFA if done correctly, and in the past one of the most corrupted. FIFA has appointed CONCACAF president and FIFA vice president, Victor Montagliani as chairman of FIFA Ticketing AG, the FIFA subsidiary that controls and administers the global sale of tickets for the World Cup.
App(y) days – transfer window opens big opportunities for fan engagement
September 19 – Stats from app creator RightNow Digital indicate that the transfer window offers clubs a big opportunity to engage with their fans. In 2017 there was a 300% increase in fan app activity.