Schalke to put payment chip in AllyouneedFresh sleeve sponsorship
May 19 – German Bundesliga club Schalke 04 will have an integrated chip in its replica shirts next season allowing fans to pay for services in the Veltins-Arena.
Sponsorship
Everton confirm record SportPesa deal, as online gambler bases Euro HQ in Liverpool
May 17 – Everton have confirmed SportPesa as the club’s new shirt sponsor in a five-year deal that chief executive Robert Elstone said is the biggest deal in the club’s history.
FUN88 take over from Wonga as Newcastle United shirt sponsor
May 16 – Newly promoted Newcastle United are swapping shirt sponsors with pay day loans company Wonga making way for online bookmaker and casino FUN88 in a three-year deal.
Everton toast Chang with new deal but clear shirt front for SportPesa
May 12 – Premier League Everton have cleared the way for the announcement of a new shirt sponsor after the club unveiled current sponsor Chang was shifting over to a new three-year community partnership.
Qatar Airways flys to rescue of FIFA’s ailing sponsorship programme with 2022 deal
May 7 – On the eve of the week of their Congress in Bahrain FIFA have signed a new airline sponsor. Qatar Airways becomes Official Partner and the Official Airline of FIFA in a sponsorship deal that will take through to 2022 when their home country hosts the World Cup.
Labrokes set to double up on Scottish League sponsorship
May 1 – The timing could perhaps have been better with Joey Barton having just received an 18-month ban for betting on football matches, but the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) is poised to announce an extension of its naming rights sponsorship with bookmaker Ladbrokes.
SportPesa bets on La Liga to grow brand and stimulate talent in Africa
April 27 – Kenyan-based online gaming firm SportPesa has expanded its football sponsorships in Europe becoming the official African betting partner of Spain’s La Liga in a three-year deal.
KPN upgrades Eredvisie deal to main sponsorship with focus on TV connections
April 24 – The Dutch Eredvisie has signed telecommunications operator KPN in a four-year deal as the league’s main sponsor from the start of next season.
Conforama signs €10m title sponsorship with France’s Ligue 1
April 21 – European furniture retail chain Conforama has signed a three-year title sponsorship with France’s Ligue 1. The deal, reportedly worth €10 million a season, will start with the 2017-18 championship and run though to the end of 2019-20.
Man City Women recruit Hays as official sponsor partner
April 21 – The trend towards recognising the Women’s club game in England as a sponsorship opportunity at club level and separate to the mens team, is continuing with double title winning side Manchester City Women signing Hays as their Official Recruitment Partner. This follows the deal unveiled earlier in the week when Liverpool’s Women’s team announced Avon as their shirt sponsor.
Liverpool break new ground with Avon sponsorship of women’s team
April 20 – Liverpool Ladies Football Club have signed Avon as the women’s team shirt sponsor, the first time the shirt sponsorship has been sold separately to the men’s shirt sponsorship which is currently held by Standard Chartered.
Real Madrid dial in Telefónica for a 2-year €15m deal
March 30 – Spanish telecom giant Telefónica is partnering with Real Madrid as both brands seek to maximise their leading positions at home and abroad.
Vauxhall to park its lead sponsorships of British nations after Russia 2018 finals
March 29 – Vauxhall is to end its sponsorship deals with the four British nations of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland at the end of the 2018 World Cup, when its current agreements expire.
Inter Milan drives deeper into China with SWM sponsorship deal
March 21 – Italy’s Internazionale have signed car manufacturer SWM Motors as an official partner with the company’s SWM X7 becoming the Official Car of F.C. Internazionale for the Greater China area.
Nexen and Man City tread new path with first Premier League shirt sleeve sponsorship
March 17 – Manchester City have become the first Premier League club to sign a sleeve sponsorship for next season when the league relaxes its branding exposure rules.