Announcements

CNO Changes Course with Monumental Marathon Sponsorship Deal
Indianapolis Business Journal, June 02, 2016
CNO Financial Group Inc. announced Thursday it has signed a three-year deal to be the title sponsor of the fast-growing Indianapolis Monumental Marathon... More

Theme Parks Welcome More Sponsors, But Going Overboard Can Turn Guests Off
Los Angeles Times, May 21, 2016
When Walt Disney opened his famed Anaheim park back in 1955, he turned to corporate sponsors to keep construction and operation costs under budget... More

Pepsi Presents Old Faithful? Not So Fast, Says Park Service
National Geographic, May 16, 2016
The NPS says a proposed policy change has been blown out of proportion, but questions remain about how the parks should raise money... More

Interview with John Kristick, Global Chief Executive, ESP Properties
SportBusiness, May 03, 2016
Last year, the WPP-owned advertising company Group M, launched the rights holder-facing ESP Properties under its new global agency brand, ESP... More

Lowdown: A-B InBev Dives Deeper Into Country Music
Advertising Age, April 20, 2016
Bud is going country. The King of Beers today announced the "Budweiser Country Club," a three-level structure that will be erected at four live country music events this summer, starting with Stagecoach Festival in Indio, Calif., in late April... More

NBA Jersey Sponsorships Open Door for Other Leagues
Wall Street Journal, April 15, 2016
Brand logos are coming to the uniforms of National Basketball Association players, raising questions about whether other professional U.S. sports like baseball and football will eventually follow suit... More

White Sox Sign with Coke after 15-year Run with Pepsi
Crain’s Chicago Business, April 04, 2016
Chicago White Sox fans will be sipping Coca-Cola products at games beginning this season after 15 years of drinking Pepsi on the South Side... More

North American Soccer Sponsorship Up Over 9% This Year
MediaPost, March 23, 2016
Brands are expected to spend $333 million sponsoring Major League Soccer, U.S. Soccer and other North American soccer leagues, teams and events this year — up 9.2% from 2015... More

More Companies Sponsor Performers to Boost Brands and Music Industry
The Wall Street Journal, March 15, 2016
This week Gwen Stefani will be in Tokyo to play a rare concert without her band, No Doubt, for one of the most privileged new fan clubs: MasterCard holders... More

Non-Sponsors with Olympic Dreams Must Beat March 27 Deadline
adage.com, March 02, 2016
The Summer Olympics are still more than five months away. But new sponsorship regulations mean advertisers could soon be rushing Olympic ads into market at a pace that would make Usain Bolt jealous... More

Here's Where the Bulls Can Now Promote Their Brand
chicagobusiness.com, March 01, 2016
Chicago Bulls fans in Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and throughout the state of Illinois may start seeing and hearing more from the team thanks to a tweaked NBA rule about where franchises can market themselves... More

MLB's Turn At Bat Has Partners In Full Swing
mediapost.com, February 23, 2016
It's not even spring, but the Boys of Summer are making plans to activate for the 2016 season... More

Winner Of Red Wings Arena Naming Rights Nets Brand Recognition
crainsdetroit.com, February 14, 2016
Speculation on who will put their name on the new Detroit Red Wings arena, and just how much they'll pay, is in overdrive after it was announced that a naming-rights deal is done and will be unveiled within a month or two... More

Gatorade Leads Endurance Sports Sponsorships
mediapost.com, February 12, 2016
There’s gold in sports sponsorships, and not only in the big three-letter sports leagues. Endurance sports are key opportunities, and brands spend accordingly, per IEG research... More

Peyton Manning's Budweiser Plugs, Explained
foxbusiness.com, February 08, 2016
Peyton Manning is getting more attention on Monday for his beer preferences than he is for winning Super Bowl 50. The Denver Broncos quarterback’s postgame plugs for Anheuser-Busch’s Budweiser brand generated a torrent of skepticism on social media, as critics mulled over whether Manning’s thirst was financially-motivated... More

From Official Concrete Mix To Official Sausage, Panthers Sponsors Enjoying The Ride
charlotteobserver.com, February 04, 2016
The Carolina Panthers have an official grocery store, an official sausage brand, even an official concrete mix... More

Global Sponsorship Dollars Will Reach $60 Billion In 2016
MAD Mediapost Agency Daily, January 14, 2016
Global sponsorship spending is projected to grow nearly 5% in 2016 to $60.2 billion, according to a new forecast from sponsorship specialist IEG, part of WPP’s ESP Properties... More

BattleFrog Takes Over As Fiesta Bowl Sponsor
The Republic / azcentral.com, December 04, 2015
BattleFrog, a new and relatively obscure host of obstacle course events, is taking over the corporate sponsorship of the Fiesta Bowl, at least for a year... More

A-B InBev Extends NBA Sponsorship, Gains Content Rights
Advertising Age, December 01, 2015
Anheuser-Busch InBev will keep its stranglehold on major American sports league sponsorships after extending its NBA deal for another four years... More

WPP's Sports Division ESP Tapped To Find New Sponsor For U.K.'s Great Run Series
SportsBusiness Daily, November 24, 2015
WPP’s new sports division ESP has been charged with finding a new sponsor for one of the U.K.’s most high-profile mass participation events and believes that tapping into WPP’s large pool of resources coupled with its “data-driven” approach will spell a new dawn in sport sponsorship... More

How The Bulls Are Cashing In On Their Global Fan Base
Crain’s Chicago Business, November 21, 2015
Michael Jordan is still making money for the Chicago Bulls. Seventeen years after the basketball superstar last laced up his Nikes in Chicago, the Bulls are cashing in on his legacy, signing foreign sponsors that still associate His Airness with the team... More

Nissan Goes Big With College Sports in New Sponsorship Deal
AdAge.com, November 06, 2015
Nissan has locked down sponsorships for 100 colleges and universities -- from the University of Alabama to the University of Wisconsin -- in what the automaker is calling the "widest-reaching sponsorship in the history of collegiate sports.".. More

'Paid Patriotism' At NFL Games Blasted In Senate Report
CNN Money, November 03, 2015
The report, released Wednesday by Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake, criticized the practice, which it called "paid patriotism." It said the Defense Department shouldn't have spent the money, and teams in the NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball and other leagues shouldn't have accepted it... More

Kia Ads On NBA's All-Star Jerseys Pave The Way For Brands During Regular Season
Advertising Age, November 03, 2015
When the NBA All-Star game tips off on Valentine's Day, Kia's logo will appear closer to the heart of players than perhaps any in-game ad in pro basketball history — right around the upper left chest, to be exact... More

Here's What The Bears Got In The Lucas Museum Deal
Crain’s Chicago Business, October 29, 2015
The Chicago Bears may be giving up the their south parking lot to the planned Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, but the city is making it worth their while... More