LAST WEEK TODAY: BIG NEWS ALL AROUND

MISSING SPONSORSHIP NEWS?

Check out the blog every Monday for a weekly roundup of the past week's most exciting and industry-altering news. These stories cover November 12-18, 2018.

It was a big week for big news. Some weeks, we have trouble finding the stories that interest you - not because we don't know what you want to read, but because nothing of note happened in sponsorship or experiential marketing activation that week. This was not one of those weeks; we have title sponsorship and naming rights stories, we have stories from emerging industries in sponsorship, we have brands overcoming obstacles, we have major sponsorship brand shifts: we basically have it all. Check it out.

1. Two title sponsorship deals were announced over the past week, both in NCAA sports:
   • Globe Life was named the title sponsor of Conference USA's Football Championship. That game will take place on December 1. The brand is also now the conference's official insurance partner.
   • Meanwhile in Chicago, UIC found a title sponsor for UIC Pavilion in Credit Union 1.
2. Broadcast and/or streaming also found itself in the news:
   • Continuing the expanding sports betting trend, MSG Networks has signed a deal with William Hill specifically relating to New Jersey Devils broadcasts.
   • At the MLB, a new digital rights sponsorship was signed with DAZN. There will be a live show each weeknight featuring live "look-ins" at games.
3. Four Seasons put on an event series featuring multiple installations and its own up and coming food & beverage talent. Unsurprisingly, influencers were among the invitees.
4. They may call fries 'chips' but either way, UK consumers put KFC potatoes to shame. KFC is responding well - both in the kitchen and on the newsstands.
5. Two is the number of the week - we also had two very visible beverage deals:
   1. Stateside, Kobe Bryant's BodyArmor is replacing Powerade at all NCAA championships - including March Madness. Note: it's not such a big sponsorship shift as it is branding, since former drink Powerade is owned by BodyArmor's second-largest shareholder, Coca-Cola.
   2. A sponsorship replacement IS happening across the pond, however, as Budweiser replaces Carling at the English Premier League for (at least) the 2019/2020 - 2021/2022 cycle.
6. SponsorSpotlight was on Michelob ULTRA last week. The brand created a lot of buzz for its Super Bowl commercial with Chris Pratt earlier this year.

Did we miss any? Tweet @be_tandem to let us know - we hate being behind the times just as much as you do.

Look out next Monday for the usual round-up on sponsorship news.