LAST WEEK TODAY: Sponsorship News
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 September 30 - October 6, 2019.
Mostly all sports news this past week touching on some major categories from NHL and NBA to MBL and even Australian Football (AFL)—BUT one seemingly random update snuck in there to remind us that the holiday season is upon us! In just 78 days, it will already be Christmas............. Gee wiz!! Where does the time go?!
- National Hockey League's (NHL) Carolina Hurricanes partnered with R&D Brewing to produce a new signature beer, crisp and light lager to be specific, that pairs perfectly with victory. Fans voted on names via an online poll earlier this year and "Storm Brew" garnered over 75% of the votes. And now Storm Brew is available at the PNC Arena and Carolina Ale House, AND will make its way into retail outlets starting late October 2019.
- Under Armour, the global leader of performance footwear, apparel, and equipment, also known to have a strong history with American Football, has just announced its new partnership with Australian Football. Under Armour's mission to make athletes better is a common value shared by both the brand and Essendon Football Club and considering how both are high-performing ambitious brands, we're pretty sure this is going to be one of those long successful partnerships. As Essendon's CEO Xavier Campbell said, "This deal will challenge the Australian sports market and always aspire to be the best."
- The National Basketball Association's (NBA) Portland Trail Blazers' controversial partnership with Beaverton-based sniper-scopes manufacturer Leupold & Stevens has come to an end but it's not as political as some news sources will make it seem. While it's true that the company's work with the Israeli army drew protests from the Democratic Socialists of America, the partnerships simply ended because the contract officially expired at the conclusion of the 2018-2019 season and the company wanted "to continue its never-ending support for the local heroes through other programs." You know, part of the perks of sponsorship is building trust and gaining favor from the audience, so when you've got unhealthy opposition, it becomes a risky investment. Needless to say, we think not renewing this sponsorship was probably the best move for everyone.
- Earlier in the year we shared with you that according to Broadcast Sport, brands were "starting to orientate their sponsorships around individual athletes, rather than teams or competitions," and we're definitely seeing more of that now. Last week, the big league footwear brand Skechers announced its new multi-year partnership with Major League Baseball's (MLB) Los Angeles Dodgers all-star ace Clayton Kershaw. We should also mention, in case you didn't know yet, cause marketing is on the rise and since Kershaw and his wife seek to serve vulnerable and at-risk children through "Kershaw's Challenge," we'll definitely be seeing a focus on that in years to come. In fact, Skechers has already agreed to sponsor the annual PinpPong4Purpose charity event, held at Dodger Stadium.
- And moving away from sports news to bring you an update on a holiday concert that's now a globally recognized phenomenon selling out tickets to its multi-city national tour in just MINUTES—iHeart Radio's Jingle Ball Tour presented by Capital One. They've just signed on General Mills (more specifically their Cinnamon Toast Crunch brand) and Aflac as 2019 sponsors who join existing sponsors: The CW Network, Jumanji: The Next Level, and Macy's.
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.