Sponsor Spotlight: Longines Signs Landmark Deal

(ATR) Longines signs on as the first-ever multi-Commonwealth Games partner.

The Swiss watchmaker will be the Official Partner and Timekeeper for Birmingham 2022 as well as the 2026 and 2030 Commonwealth Games under a deal announced on Monday with the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF).

Longines receives exclusive status as the "Inaugural Partner of the Commonwealth Sport Movement". It will provide all timing and scoring equipment for every single event within the next three editions of the event.

An additional aspect of the partnership means that Longines is also named as ‘Presenting Partner’ of rugby sevens, table tennis, gymnastics and athletics.

"This is a truly historic agreement and having this multi-Commonwealth Games partnership in place showcases real confidence in the future direction of the Commonwealth Sport Movement," CGF CEO David Grevemberg said in a statement.

"The partnership has been made possible because of the new Games delivery model, coordinated by CGF Partnerships, which looks at multi-Games opportunities and efficiencies."

The announcement came on Commonwealth Day, March 9, coinciding with the unveiling of a Countdown Clock in Birmingham’s Centenary Square to track the days, hours, minutes and seconds to the start of the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games, on July 27, 2022.

FIBA Signs Five-Year Ticketing Deal

The International Basketball Federation teams up with TicketSocket to provide state of the art ticketing solutions for FIBA events across the globe.

The five-year deal, announced on March 10, makes TicketSocket the Official Global Ticketing Provider of FIBA and Preferred Ticketing Provider of FIBA.

TicketSocket will build a fully customized white label ticketing solution that will be made available to Local Organizing Committees of FIBA events, which in time may be offered to FIBA's member federations as well.

The partnership will allow participating Local Organizing Committees and National Federations to maximize the revenue generated from ticket sales of FIBA events and also allow FIBA to build a global database of basketball fans.

This agreement was brokered by FIBA Marketing, the strategic partnership between FIBA and Infront.

USA Weightlifting Welcomes CBD Sponsor

USA Weightlifting becomes the second U.S. National Governing Body to partner with hemp-derived CBD (cannabidiol) manufacturer Pure Spectrum.

The deal, announced on Thursday, runs through 2023.

"We’re thrilled to be partnering with Pure Spectrum," USA Weightlifting CEO Phil Andrews said. "Pure Spectrum has proven their commitment to quality and safety by manufacturing thoroughly tested products designed specifically for athletes."

Pure Spectrum, based in Evergreen, Colorado, announced late last year a multi-year sponsorship with USA Triathlon. Prior to that they became the first cannabis company to partner with a professional sports organization with their sponsorship of the 2018 Reebok CrossFit Games.

Found naturally in the cannabis plant, CBD is a non-psychoactive substance. Unlike THC, which is also found in cannabis, CBD does not produce a high for users. The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) allow the use of CBD both in and out of competition.

Pure Spectrum CEO and founder Brady Bell addressed concerns about the use of CBD and drug testing.

"We know how careful professional athletes need to be when it comes to what they put in their bodies, which is why all Pure Spectrum products go through extensive third-party testing to ensure they are 100% THC free," he said.

Written by Gerard Farek

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