Sponsor Spotlight: Qantas Drops Rugby Australia

(ATR)Qantas severs its 30-year relationship with Rugby Australia as the airline struggles through the fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"In an environment where thousands of our people have lost jobs and thousands more are stood down while they wait for flying to restart, we can’t maintain these sponsorships in the way we have in the past," Qantas Chief Customer Officer, Stephanie Tully, said in a statement.

"While we’re dealing with this crisis and its aftermath, the cash cost of our sponsorships has to be zero."

The airline’s current deal with Rugby Australia, which AFP reports is worth $3.6 million annually, will cease at the end of the calendar year. Rugby Australia is mired in a financial crisis of its own, having laid off about a third of its full-time staff in June.

Qantas will continue with its other four key sporting sponsorships using in-kind support such as commercial flights and access to Qantas-owned channels for marketing.

The non-cash agreements with Cricket Australia and the Football Federation of Australia are for the next 12 months before they are subject to a review.

Qantas will also continue its association with the Australian Olympic Committee and Paralympics Australia, supporting the country’s athletes at the rescheduled Tokyo Games in 2021.

New Sponsor for 2022 FIFA World Cup

The Qatar-based GWC becomes the first Regional Supporter of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

FIFA announced this week that GWC (Gulf Warehousing Company) will be the official logistics provider for Qatar 2022. The company specializes in supply chain solutions and was the official logistics provider for the FIFA Club World Cup 2019.

GWC becomes the 10th sponsor for the 2022 World Cup. Regional Supporter is the third-tier in the sponsorship program.

According to theAssociated Press, GWC is the first new World Cup sponsor since the 2018 World Cup in Russia and continues a trend where all but one of FIFA's new World Cup sponsors since Brazil 2014 have been from China, Qatar or Russia.

Adidas, Coca-Cola, Wanda, Hyundai, Qatar Airways and Visa are the top-tier FIFA World Cup Partners. Budweiser, McDonald’s, and Vivo make up the second-tier FIFA World Cup Sponsors group.

Shoe Sponsor for Team Brazil

Team Brazil will be wearing Havaianas flip-flop sandals at the Opening Ceremony in Tokyo.

The Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB) signed a deal with the company this week that runs through the end of 2021.

"The Opening Ceremony is the calling card of the delegation at the Games and there is nothing more authentic and Brazilian than putting on Havaianas," Olympic judo champion and COB general director Rogério Sampaio said in a statement.

Manoela Penna, COB's Director of Communication and Marketing, added "The relationship with Havaianas is already innovative, as it is the first time that the feet of the opening parade are commercialized. This shows the potential that lies ahead!"

The brand will also launch a licensed COB collection that will be sold during the 2021 Games.

In addition to Havaianas, Team Brazil has the following sponsors in the 2017-2020 cycle: Estácio, Peak, Aliansce Sonae, Travel Ace, Ajinomoto, BRW, Max Recovery, and Wöllner.

COB, specifically for the Tokyo Games, also signed a strategic partnership with Maurício de Sousa Produções and a sponsorship in Japan with the Japanese chocolate company Meiji.

Written by Gerard Farek

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