Dow-DuPont Merger Receives Approvals -- Sponsor Spotlight

(ATR)Olympic TOP sponsor Dow Chemical’s proposed merger with DuPont has been conditionally approved by both China and Brazil.

China's Commerce Ministry wants DuPont's research and development department as well as assets related to pesticides and herbicides used in rice to be divested before it will sign off, the two companies said in a joint statement.

Brazilian regulators on Friday also gave a conditional blessing to the $130 billion deal, according to Reuters.

The United States is among the countries yet to clear the merger, which was given conditional approval by EuropeanUnion antitrust regulators in March.

The two companies have said they plan to close the deal by Sep. 1.

Land Rover Driving Rugby World Cup

Longtime vehicle supplier of World Rugby events, Land Rover, is on board as a partner for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

Land Rover has supported rugby from grassroots events to world championships for the last 20 years . The car manufacturer will provide branded vehicles to support the tournament, while again transporting the Webb Ellis Cup during its trophy tour as it did in 2015.

The partnership follows agreements made with Emirates, Heineken and Cannon who are also among official sponsors of the event.

"Driven by shared values and a common vision, we look forward to working in partnership with Land Rover to further rugby promotion and engagement within Japan and across Asia as we continue to count down to what promises to be a very special and ground-breaking Rugby World Cup 2019," World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont said in a statement.

The Rugby World Cup pool draw will take place on May 10 and be streamed live here.

Heiberg Confident Olympic TOP Sponsors Here to Stay

(ATR) The former chair of the IOC Marketing Commission says that the International Olympic Committee’s TOP Sponsor Program is as robust as ever.

Gerhard Heiberg, who led the marketing commission for 12 years and was a member of the IOC Executive Board from 2003-2011, expressed his opinion on the state of the IOC’s current relationships with its 13 TOP Olympic sponsors in an exclusive interview with Around the Rings.

Click here to read the full story.

AIBA Brings Alisports Into Its Corner

The International Boxing Association and Alisports - subsidiary of the Alibaba Group - have reached an agreement to help develop and promote boxing globally.

"AIBA has made significant strides in all areas in recent months and the commercial partnership strategy we are currently growing and consolidating is an essential aspect of our global approach for the next Olympic cycle," AIBA president C.K. Wu said in a statement.

According to the agreement, Alisports will not only market boxing around the world but "develop and operate boxing e-sports" and make major contributions to merchandising concepts as well.

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McDonald's Introduces the Frork

McDonald’s addition to cutlery made its debut on Friday.

The frork is designed to hold your fries and act as a fork to be used specifically to mop up or dip into the sauces from the newest McDonald's sandwiches.

The Signature Crafted Recipes sandwiches feature what McDonald’s describes as premium ingredients and unique flavor combinations, including Pico Guacamole, Sweet BBQ Bacon and Maple Bacon Dijon.

To make sure customers enjoy every bit of the sandwich toppings, there’s the frork. The silicone fork-shaped utensil is topped with an opening where the customer can insert three-to-four french fries. The fries become the prongs of the frork. The company calls it "edible, utilitarian and desperately innovative".

Written byCourtney Colquittand Gerard Farek

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