IAAF Lands Three Long-Term Deals -- Sponsor Spotlight

(ATR) The IAAF reveals three long-term partnership agreements in Doha this week.

IAAF President Sebastian Coe announced on Wednesday that Chinese multinational conglomerate Wanda Group will become the title partner for the Diamond League for 10 years beginning in 2020.

The IAAF calls the agreement "the biggest commercial partnership in the history of athletics".

As part of the deal, Wanda Sports Group will be organizing in China both an annual Diamond League meet and a new annual IAAF event. Infront, a Wanda Sport Group company, also secures Diamond League media rights for five years beginning in 2025.

"Wanda shares our vision for the future of athletics and this partnership will be fundamental in helping our sport grow over the next decade, both in China and around the world," Coe said.

On Thursday, ASICS and the IAAF announced the renewal of their partnership by signing a new agreement making ASICS an Official IAAF Partner for the next 10 years.

ASICS will be present at and involved in all World Athletics Series events from 2020 to 2029, including the World Athletics Championships 2021 in Oregon and the World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023.

As part of the agreement, ASICS will kit out the officials and volunteers at all IAAF World Athletics Series events with ASICS’ footwear and apparel. This will allow ASICS to expand its brand recognition internationally by association with the world’s top athletics events that are viewed by significant global audiences.

ASICS and the IAAF have worked together since 2017.

Finally, Japanese electronic components company TDK also extendedtheir long-standing partnership with the IAAF until 2029.

TDK’s relationship with the IAAF began 36 years ago when they became the men’s bib partner for the first edition of the World Championships in Helsinki in 1983.

In addition to acting as bib partners at the IAAF World Athletics Championships, TDK will also continue presenting the men’s world record program. Any athlete who breaks a world record in a men’s event at the World Athletics Championships will be awarded a cash bonus of US$100,000, offered by TDK.

The IAAF and TDK are working together to integrate TDK technology into the next five World Athletics Championships.

UCI and Zwift to Develop Cycling Esports

The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) enlists Zwift for the governance and development of cycling esports as a new cycling discipline.

Zwift,a global online training and racing platform for athletes,signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UCI on Thursday.

This MoU follows the integration of cycling esports into the UCI Constitution, which was approved by the Federation’s Congress in September 2018 in Innsbruck. The objective is two-fold: to establish requirements that guarantee the speciality meets the standards of sporting integrity and fairness necessary for all UCI-sanctioned disciplines, and to launch the inaugural UCI Cycling Esports World Championships in 2020, as well as qualification events for these Championships, on the Zwift platform.

"Cycling esports is a... new way of practising cycling that is expanding rapidly and enables more athletes, whether beginners or more experienced, to train and race regardless of what the weather is like and where they live,"UCI President David Lappartient said in a statement.

"The Memorandum of Understanding between our Federation and Zwift is a decisive step towards the total integration of cycling esports by the UCI."

Zwift was recently confirmed as Official Supplier to the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire (Great Britain).

Land Rover to Drive U.S. Ski & Snowboard

Land Rover North America isthe new Official Vehicle Partner of the Olympic National Governing Body (NGB) of ski and snowboard sports in the USA.

The multi-year partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboardalso names Land Rover as the title sponsor of the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team, the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix series, and presenting sponsor of the "Visa Big Air Presented by Land Rover" events.

As part of the sponsorship agreement, Land Rover will support 10 U.S. Ski & Snowboard athlete ambassadors including Olympic gold medalists and World Champions. Throughout the partnership, these athletes will take part in Land Rover brand milestones, custom content creation and social media integrations.

Land Rover branding will also be seen on the athlete uniforms and team gear, as well as available to consumers through U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Land Rover official branded goods.

Land Rover replaces Toyota in headlining the team.

Written by Gerard Farek

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