Marketing & Sponsorship

Arsenal, Liverpool net long-term partnerships with Google Pixel

The English Premier League giants, Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC (LFC) have inked long-term partnerships with Google Pixel.

With this new arrangement, the two English top-flight football clubs have named Google Pixel as their official mobile phone partner.

Pixel will collaborate with both clubs’ men’s and women’s sides to help bring fans closer to the sport, using Pixel’s AI-powered technology.

This will contain unique material in addition to a tech-driven experience, with the gadget utilizing Google’s AI-enhanced camera technologies to amplify fan experiences throughout Anfield, Emirates Stadium, Meadow Park, and Prenton Park, as well as for supporters watching at home.

Furthermore, Pixel will also collaborate with Liverpool FC to develop its first dedicated women’s football program on YouTube in the first year of the arrangement along with partnering with Arsenal FC to broadcast unique pitchside videos of every home Premier League and Women’s Super League game. In addition, both teams will collaborate with Pixel to create a ‘Pitchside, Presented by Pixel’ multimedia series.

The clubs will also work with Google on Pixel FC, a group of specialized women’s football video makers who were unveiled ahead of the Women’s World Cup. Pixel FC members will get ‘long-term assistance’ from Pixel across the 2023–24 season, which includes unique access, training, resources, and investment.

Eileen Mannion, Vice President of Marketing at Google UK, said, “We are thrilled to partner with Arsenal and Liverpool football clubs. As their official mobile phone partner, Google Pixel will use its legendary AI-powered camera to enhance the matchday experience, bringing fans closer to the game they love, by helping them capture all the emotions of football. We will also work with both clubs to help close the visibility gap for the women’s game, delivering on our commitment of making football more accessible and equitable for all fans.”

Juliet Slot, Chief Commercial Officer at Arsenal Football Club, said, “Our priority is to put our supporters at the heart of everything we do and we’re extremely pleased to announce this exciting partnership with Google Pixel that will help us achieve this. This is a first for us and will bring supporters much closer to the action through high quality content. This latest partnership is one of the many ways we are enhancing the club’s presence and transforming the game for football supporters everywhere. I’m particularly proud that it will help to make the game more accessible and boost the visibility of women’s football on the global stage.”

Ben Latty, Commercial Director at Liverpool Football Club, commented, “We are incredibly proud to be announcing this Partnership between Liverpool FC and Google Pixel. At LFC, it is important to us that we are not only Partnering with the biggest and most exciting brands, but that the brands we are Partnering with allow us to offer something of real value to our supporters. We are looking forward to seeing how over the course of the Partnership we will work together to give fans of our men’s, and women’s first teams exclusive content and experiences that will bring them closer to the game they love.”

The defending champions will commence their new edition in the season opener itself against Burnley FC while the Gunners will take on Nottingham Forest on Matchday 1.

Marketing & Sponsorship

Liverpool Sign $77.36 million Adidas Deal To Replace Nike

Liverpool have announced a multi-year kit deal with Adidas that will begin next season, replacing existing manufacturer Nike.

The club previously sported Adidas kits between 1985 to 1996, and again between 2006 and 2012. Liverpool did not say how long the new Adidas deal would be. British media reports previously said it was a five-year agreement worth more than £60 million per year.

The Premier League record kit deal belongs to Manchester United after they signed a £90m-per-year contract with Adidas in July 2023.

“Everyone at the club is incredibly excited to welcome adidas back into the LFC family,” Liverpool chief executive Billy Hogan said in a statement on Monday.

“We have enjoyed fantastic success together in the past and created some of the most iconic LFC kits of all time. adidas and Liverpool share an ambition of success and we couldn’t be more excited to partner together again as we look forward to creating more incredible kits to help drive on pitch performance. We’d like to thank Nike for their support over the last five years and wish them well for the future.”

Marketing & Sponsorship

Lagos Sports Commission DG, Gaslink Commission Newly Refurbished Elegbata Sports Centre

Lagos State Sports scores another milestone in the public/private partnership with the recently commissioned Elegbata Sports Centre, Elegbata on Lagos Island.

Director General Lekan Fatodu led top management staff of the Lagos State Sports Commission to the Elegbata Sports Centre for the brief commissioning of the sports centre.

Also on hand was the Managing Director, Gas Distribution Axxela, Kehinde Alabi who also came along with some staff of the company.

Sports Marketing International reports that Gaslink refurbished the playing turf, perimeter fence, spectator gallery stand, and improved the overall aesthetic of the sports centre.

Marketing & Sponsorship

Niger Delta Sports Festival: Akwa Ibom ready to host – Gov Umoh Eno

The maiden edition of the Niger Delta Sports Festival has received a major boost with the assurance by the Akwa Ibom State Government of its readiness to host.

The State Governor, His Excellency, Pastor Umoh Eno, gave the assurance on Thursday during a courtesy visit by the management of the Niger Delta Development Commission led by the Managing Director, Dr Sam Ogbuku, accompanied Executive Director, Sector Directors, and the Project Consultants, Dunamis Icon, to brief the Governor on the objectives for instituting the multi sports competition and plans for its successful realisation.

Thanking the NDDC for initiating the festival and choosing Akwa Ibom State as host of the maiden edition, Gov Enoh said the visit by the NDDC shows it’s seriousness on the project.

“We thank you for the privilege to host. Your visit shows your seriousness, and there is no way we will reject it.

“The festival will promote the unity in our diversity and also help the local economy through the various commercial activities, from patronage of hotels, food, transportation and other things involved.

“We will set up a small committee to work with you to deliver the event. We look forward to welcoming the Niger Delta, and together, we will have a good time.”

On the availability of required sports facilities, the governor expressed pleasure that successive administrations in the state have contributed to the stock.

“These facilities have come through the combination of works done by each administration. The Godswill Akpabio Stadium done by our present Senate President has stood the test of time, and it also takes great efforts to maintain and sustain it.”

L-R: MD of NDDC, Dr Sam Ogbuku; Akwa Ibom State Governor, His Excellency, Pastor Umoh Eno; NDDC Executive Director of Projects, Sir Victor Antai; and Exective Director, Corporate Services, Hon Ifedayo Abegunde

Earlier in his address, the NDDC Managing Director said the key objectives of the initiative is to foster regional integration, project the identity of the region as a leader in Nigerian sports, and support the partner the states in the discovery and harnessing of talents for the attainment of gainful sporting careers and national excellence in international competitions.

“The Niger Delta is a leading sports hub in Nigeria. The region has produced great sports legends, but when we do not do something to sustain that, there will be a decline.

“We have done very well in our interventions on roads, bridges, education, health, the provision of infrastructure in various other sectors, and as we mark the 25th anniversary of the NDDC, we are starting with intervention in sports.

“We have had a meeting with the commissioners for sports of the nine states, and they are excited and confirmed their participation in the festival.”

“We chose Akwa Ibom after having confirmed that the state has the facilities for competition in the featured sports and we would only need to do a few touches on some of them, with the Godswill as the main venue.”

Rhe NDDC entourage included Sir Victor Antai, Executive Director, Projects; Hon Ifedayo Abegunde, Executive Director, Corporate Services; Apostle Edikan Nkono, Akwa Ibom representative on the board of the NDDC; Directors of various operational departments; Sir Itiako Ikpokpo, Chairman of Dunamis Icon Limited, and other officers of the company.

The Niger Delta Sports Festival is scheduled for April 1 to 8, 2025, with Uyo as the host city.

The activities would start with state trials and selection process, which the organisers say would begin from the local government areas and across the 85 federal constituencies in the region.