Marketing & Sponsorship

Nascar ‘in talks’ over Xfinity sponsorship extension

Xfinity has been title sponsor of Nascar’s second-tier series since 2015, with the ten-year deal worth roughly US$200 million.

However, with that contract concluding at the end of this season, there are no guarantees that Xfinity will continue as title sponsor.

When the contract was first agreed, it made sense for Comcast to promote its newly launched Xfinity brand through NBC Sports, also owned by Comcast, which had signed a ten-year broadcast partnership with Nascar.

This media rights deal comes to an end this year but, with the second-tier Xfinity Series being carved out to The CW Network for US$800 million, the synergy between the two Comcast-owned properties is lost.

“It’s a little too early for us to give a really good answer on [whether the Xfinity Series asset is a necessity for a contract renewal],” Matt Lederer, vice president for branded partnerships and activation at Comcast, told SBJ.

“But I would say that as we’ve learned the sport over the last ten years, we’ve learned the ecosystem of Nascar has a lot of tentacles and there’s a lot of ways to engage with the fanbase.

“The Xfinity Series for us has been the gold star across all those areas, but it’s a little too early to say what a new deal would look like.”

In 2021, Comcast upgraded its Xfinity sponsorship deal with Nascar, becoming a premier partner of the Cup Series alongside Busch Light, Coca-Cola, and Geico. The brand also has a team deal with 23XI Racing, co-owned by National Basketball Association (NBA) icon Michael Jordan and current Nascar driver Denny Hamlin.

Lederer continued: “We’ve both had a strong relationship over the last ten years and I’ve said it many times, it’s been an extremely beneficial partnership to our brand and business and a very valuable partnership for the business and brand of Nascar.

“And what I would say is we’re really confident and optimistic that Nascar is doing all the right things to capitalise on all the changes going on within the racing industry as a whole, and we appreciate the changes that have been made over the last few years and the direction of the team and [Nascar President] Steve [Phelps] to further engage fans, find new fans – that’s fantastic and we share that optimistic view.

“Right now, we’re engaged with Nascar to explore what a potential continued relationship could look like across the sport as a whole.”

Nascar’s second-tier series moving to The CW Network will give Comcast pause for thought when considering this contract extension.

The CW is a largely unproven network when it comes to sports broadcasting, but its majority owner Nexstar has started to build a small rights portfolio, including LIV Golf and a package of 50 college football and basketball games from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

Whether this will be enough to convince Comcast to stick with its current arrangement or look for a restructured sponsorship deal remains to be seen.

With shifting consumer needs, the company could pivot towards its Xfinity Mobile brand, which was the primary sponsor on the 23XI Racing car of Tyler Reddick at Nascar’s last race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

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Marketing & Sponsorship

Rangers, Alliance Française Boost Female Players’ Education

In a groundbreaking initiative that blends sports with education, Rangers International FC have launched a partnership with the Alliance Française Education and Cultural Centre in Enugu to provide French language training for members of their newly established women’s team.

The move, described as a major step toward holistic player development, is the brainchild of Rangers’ General Manager, Amobi Ezeaku, and aligns with the club’s vision of building well-rounded athletes.

Unveiled during a courtesy visit to Alliance Française on Thursday, the collaboration seeks to equip the players with essential language skills to boost their chances of international success and ease cultural integration abroad.

“We want to go beyond just training on the pitch. This initiative is about sharpening the mental capacity of our players,” said Ezeaku. “Learning a new language, especially French, will prepare them for challenges they may encounter in foreign environments.”

The initiative is seen as part of the two-year-old management’s wider strategy to revolutionize women’s football within the club and across Nigeria.

Director of Alliance Française, Enugu, Mrs. Ijeamaka Ezeilo, commended the club’s forward-thinking approach, describing it as “a bold step that could redefine the development of women’s football in Nigeria.”

“This partnership is not just about language. It’s about raising the intelligence and global readiness of these young women. It is a mission we are committed to seeing through,” Ezeilo said.

She added that the project will also contribute to the broader societal goal of empowering the girl-child through education, promising to lead the process to a meaningful and lasting outcome.

This partnership signals a refreshing shift in Nigerian football, emphasizing not just physical training but also intellectual empowerment, especially for women athletes who have often been marginalized in developmental programs.

As Rangers International FC set a new standard, this could inspire other clubs across the country to rethink their approach to player development.

Sports.ng

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Marketing & Sponsorship

8th AFC Medical Conference Secures Aspetar Partnership

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced Aspetar Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Hospital as the Premier Partner for its 8th AFC Medical Conference, which will be held from July 21 to 25, 2025, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Aspetar, a FIFA and AFC accredited Medical Centre of Excellence, is a global leader in sports medicine and science, and has been a long-standing supporter of the AFC, collaborating on several landmark medical projects over 15 years.

The AFC Medical Conference, launched in 1995 in Tokyo, is a platform for knowledge exchange among medical professionals, researchers, and football stakeholders.

AFC General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John said: “The AFC is proud to welcome Aspetar as a Premier Partner of the 8th AFC Medical Conference, as we continue our pursuit of the highest standards in football medicine across Asia.

“Aspetar has consistently led the way in athlete care, not just within the context of Asia, but also as a respected institution in the global sports medicine community.”

The Kuala Lumpur Conference will cover artificial intelligence in sports medicine, muscle injuries in football, insights from the FIFA World Cup 2022, sports dentistry, and high-performance rehabilitation, as well as explore emerging areas such as genomics and women’s football.

Dr. Abdulaziz Jaham Al-Kuwari, CEO of Aspetar and a member of the Conference’s Organising and Scientific Committee, said: “As a member of the organising and scientific committee, I am proud to help shape a programme that integrates cutting-edge research, clinical innovation, and practical applications to foster collaborative solutions addressing the unique challenges faced by athletes today.”

Insideworldfootball.com

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Marketing & Sponsorship

Spur Announces Partnership With Sharp Corporation

Tottenham Hotspur is delighted to announce a partnership with Sharp Corporation for our summer pre-season tour of Asia.

The partnership will see AQUOS – Sharp’s smartphone and television brand – promoted across the Club’s digital platforms during the tour, bringing its highly-innovative products to a global audience of over 125 million.

Promotional campaigns will take place in Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and Indonesia to strengthen the appeal AQUOS – renowned for delivering high-definition visuals that create an immersive experience.

Hiroyuki Shimizu, Division Manager, Product Planning Department, Mobile Communication BU, Sharp Corporation said: “We are very pleased to announce our partnership with Tottenham Hotspur. AQUOS has long enriched people’s lives with beautiful visuals and advanced technology. By supporting Spurs’ pre-season tour, we will work together to create unforgettable moments for their passionate fans across Asia.

“Through this partnership, AQUOS embraces and shares Tottenham Hotspur’s spirit of ‘To Dare Is To Do.’ We are committed to accelerating the pursuit of innovation that creates new value and we look forward to delivering the unique appeal of AQUOS to a wider audience.”

Ryan Norys, Chief Revenue Officer, Tottenham Hotspur said: “We are proud to provide Sharp Corporation – another world-renowned, industry leader – with a unique platform to showcase its AQUOS technology to a truly global audience around our highly-anticipated tour of Asia this summer.”

Sharp Corporation has been a contributor to the development of electronics for more than 110 years. Based on the spirit of its founder – “Make products that other companies want to imitate” – the company has been driven to continually develop innovative products and core technologies for consumers around the globe.

Tottenhamhotspur.com

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