SPONSORSHIP & PROMOTION
Joe Gibbs Racing inked CRAFTSMAN to join the team as a primary sponsor for Erik Jones in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series as well as Ryan Preece in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for multiple races in 2018. To activate the new partnership, CRAFTSMAN will launch the “What‘s Your Craftsman Story?” campaign to share real “moments of pride.” Starting Aug. 1. Joe Gibbs, will help launch the “What‘s Your Craftsman Story?” campaign and the new partnership with CRAFTSMAN by participating in a Satellite Media Tour.
The Bucks and Fiserv Co. announced a 25-year naming rights deal for the nearly completed Wisconsin Entertainment and Sports Center (a $524 million arena) in downtown Milwaukee, which opens next month. The arena will be named Fiserv Forum and will be the new home of the Bucks as well as Marquette's men's basketball team.
New Era Cap Co. unveiled the launch of the New Era 2018 Official NFL Sideline Home and Away Collection, which will be worn on NFL sidelines during the 2018- 2019 NFL season. “We know fans are always looking for different and unique ways to complete their game day outfits, which is why we designed this year’s on-field cap collection with more options than ever before,” said Ryan DiNunzio, Director of Football for New Era Cap. “This season, fans will be able to style their headwear to match their favorite players whether they are at home or on the road.”
DIGITAL & STREAMING
Visa, the Official Payment Services Partner of FIFA, announced its final results for the FIFA World Cup, reporting that contactless payments accounted for 45% of all Visa purchases in the 11 host cities. Fans from Poland made the most of the contactless purchasing options in-stadium, making 74% of Visa transactions using contactless technology.
SwigLive announced plans to stream Karate Combat: Olympus live from Athens tomorrow at 2:30p. “Karate Combat events feature lighting fast action,” said Ivan Gulas, CEO of Swig Media. “That creates an ideal showcase for our peerless streaming quality, low latency and zero issues with the video quality degradation common with fast action on all other CDN streaming platforms.”
3BALL USA, a team organizer in Olympic rules 3x3 basketball, announced the launch of its first-ever post-collegiate 3x3 tournament running Aug. 17-19 at SIMON’s Great Mall in Milpitas, California. The entire event will be live streamed on Twitch and Sina Sports. Additionally, NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports Chicago, and NBC Sports Washington, will broadcast the 3BALL USA Championship Game, which will close the event on Sunday.
ESPORTS
Activision Blizzard is reportedly wrapping up deals for its first two expansion cities as season one of Overwatch League wraps up. According to ESPN, the company will bring in teams from Paris and Guangzhou, China, with more teams also in the cards before season two. The report states that the Paris slot will be owned by McCourt Global, the Los Angeles-based holding company that also owns French soccer team Olympique de Marseille, according to sources. The Guangzhou spot will be bought by the Nenking Group, the umbrella company of Chinese billionaire Zhong Naixiong and the ownership group of Chinese Basketball Association team Guangzhou Long-Lions. The league anticipates to sell six expansion slots within the next month, with a focus outside of the United States.
ELEAGUE hosts four of the world’s best CS:GO teams – Astralis, Natus Vincere, Team Liquid & mousesports – with a one-million-dollar purse on the line in the final weekend of its CS:GO Premier 2018 from ELEAGUE Arena in Atlanta. The event’s best-of-three, single-elimination playoffs opens with Astralis/mousesports tomorrow at 2p with live coverage continuing throughout the day via the ELEAGUETV Twitch channel and B/R Live. The CS:GO Premier 2018 will culminate Sunday, at 2p with a single best-of-three match between the two teams to advance from the semifinals. Live coverage of this weekend’s playoffs will also be provided through ELEAGUE’s Game Command mosaic video player, which gives viewers access to thousands of in-game viewing angles. A multi-part feature series revisiting the tournament’s best moments will be televised on Aug. 24 on TBS.
ROSTER MOVES
Bridgestone Americas, Inc. several leadership changes to the marketing organization for the company’s consumer tire business and Bridgestone Retail Operations following the announcement that Phil Pacsi, VP, sports/events marketing and training, will retire after 36 years with the company, effective Sept. 30. Amber Holm will assume the role of VP, marketing, consumer and customer engagement, U.S. and Canada, BATO and lead engagement activities for the company’s sports and entertainment partnership platforms, which include the NFL, NHL, Verizon IndyCar Series, PGA TOUR, the company’s Worldwide Olympic Partnership and country music. Jeffrey Lack will assume the role of VP, marketing, consumer tire, U.S. and Canada, BATO and Dave Nientimp accepted the role of VP, marketing and merchandising, BSRO.
THE MAIN EVENT
Dodgers/Braves on TBS on Sunday at 1:30p.
