Sponsorship & Marketing

Churchill Downs Inc. has launched a national branding programme for the company's expanding network of racetracks and off-track betting facilities.

Barcadi-Martini has signed a deal to renew its sponsorship of the Ford World Rally team, the agency BWP International has announced.

365 Corporation, the UK internet content company, has launched soccer365.com, an online soccer service in English and Spanish aimed at the US market.

ISL and Sport+ - the sports rights acquisitions arm of the Canal+ group ? have announced a strategic television and marketing partnership to further promote the new FIBA EuroLeague.

Sports Internet, the web site operator and online sports betting company, has entered the e-commerce business with its #20m purchase of a 49 per cent stake in Sports e-tail.

XLSports.com, the online venture dedicated to personal sports participants, set to launch later this year, plans to unveil its business model during a "Sports in E-Commerce Summit." The event will be presented in cooperation with Motorola, Penske Logistics, Sprint and Sun Microsystems in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, February 15-17.

Broadband Sports has named Marla Messing, the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup President and CEO, as vice president of partner marketing, effective Feb. 7, 2000.

Mellon Financial Corporation has named Michael J. Carbone, formerly target marketing coordinator and manager of Reebok's consumer relations department, as Mellon Private Asset Management?s representative responsible for selling asset management services to sports and entertainment professionals.

Adidas-Salomon has reported a 16% leap in year-end operating profits to a record DM942 ($472m) based on preliminary figures. Sales for 1999 rose 6% to DM10.5bn ($5.2bn).

The Orlando Arena, home to the Orlando Magic (NBA), Orlando Miracle (WNBA), and Orlando Solar Bears (IHL), and other sporting and entertainment events, will become TD Waterhouse Centre. Under the naming rights agreement, the City of Orlando and RDV Sports will share revenues totaling $7.9 million over the five-year term of the agreement.

Marla Messing, the CEO for the successful 1999 Women's World Cup, has moved onto the web.

CSS Stellar, the largest British owned event marketing group, have acquired the rights of the first ATP Tour Seniors event to be staged in Ireland.

A consortium of the BBC, Channel 4 and NTL-subsidiary Premium TV have confirmed they have struck a provisional agreement on a $320m rights deal with Britain?s 12 leading racecourses to take televised horse racing in the UK into the digital age.

As part of a SportsLine promotional campaign, the leading global internet sports company has selected the winner of the ?SportsLine Rewards? Million Dollar Click Sweepstakes.

Trakus, Inc., a leader in Digital Sports Information (DSI) technology , has named Gary Jacobus, senior vice president of IMG, as company President and Mike Golub, the former director of Nike Sports Entertainment, as vice-president of marketing and sports development.

SFX Sports Group, a unit of SFX Entertainment, has acquired Speakers of Sport, one of the leading US baseball talent representation agencies.