Jaime Alguersuari of Spain <strong>and</strong> Scuderia Toro Rosso retires from <strong>the</strong> race with an engine problem during <strong>the</strong> Hungarian Formula One Gr<strong>and</strong> Prix at <strong>the</strong> Hungaroring onAugust 1, 2010 in Budapest, Hungary. 103187219, Paul Gilham/Getty ImagesPhillips Idowu of Great Britain on his way to winning <strong>the</strong> gold medal in <strong>the</strong> MensTriple Jump Final during day three of <strong>the</strong> 20th European Athletics Championshipsat <strong>the</strong> Olympic Stadium on July 29, 2010 in Barcelona, Spain.103157494, Stu Forster/Getty ImagesMat Rebeaud of Switzerl<strong>and</strong> competes in <strong>the</strong> Moto X Freestyle Final during XGames 16 at <strong>the</strong> LA Coliseum on July 29, 2010 in Los Angeles, Cali<strong>for</strong>nia.103162447, Harry How/Getty ImagesThe power of sportLocal <strong>and</strong> Global coverage of live action,shot by <strong>the</strong> world’s leading sportphotographers.gettyimages.co.uk/sport0800 376 7981
BRANDS & MARKETINGSHORTSTOPBRANDS + MARKETINGJaguar: The luxury car manufacturerterminated its sponsorship ofAustralian swimmer Stephanie Riceafter she made an alleged anti-gaycomment on social networking siteTwitter. Rice will also lose <strong>the</strong> $90,000Jaguar XF car she was given thisFebruary when <strong>the</strong> deal was signed.Burger King: The fast-food giantsigned a three-year deal to sponsorSpain’s Professional Football League(LFP) from 2010-11 to 2012-13. Burgerwill be an official supplier of <strong>the</strong> LFP<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> two parties will develop an“ambitious” marketing activationpolicy, both in Burger King restaurants<strong>and</strong> across digital media.Wayne Rooney: The Engl<strong>and</strong> strikerwas backed by sponsors Nike,Coca-Cola <strong>and</strong> EA Sports after pressallegations that he had a relationshipwith a prostitute. All three insistedreports were a “private matter”.Geox: The Italian shoemaker said itis looking to sponsor a Formula Oneteam next season. Geox founder <strong>and</strong>chairman Mario Moretti Polegato saidinvolvement in <strong>the</strong> world’s most popular<strong>sports</strong> would allow <strong>the</strong> company to testnew technology <strong>for</strong> its products.Derry: The UK’s 2013 City of Culturebecame an official host port <strong>and</strong>participant in <strong>the</strong> Clipper Round<strong>the</strong> World Yacht Race 2011-12. Theagreement <strong>for</strong>ms part of <strong>the</strong> campaignto market <strong>the</strong> city’s culture, business<strong>and</strong> education offerings in a number of<strong>the</strong> cities on <strong>the</strong> race’s route.AirAsia: The airline became <strong>the</strong> newtitle sponsor of <strong>the</strong> ASEAN BasketballLeague <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> 2010-11 season. AirAsiawas <strong>the</strong> ABL’s official carrier in 2009-10.WMRT: The ISAF World Match RacingTour sailing series named Mat<strong>the</strong>wStrachan as its new Sales Director.Strachan is responsible <strong>for</strong> identifying<strong>and</strong> targeting potential title sponsors<strong>and</strong> secondary partners.DHL: The express <strong>and</strong> logisticscompany was announced as <strong>the</strong> officialLogistics Partner <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> 2011 RugbyWorld Cup. Under <strong>the</strong> deal DHL isresponsible <strong>for</strong> ticket distribution aswell as <strong>the</strong> Rugby World Cup Limited<strong>and</strong> International Rugby Board’sexpress shipments <strong>and</strong> international<strong>and</strong> domestic freight movements.JUST ABOUT EVERYONE familiar with <strong>the</strong>popularity of beach volleyball believes <strong>the</strong> AVP isin <strong>the</strong> midst of a hiatus, not a disappearing act.From tour commissioner Mike Dodd, a <strong>for</strong>merstar player, to <strong>sports</strong> marketing analysts <strong>and</strong> evensome potential sponsors, <strong>the</strong>re is a strong sense<strong>the</strong> players will be back on <strong>the</strong> s<strong>and</strong> again in 2011.“I believe <strong>the</strong>re is some silver lining,” saysDodd, who is currently finding sponsors <strong>and</strong><strong>for</strong>mulating a business plan <strong>for</strong> a new tour.“Through <strong>the</strong> course of <strong>the</strong> investor search <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong>last months of <strong>the</strong> AVP be<strong>for</strong>e it shut its doors,<strong>the</strong>re was a lot of interest from a lot of people whohave good ideas <strong>and</strong> a passion <strong>for</strong> volleyball.”Dodd mentions skincare br<strong>and</strong> Nivea, a“perfect” partner because of its sun-care products<strong>and</strong> general emphasis on healthy exercise: “Niveawas a br<strong>and</strong> new sponsor <strong>and</strong> so excited abouttitle sponsorship [signing a five-year agreementfrom 2010]. As hurt as <strong>the</strong>y are that <strong>the</strong> seasonturned out <strong>the</strong> way it did, <strong>the</strong>y still are eager tobe associated with a new ownership group <strong>and</strong> aplan that makes sense, <strong>and</strong> with solid financialbacking would like to be very involved.”While <strong>the</strong> international circuit is run byInternational Volleyball Federation, <strong>the</strong> collapseof <strong>the</strong> AVP, which has run US tournamentssince 1998, could have an impact on <strong>the</strong> LondonOlympics. A new qualifying system is now inplace that no longer calls <strong>for</strong> players to earnpoints on <strong>the</strong> world tour. Instead, domesticgoverning bodies hold <strong>the</strong>ir own Olympic trials.“We very much want to see <strong>the</strong> AVP surviveThe 2010 AVP Hermosa Beach Open - Getty Images SportLIFE’S A BEACH FOR THE AVPA failure to find investors saw <strong>the</strong> 2010 AVP beach volleyball tour cut shortearly. Barry Wilner looks at who might be out <strong>the</strong>re to bring it back to life.<strong>and</strong> prosper,” said USA Volleyball CEO DougBeal. “They are unquestionably important <strong>for</strong><strong>the</strong> development of <strong>the</strong> sport in this country, aswell as our success internationally.”What are <strong>the</strong> odds that a well-funded tourwith bigtime sponsors could resurface in <strong>the</strong>next few months? “There’s no question <strong>the</strong> tourwill come back,” says Scott Minto, director ofSports Business at San Diego State University.“But <strong>the</strong> renewed version of <strong>the</strong> AVP will likelysport a new business model, one that mirrorso<strong>the</strong>r minor US <strong>sports</strong>, featuring fewer stops,more local sponsors in lieu of large nationalbr<strong>and</strong>s, <strong>and</strong> more focus on <strong>the</strong> fan experience.”Dodd <strong>and</strong> most pro volleyball players mightsettle <strong>for</strong> that as a stopgap, but <strong>the</strong>y prefer asimilar structure to that which thrived under<strong>the</strong> AVP banner <strong>for</strong> more than a decade. Doddis hopeful several sponsors with a history in <strong>the</strong>sport will help establish a new tour that featuresthree indispensable elements <strong>for</strong> success:investors, sponsors <strong>and</strong>, of course, players.Is that feasible? “Every sport needs to find itsaudience,” says Scott Becher, CEO of Sports &Sponsorships marketing agency. “Big audienceequals big revenue. Minor <strong>sports</strong> must fight hardto both make it easy to be found by its fans, <strong>and</strong>figure out a way to generate revenue from <strong>the</strong>m.“The best approach is <strong>for</strong> a minor sport toposition itself as a cost-efficient alternative to <strong>the</strong>high-cost of attending pro <strong>sports</strong>. This isn’t <strong>the</strong>demise of <strong>the</strong> sport of beach volleyball, it justremoves some of <strong>the</strong> media spotlight.”18 SportBusiness International • No.161 • 10.10
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