The Wallabies have secured a new deal to help fight the stigma around self-care among men. Meanwhile, Mr Beast has dropped his brand’s sponsorship of a major NBA team.
Welcome back to B&T’s Spotlight on Sponsors series, where we break down all the major sponsorship news from inside the sporting world.
With so much sport, we don’t know what to watch. Let’s dive into all the latest sponsorship news from the sporting world!
Dove Men+ Care x Wallabies
Rugby Australia and Dove Men+Care have announced a new partnership, with the company becoming an official partner and supporter of the Wallabies until at least the end of 2027. The brand previously supported Australian Rugby from 2014 to 2019, and returns to the Wallabies to challenge the stereotypes men face surrounding self-care.
The four-year agreement will see Dove Men+Care partner with the Wallabies through a pivotal and exciting time for Australian Rugby, with the nation set to host both a British & Irish Lions Tour in 2025 and a Rugby World Cup in 2027.
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“We are extremely excited to partner with the Wallabies once again and build on Dove Men+Care’s global commitment to rugby,” said head of personal care Unilever ANZ, John McKeon. “After a great win in Sydney last weekend, the upcoming British & Irish Lions Tour & the home Rugby World Cup in 2027, we cannot think of a better time to partner with the Wallabies and support them through this exciting period”.
“We are thrilled to welcome back Dove Men+Care as an official partner of the Wallabies,” said Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh. “Dove Men+Care’s philosophy, that you first need to look after yourself in order to contribute best to your family and those around you, is perfectly aligned with the attitude required within an elite team sporting environment, such as the Wallabies – to benefit your team, you need to prepare and be the best version of yourself”.
“Dove Men+Care has a strong history with Australian Rugby and the Wallabies. It is an exciting time to come together to maximise the future opportunities that lay ahead for Rugby in this country”.
BetMGM x Ascot Racecourse
Ascot Racecourse has announced that BetMGM will sponsor the Autumn Racing Weekend and extend its sponsorship of the Clarence House Chase Raceday in multi-year deals.
At the BetMGM Autumn Racing Weekend, BetMGM will sponsor three races on each day, including the feature races on both days, the Listed BetMGM Noel Murless Stakes on Friday, and the BetMGM Challenge Cup Heritage Handicap, the most valuable seven-furlong handicap in the country, on Saturday.
On the BetMGM Clarence House Chase Raceday, BetMGM will sponsor six races, including the feature race, the Grade 1 BetMGM Clarence House Chase, won by steeplechasing legends such as Shishkin, Un De Sceaux and Altior in recent years. BetMGM will also sponsor the Grade 2 BetMGM Mares’ Hurdle (Registered as The Warfield), won by the likes of Molly Ollys Wishes, Vroum Vroum Mag and Magic Of Light in the last decade.
Exciting news! @BetMGMUK extends its sponsorship at Ascot Racecourse, supporting both the Autumn Racing Weekend and Clarence House Chase Raceday in multi-year deals.
Read more about this fantastic partnership here: https://t.co/VmYBhq4YHU#AscotRacecourse #BetMGM #HorseRacing… pic.twitter.com/GpgGyTDStb
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) July 17, 2024
“We are thrilled to support Ascot race course by sponsoring two major events in their racing calendar. Both racedays enhance our blossoming portfolio of horse racing sponsorships and further showcase our commitment to the long-term growth of the sport in this country,” said Sam Behar, UK director of BetMGM. “The BetMGM Challenge Cup Heritage Handicap is the most valuable seven-furlong handicap run in Britain so it’s fantastic to be the headline sponsor, while you just have to look at the calibre of past winners of the BetMGM Clarence House Chase to see the regard the two-mile contest is held in”.
“We are delighted that BetMGM has chosen to extend their race day sponsorship at Ascot, both with their ongoing support for the BetMGM Clarence House Chase Raceday and with their new sponsorship of the BetMGM Autumn Racing Weekend. We’re pleased to continue growing the relationship and look forward to promoting these events with BetMGM in the months ahead,” said Felicity Barnard, commercial director and deputy CEO at Ascot Racecourse.
Mr Beast Feastables x NBA
MrBeast’s Feastables brand has reportedly ceased its sponsorship deal with the Charlotte Hornets after just one season. The deal was first penned in 2023 with a Feastables patch appearing on the Hornets jerseys during the season – the deal was the first jersey patch sponsorship between a creator-led brand and an NBA franchise.
A Hornets rep confirmed that Feastables will be removing its patch, leaving the team one sponsor short ahead of the start of the 2023-24 season.
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With the YouTube star consistently pushing for his brand to be untarnished and associated with quality products and associations, the sponsorship deal was likely dropped because of the Hornets’ less-than-successful season after the team finished with a 21-61 record.
Indian Oil x Ultimate Table Tennis
India-based Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) has reportedly renewed its contract with title sponsor IndianOil for the upcoming 2024 season. The energy brand first joined the league in 2023 as the title sponsor for its fourth season.
“IndianOil’s partnership with Ultimate Table Tennis reinforces the company’s commitment to supporting Indian sports and nurturing talent across various disciplines. Through this partnership, IndianOil aims to make a meaningful contribution to the growth of table tennis in India, fostering a vibrant sporting culture and inspiring future generations of athletes,” said Sandeep Sharma, executive director (corporate communications and branding) at IndianOil at the time the deal was first penned.
“UTT’s association with one of India’s biggest corporations bodes well for the future of the league. IndianOil already has a rich legacy of supporting sports – including table tennis – and this only reinforces its commitment to doing more. We welcome them aboard as title sponsor of UTT and are sure that this partnership will spur Indian table tennis forward, especially with the Olympics coming up next year,” said Niraj Bajaj a UTT promoter.
