remark October 2017 | Page 9

3 SLICED Selecting the right sponsors helps open up opportunities for rights holders THE EFL GETS AN ENERGY BOOST Recently, the English Football League Cup acquired a new title sponsor, with the Thai energy drinks company ‘ Carabao ’ stepping up. The competition has come a long way since the first ever title sponsorship in 1981, christening it as ‘The Milk Cup’. However, in current times the greater access to the Asian market that Carabao can provide, over and above milk, is too much to ignore for a cup looking to gain international awareness. NO MORE BETS PLEASE The FA has ended all sponsorships with betting companies as they try to distance themselves from controversy. After the introduction of their “For All” campaign, the FA are being far more selective about who they partner with . In the future, they are looking to associate themselves with brands that enhance their image and help push participation. With Ladbrokes as a partner it made it difficult for the FA to regulate betting so to avoid further controversy, all bets are off. MLB HOP ON THE STREAM TRAIN MLB has joined the streaming frenzy and partnered with YouTube ’s video-sharing platform YouTube TV and become the presenting sponsor of the World Series. The partnership will produce behind-the-scene footage at the World Series, as well as original content to generate buzz for the MLB, not just in America, but around the globe. Current streaming platforms are struggling to obtain the desired number of viewers and the MLB will be hoping that YouTube can be the first to hit a home run. PARIS SIGNS GAMER (FC) Thinking of what name to get on the back of your new PSG shirt? Forget Neymar and the likes of Cavani or Draxler. PSG have just signed one of the best players in the world… for FIFA 18. Johann “ Maniika ” Simon is the name you should be adorning. Maniika joins alongside the team of League of Legends players, who were signed earlier this year, as PSG continues to try and grow their brand to encompass more than just the beautiful game . SOUTHAMPTON TRAVEL EAST Southampton have signed on the dotted line with foreign exchange provider Brickhill Capital Limited. Brickhill will serve as the team’s official Asian trading partner until the end of the 2018/19 season. This signing will support the club in its efforts to cultivate a presence within the Asian market and explore new commercial opportunities. The Asian market is a hot commodity at the moment and it seems that multiple football clubs are desperately seeking to have a share of the action. FA HOPE TO HIT NEW HEIGHTS The Dubai-based airline has extended their title naming rights with the FA Cup until 2021. The FA Cup will be returning in a grander fashion to extend the reach of the world’s oldest knockout tournament and attempt to position this exclusively English competition as a global heavyweight. Since the coupling, the FA Cup fan base has grown to 912 million, reaffirming Emirate’s status as being a mile high above the rest when it comes to sports sponsorship.