Smuckers Sponsors USOC;"New Era" for Chinese Football; HSBC Leaves FEI

Team USA Sponsor

J.M. Smuckers will sponsor the United States Olympic and Paralympic Teams through 2016.

Four brands, Smucker's, Folgers, Jif, and Smucker's Uncrustables Sandwiches, have the marketing rights for packaged fruit and nut spreads, packaged ground or whole bean coffee, and packaged refrigerated/frozen hand-held sandwiches.

Smuckers will also provide athletes with food during training sessions at the U.S. Olympic Training Center on a daily basis.

"This partnership provides America's athletes with valuable support and resources, affording them greater focus toward achieving their lifelong goal of representing the United States at the Olympic Games," said Scott Blackmun, Chief Executive Officer of the USOC.

FEI Partner Leaving

HSBC will end its Platinum Partnership with FEI at the end of the 2013 season.

The bank had been a partner with FEI for six years, and was the title sponsor on the HSBC FEI Classics series.

HSBC will retain its name on the FEI Classics as well as the HSBC Rankings through the end of the season.

"We have had five wonderful years with the HSBC FEI Classics, and still have another one to go, and the series has proved hugely successful," HSBC Group Head of Sponsorship, Giles Morgan said.

"The decision to end our partnership with the FEI was a very difficult one to make, but the banking sector has gone through some tough times recently and we are refocusing our entire sports sponsorship portfolio and sadly that will not include international Eventing after 2013."

Samsung Deal Marks "New Era" For Chinese Football

Samsung says its new partnership with the Chinese Super League represents a "new era" for football in China.

Under the deal, announced Thursday, Samsung will have exclusive rights to the household appliances, hand-held devices, televisions and a number of other products.

"The CSL could not have come this far without the strong support from its Official Partners like Samsung," said Yu Hong-chen, Vice-president of CSL. "The choice of Samsung to join hands with CSL has showcased the company’s trust in the influence and commercial value of CSL, and also the confidence in its bright future."

Jung Jee, Senior Director of Octagon Asia, the firm that negotiated the deal, called it a "win-win partnership."

"The significance of this agreement is expressed in the belief by Samsung -- a truly international company -- that the league has a bright future as a powerful marketing platform to reach consumers via the most engaging sport in China."

Sledge-Hockey Equipment Loaner Project

Ottobock has partnered with the International Paralympic Committee and Sledge-Hockey in an Equipment Loaner Programme.

The deal will see Ottobock loan 30 sledges to the IPC to be distributed to various National Paralympic Committees.

The idea is for emerging countries to borrow the sledges for six-months to a year to help build grassroots sledge-hockey programs.

FINA Water Polo Sponsor

FINA has renewed its sponsorship with Mikasa for the 2013-2016 cycle.

The agreement will have the Japanese Corporation provide water polo balls for FINA-governed water polo events.

"Mikasa has been a successful partner of FINA and plays an essential role in the development of the first Olympic team sport, Water Polo," said FINA President Julio Ceasar Maglione.

Written by Aaron Bauer.

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