FIFA World Cup - Top 10 Games Of The Group Stage

While heroes, villains and legendary teams are made in the knockout stages of the World Cup, that doesn't stop the group phase from having its own set of endearing qualities. It's a period when even the wildest dreams seem possible, even for the tiniest of minnows. And there have been plenty of occasions when these supposed little fish have feasted on some of the bigger names.

Yingli Green Energy Appoints SportsMark To Develop Sponsorship Program for 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa

SAN RAFAEL, CA, March 8, 2010 – The first Chinese company to seal a global sponsorship deal with FIFA, Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited (“Yingli Green Energy” or “Yingli”), which holds the brand Yingli Solar, appointed SportsMark Management Group, a global sports marketing, corporate hospitality, and event management company, to develop Yingli’s sponsorship activation platform and corporate hospitality program for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.

World Cup Stadiums On Display

For the last three years, members of the media have been coming to SAFA House, the head office of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee, to be briefed on the host country’s preparations. In that time they have had the opportunity to see for themselves the tournament’s flagship stadium, Soccer City, rise from the ground to the point where the final touches are being made to the stadium precinct.

SportsMark Client Visa Changes Olympic Strategy, Focuses on ROI

Grand Central Station is more than 2,400 miles from Vancouver, but that didn’t stop Visa from bringing the Winter Olympics to New Yorkers this month.

The company has blanketed Grand Central’s subway corridor with 3D video and static images from its Olympic-themed advertising campaign, “Go World.” It’s just one in a series of examples of how the company is approaching this Olympics differently than any other in its 20-year history of associating with the Games.

Procter & Gamble Adds 'Thanks Mom' Effort to Vancouver Olympics Push

The Procter & Gamble Co. is going for marketing gold at the Winter Olympic Games.

The consumer products maker on Thursday unveiled a "Thanks, Mom" campaign, with commercials highlighting the role of U.S. athletes' mothers while also offering them financial help with Vancouver travel expenses. The campaign adds to its earlier support of the team with sponsorship dollars, a Vancouver family meeting place and advertising deals with such stars as skier Lindsey Vonn and speedskater Apolo Anton Ohno.

Pete Moore Named SportsMark’s Great Performer for 2009

We are pleased to announce that the 2009 SportsMark Great Performer Award was presented to Pete Moore, Director, Olympic Operations. This annual award, which is voted on by our peers at SportsMark, recognizes employees for their exceptional commitment to quality, customer service, and dedication to the company.

Throughout 2009, Pete was commended for his positive attitude and exemplary teamwork and leadership skills, as he leads our Olympic operations team towards excellence during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games. Please join us in recognizing Pete for this outstanding achievement and for his contributions to SportsMark and our Vancouver client programs.

Catch All The Olympic Action From Vancouver

Every four years the icy cold winter means hot competition with the Winter Olympic Games. Vancouver is the host city for the 2010 Winter Games or its more official title The XXI Winter Olympics. The competition commences on February 12 through February 28 and airs daily on NBC. For winter sport fans, that means 17 complete days of watching the worlds best athletes fighting for gold in the top winter sports. 

Cape Town Should Be Your Goal

Hunkering down against the wind-whipped, cloud-shrouded summit of Table Mountain, my first thought was that the bottom of Africa is pretty much the tops. The 360-degree vista of Cape Town was striking against a sky painted a rich lapis lazuli and from the pinnacle of the mountain the city quite literarily seems to unfold all the way to the ends of the earth. Indeed, the closest landmass to it other than Africa is Antarctica.

IEG Publishes Sponsorship And Hospitality Insights From SportsMark’s Keith Bruce

With a client roster that includes The Procter & Gamble Co., Visa Inc. and other blue-chip companies, SportsMark Management Group has earned a reputation as a leading sports marketing firm with a specialty in corporate hospitality.

IEG SR recently spoke with Keith Bruce, SportsMark president, about the state of hospitality, challenges faced by sponsorship, and the impact of the upcoming Olympic Winter Games and FIFA World Cup, among other topics. Below are edited excerpts from the conversation.

Vancouver to Host More Than Olympic Games

To encourage tourism around this year's Winter Olympic Games, Vancouver is hosting a "Cultural Olympiad," which will hopefully sway attendees to stick around for more than just the sporting events.

Vancouver2010.com for a list of events in the Cultural Olympiad program.

Yingli Green Energy Announces Global Sponsorship of 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM)

Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. Ltd. today announced a deal to sponsor the '10 FIFA World Cup inSouth Africa. Yingli becomes the first renewable energy company to back the World Cup, as well as the first Chinese company to sign a global sponsorship deal with FIFA. 

Super Bowl Ads: CBS Sells Out Remaining Inventory For Big Game

CBS yesterday said that it has "sold out of ads for the Super Bowl" at average prices that are "better than last year, with some 30-second spots" topping $3M, according to the AP. CBS said that the final spot sold yesterday morning, which is a "few days ahead of schedule."

Vancouver Torch 10 Days to Go

The Vancouver 2010 flame gets closer to the final destination with 10 days to go until the Olympic Games. Yesterday highlights include the Vancouver Olympic torch relay traveling through 7 towns and riding in a 1908 McLaughlin Buick Model 10 through Fort St. John.

ESPN Releases 2010 FIFA World Cup Schedule

ESPN will present comprehensive coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup June 11, through July 11, from 10 stadiums in nine cities across South Africa.  All 64 matches will be aired live and in high definition on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC, and extensive coverage on ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobile TV.  In addition, 2010 FIFA World Cup studio programs, including prematch, halftime and postmatch segments, will be presented in high definition.

Super Bowl Hospitality Is On The Mend

With the economy crashing late last year, Gemini Sports Group President Rob Yowell stayed on the sidelines of the Super Bowl hospitality business. This year, as soon as the Dallas Cowboys eliminated the Philadelphia Eagles on the first Saturday of the NFL playoffs, he was blitzed by text messages and phone calls desperately seeking Super Bowl ticket and hotel packages.

Olympics' Social Rings

TV may still be the big marketing vehicle around the Olympics, but sponsors use social media to build buzz and get fans involved.

USA World Cup Committee Selects 18 Cities For '18/22 Bid

The U.S. bid committee to host the World Cup yesterday named 18 cities that could host matches should FIFA award the country the '18 or '22 World Cup. The 18 cities have stadiums with an average capacity of 78,000 seats, which means there would be a total of 5 million tickets for the tournament, 33% more than the '94 World Cup. U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati said, "The magnitude is enormous."

Durban Stadium raises the bar

The newly-built Durban Stadium, which sits on the shores of the Indian Ocean, has received rave reviews from both local and international media - and no wonder. 

P&G Likes the Looks of USOC Deal

Getting 18 brands to buy into using the U.S. Olympic marks was easy for Procter & Gamble marketer David Palmer, but it took a photo shoot with Olympians Lindsey Vonn, Tanith Belbin and Allison Baver for him to have confidence that Procter & Gamble’s new deal with Team USA would work.

As Vancouver Hosts The Winter Olympics, There's Plenty Of Fun To Go With The Fierce Competition

British Columbia will be party central in February when the five rings of the XXI Olympic Winter Games roll in after several years of intense planning (and, if you ask the locals, some equally intense spending). But with a packed schedule of snow-dusted sporting events and a feast of accompanying festival-like shenanigans, what are some of the must-see highlights for those planning a visit?

Draw Ignites FIFA World Cup Fever

The 32 teams participating at next year's FIFA World Cup™ finals discovered their fate this evening when the Final Draw for South Africa 2010 took place in Cape Town.

World Cup 2010 Draw: The Details

The where, when, how and who's who guide to Friday's World Cup draw

Sony Twilight Football: Seven Matches in Seven Cities

 “As the hour of twilight moves across the world, a series of seven matches will begin. All seven games will take place on 22nd September 2009, the Autumnal Equinox (northern hemisphere) and Vernal Equinox (southern hemisphere). The matches will be taking place at stunning, specially chosen locations in: Italy, France, the UK, Spain, Argentina and Australia, with the Twilight Football grand finale happening at a game reserve in Cape Town, South Africa, the host country for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. Each match takes place in a location chosen to provide a spectacularly beautiful background for a truly unique activity.”  - Sony Insider

Univision & SportsMark Team Up for the FIFA World Cup™

We are pleased to announce SportsMark has been awarded the management of Univision’s corporate hospitality program at the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ South Africa. 

FIFA World Cup Update: 2010 Tourism in the Spotlight

Sports tourism is a worldwide money-spinner, estimated to be worth 600 billion dollars a year, attracting high-end spend from millions of sporting fans worldwide.