Man City, London Spirit & More: Latest Sports Sponsorship & Partnership Deals
Manchester City’s global reach continues to expand, underscored by the extension of its partnership with JNC, a leading Chinese liquor manufacturer. The renewal, announced on , builds upon a six-season collaboration that has focused on connecting the Premier League champions with their growing fanbase in China.
JNC will continue as the club’s official baijiu partner, a testament to the success of the relationship in bridging cultural gaps and creating authentic experiences for supporters. The partnership has consistently prioritized in-market activations, bringing City closer to its Chinese fans through events and initiatives tailored to local interests. These have included fan screening events, matchday takeovers at the Etihad Stadium – most recently during the match against Fulham – and bespoke social media campaigns.
The social media campaigns are particularly noteworthy, demonstrating a commitment to cultural sensitivity and engagement. City players have participated in activities showcasing traditional Chinese culture, from calligraphy and art to experiencing local cuisine and festive customs. This approach aims to foster a deeper connection with fans, moving beyond simple sponsorship to create meaningful interactions.
David Tang, CEO of City Football Group China, expressed his satisfaction with the renewed partnership. We’re delighted to extend our partnership with JNC. Through our partnership to date, we’ve worked closely with JNC to bring Manchester City closer to our fans across the world through innovative activations and unforgettable experiences,
Tang stated. We’re looking forward to building on this strong foundation and continuing to create meaningful moments for our supporters.
The emphasis on “meaningful moments” suggests a continued focus on quality over quantity, prioritizing experiences that resonate with fans on a personal level.
The partnership’s success is indicative of the broader trend of Premier League clubs seeking to cultivate strong international followings, particularly in Asia. China represents a significant market for football, and Manchester City’s proactive approach to fan engagement is likely to serve as a model for other clubs looking to expand their global presence. The continued investment in culturally relevant activations demonstrates an understanding that simply broadcasting games is no longer sufficient to capture the attention – and loyalty – of international fans.
Beyond Manchester City’s commercial success, the sporting world saw further developments on . London Spirit, the Hundred franchise, announced a multi-year partnership with CricViz, a leading provider of data and analytics for cricket. This collaboration aims to enhance the team’s performance through data-driven insights, covering both the men’s and women’s squads.
CricViz will provide London Spirit with access to its suite of data tools, including Centurion and Video Scorecard, enabling detailed analysis of player performance and match strategies. Crucially, the partnership extends beyond simply providing data; CricViz will also offer bespoke data science support for squad planning and the upcoming player auction. This suggests a commitment to a more sophisticated approach to team building, leveraging data to identify and acquire players who best fit the team’s needs.
Michael Kivido, Managing Director for CricViz, highlighted the franchise’s forward-thinking approach. London Spirit are building something exciting, and we’re delighted to be working with such a forward-looking franchise. Our focus is on providing clear, trusted insights that support better decision-making – whether that’s on the field, in preparation, or at key strategic moments ahead of the season. We’re looking forward to working closely with the High Performance team across both the men’s and women’s programmes.
The emphasis on “clear, trusted insights” underscores the importance of data accuracy and interpretability in a rapidly evolving sporting landscape.
London Spirit’s Director of Cricket, Mo Bobat, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing his long-standing trust in CricViz’s capabilities. It’s great to have CricViz as our data and analytics provider, the quality of their offering is genuinely elite. Having worked closely with them and their tools for many years, across both international and franchise set-ups, I’ve really come to trust them and their insights. As London Spirit embarks on this next exciting chapter in our story, I’m looking forward to having CricViz’s support with our player recruitment and team performance decision-making.
Bobat’s prior experience with CricViz suggests a strategic alignment and a belief that data analytics will be a key differentiator for the franchise.
The increasing adoption of data analytics in cricket, and sports more broadly, reflects a growing recognition of its potential to unlock competitive advantages. Teams are no longer relying solely on traditional scouting methods; instead, they are integrating data-driven insights into every aspect of their operations, from player recruitment to in-game strategy. This trend is likely to continue as data analytics becomes more sophisticated and accessible.
In further partnership news, England Netball and the Netball Super League (NSL) have renewed their agreement with Collection Cosmetics, continuing a collaboration that began in 2024. The renewed term includes increased investment from Collection Cosmetics, signaling confidence in the growth potential of netball and a shared commitment to expanding its audience.
As part of the agreement, Collection Cosmetics will maintain a prominent presence at major England Netball and NSL events, further solidifying its association with the sport. Maisie Jackson, Head of Partnerships at England Netball and the Netball Super League, emphasized the alignment between the two organizations. We’re delighted to renew our partnership with Collection Cosmetics at a time of real momentum for the Netball Super League and the England Netball. This collaboration connects the momentum of elite netball with a brand dedicated to championing confidence and ambition in women and girls. As our audiences continue to grow and engage in new ways, it’s important that we work with partners who see the long-term potential of netball and want to be part of that journey.
Angharad Griffith, Marketing Manager at Collection Cosmetics, highlighted the brand’s commitment to empowering women and girls. We are immensely proud to renew our partnership with England Netball and the Netball Super League as we enter our third year of collaboration. Our mission is to inspire women and girls to be the real them, embracing every part of themselves and pushing to be the best they can be. This mission aligns perfectly with England Netball and the Netball Super League, and we can’t wait to see how the netball community grows in 2026.
This partnership exemplifies the increasing trend of brands aligning themselves with sports that promote positive values and resonate with female audiences.
Finally, DMC Production has renewed its bronze sponsorship of SVG Europe, demonstrating continued support for the organization and its mission to advance sports video technology and production. DMC Production, with offices across Northern Europe, has been increasingly focused on remote production solutions utilizing 4G/5G and IP technologies, and has recently expanded through acquisitions, including Plazamedia, RT1.TV mobile.production, Rego Production and Rego Racing.