USA Triathlon has announced MANSCAPED as its Official Men’s Grooming Partner through 2021. MANSCAPED is a California-based company that produces industry-leading men’s grooming products; such as electric trimmers, razors, and many other hygienic formulations. MANSCAPED is especially known for its high-profile sports sponsorships dedicated to celebrated athletic and global class teams across the globe.
MANSCAPED is dedicated to raising awareness about men’s health issues and cancer risk by highlighting the importance of self-screening as a means for early detection.
“We look forward to introducing MANSCAPED’s best-in-class grooming products, along with a heavy dose of entertainment value, to the USA Triathlon multipart community” said Victoria Brumfrield, USA Triathlon Chief of Staff and Chief Sport Development Officer.
MANSCAPED will offer an exclusive discount to USA Triathlon Annual Members. They will also create additional promotions — including a national commercial spot featuring elite USAT athletes. Additionally, MANSCAPED will serve as the presenting partner of The Power within Virtual Tri to Tokyo this summer. The Virtual Tri to Tokyo is scheduled to run from July 19 to September 12 with registration opening on June 23.
Joey Kovac, Senior Director of Marketing at MANSCAPED, said “We are completely honored to be able to support [USA Triathlon] with the return of sport’s biggest stage this summer.”
MANSCAPED is a charitable and health-motivated company. They provide discounts to members of the US Armed Forces, first responders, and healthcare workers. MANSCAPED thrives off of prioritizing men’s health, wellness, values, and hygiene. Their products will help enhance race day confidence and competition through a dedication to good hygiene and grooming. This partnership will be extremely beneficial to all members of the USA Triathlon organization.
The city of Orlando has renewed its partnership with Orlando Health, incorporating new features into the longest corporate partnership in the club’s history.
Alex Leitao, Orlando City’s CEO, said “we are thrilled to be able to continue our long-standing partnership with Orlando Health.”
The partnership between Orlando Health and Orlando City, which has persisted for many years, began when the team played in the United Soccer League, during which time Orlando Health served as the Lions and Pride kit sponsor.
This new agreement includes naming rights to the training facilities of both The Pride and The Lions. The Pride train at Sylvan Lake Park and The Lions train at Osceola Heritage Park; with The Lions’ facility including two extra large fields for the Orlando City academy.
Additionally, the updated agreement includes a Orlando Health’s longstanding medical partnership, continuing their position as the provider for every team.
The agreement also includes new community outreach initiatives targeted throughout Orlando. For instance, a “Winning Women” panel will feature Orlando Pride players and will promote women’s empowerment. On top of that, the teams will partner with Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children during Kick Childhood Cancer Month and Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Andy Gardiner, senior VP of external affairs and community relations at Orlando Health, said “We’re excited to see what the future brings for our growing partnership!”
WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. (PRWEB) MAY 21, 2021
Major League Soccer and HotelPlanner, the world's largest group travel booking site, today announced a strategic partnership for the upcoming 2021 MexTour. As part of the partnership, HotelPlanner will become the Official Hotel Reservations Partner of the 2021 MexTour.
The Mexican National Team’s annual U.S. tour matches have become one of the most popular global events in the sport, preselling our every available seat for each match. Since 2002, the Mexican National Team has played over 85 matches and has used the live game experience not only to prepare for important competitions such as the FIFA World Cup and CONCACAF Gold Cup, but also reach their fervent fan base of supporters across North America.
The 2021 MexTour kicks off on May 29th as Mexico hosts Iceland at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX and is followed by a match against Honduras on June 12th at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Mexico plays Panama on June 30th in Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN, and the last match of the tour is Mexico vs Nigeria on July 3rd at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The website where rooms are offered is here.
The health and safety of everyone attending upcoming games will be a top priority for all those involved in hosting this tour. All local stadium protocols, which are based on current public health recommendations, will be followed. These protocols will be in place to help fans feel confident, safe, and comfortable while in attendance. All fans will be required to wear masks unless actively eating or drinking. Fans will not be required to provide a negative COVID-19 test to attend events. Stadium capacity will be in line with local guidance.
HotelPlanner CEO and co-founder Tim Hentschel spoke about the campaign saying, "We are thrilled to partner with Soccer United Marketing to encourage fans to return to the stands for the MexTour 2021. Soccer is a unifying sport, and we hope through this partnership HotelPlanner will help bring fans together.”
“It is a true honor to be working with Soccer United Marketing. They are second to none when it comes to the production of world class soccer events in North America due in large part to the Mexican National Team and unrivaled fan support,” said Dan Etna, of Innovative Partnerships Group, the agency that connected Soccer United Marketing and HotelPlanner.
This year’s MexTour can be followed on social media using the hashtag #MexTour.
About HotelPlanner
HotelPlanner is a top seller of individual hotel bookings offering member rates, the world’s largest seller of online group hotel bookings, and a leading provider of custom hotel booking solutions.
The company offers the best deals in individual, group and corporate travel by combining advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning technology to quickly serve all traveler hotel needs from a single platform.
HotelPlanner has enduring partnerships with well-known hotel chains, individual hotels, the world’s largest OTAs, large online wedding providers, ancillary lodging providers, corporations, sports franchises, universities, and government agencies.
About Soccer United Marketing
Over the past 16 years, Soccer United Marketing (SUM), the commercial arm of Major League Soccer, has become the preeminent commercial soccer enterprise in North America, overseeing the commercialization, marketing, promotion and operational execution of the region’s most successful soccer entities. Currently, SUM holds the exclusive rights to Major League Soccer, the United States Soccer Federation, the Mexican National Team (for the United States market), and Concacaf Properties (Gold Cup™ and Concacaf Champions League). In addition, SUM held the promotional and commercial rights to the highly successful 2016 Copa America Centenario. Other sponsors for this year’s event include Adidas, Allstate, AT&T, Bud Light, General Mills, The Home Depot, Nissan, Gran Centenario Tequila, and Wells Fargo.
About Innovative Partnerships Group
Los Angeles-based Innovative Partnerships Group is a leader in developing long-term, revenue-generating business relationships between global brands and high-profile sports and entertainment venues as well as other prestige properties. The company’s proprietary Partnership Intelligence™ system allows properties and brands to accurately assess the value of these deals and compare their impact to traditional media advertising. For more information, visit https://ipg360.com.
Originally Published at PRWeb
Originally published in Sports Business Journal.
Jeff Marks’ Innovative Partnerships Group has won an agency shootout to assist the Suns in selling title to the city-owned downtown Phoenix arena, per SBJ's Terry Lefton. The Suns own all their media rights, so the package could be reasonably customized. Sources said the team was going out with an asking price of around $9 million a year and seeking a minimum 10-year deal.
The venue opened in 1992 as America West Arena and has since had various nameplates, including US Airways Center, Talking Stick Resort Arena and PHX Arena. More recently, it's been called Phoenix Suns Arena, largely as a placeholder. The facility is undergoing a $230 million renovation, about 80% of which is completed, with the rest scheduled to be finished before the next NBA season.
Suns CRO Dan Costello said IPG's "ability to story tell" was key in the selection. "They really understood our vision,” he said. To date, that vision, supported by corporate sponsors PayPal and Verizon, has been one of positioning the arena as a tech hub, “showcasing innovation and serving the increasingly digital savvy fans,” Costello said. As a result of Arizona in April becoming the 26th state to legalize sports betting, the arena will reopen with a 6,300-square-foot sportsbook.
The Suns’ gaudy 51-win season, their best in more than a decade, should help sell the naming rights. Costello said it has already propelled the team to a league-leading number of new season tickets sold this year.
Read the full article at latimes.com
A new Shake Shack has opened inside of Dodgers Stadium and many Californians are asking themselves: Why not In-N-Out? In-N-Out is an LA staple while Shake Shack has it's origins in NYC.
The LA Times dug a little deeper on this question, and in doing so, found that In-N-Out has a reputation for not opening locations inside of sports venues. According to a quote from In-N-Out COO Denny Warwick: "Sponsorship of a major sports team, stadium or arena, isn’t a strategy that we have chosen to take advantage of."
If that doesn't sound definitive enough, LA Times spoke to Innovative Partnerships Group CEO Jeff Marks to get his take on the situation, who said that he doesn't pursue In-N-Out for partnerships at all.
“I haven’t called them in 10 years,” Marks said.
According to Marks, sports teams, the Dodgers included, would want to include the concession rights in a broader sponsorship deal that could include broadcast advertisements, social media promotions, stadium signage, hospitality suites and more. He said such deals typically cover multiple years and cost six or seven figures.
He said some restaurants fret over quality control in a ballpark setting. And, even as fans expect to pay a premium for ballpark food, Marks said some restaurants worry about negative reaction from consumers.
For more details, read the rest of the story at latimes.com.
Innovative Partnerships Group is looking for innovative thinkers to join our 2026 Internship Program. Candidates must have a business-minded approach with a versatile skill set, strong instincts, and a ‘get stuff done’ mindset. Interns will have the opportunity to work closely with all Innovative Partnerships Group studios (Consultative Business Development, Valuation & Consulting, Creative Solutions, and IP & Asset Creation).
Our interns in the Consultative Business Development department will primarily support IPG’s CEO and Business Development team members in activities focused on lead generation, prospect research, proposal development, and outbound sales efforts. Additional time will be spent with the Partnership Solutions team where you will be able to learn from best-in-class professionals on how to build relationships with clients, develop strategies, and effectively plan, manage, & execute projects.
Innovative Partnerships Group is a leading commercial consulting and analytics firm at the intersection of sports and entertainment and more. Our focus is on long-term revenue generation through partnership marketing. Our firm is a globally recognized organization that consults with prestige properties and as well as global brands to help maximize their sponsorship/partnership investments. We hold deep expertise in B2B partnerships, naming rights, foundational and sponsorship partnerships with a focus on sports and entertainment districts. We successfully execute on these partnerships through its proprietary Partnership Intelligence software that provides quantitative results for media and programs/platforms as well as the direct/indirect revenue potential for both properties and brands. Additional information is available at www.ipg360.com
At Innovative Partnerships Group, our core values are what bring us together and drive us to do big things for our partners. We commit to excellence for our clients, inspire, have fun, collaborate through leadership and always, act with empathy and respect. We are looking for the right individual to embody these values and communicate them to the future recruits.
To apply, please send your PDF resume along with a written response to the following prompt to hr@ipg360.com
Summer 2026 applications are open.
Please follow the instructions above to APPLY! We will also have a later start date available to accommodate varying school schedules.
Originally published in the Sports Business Journal.
QBFC will construct and operate a 100% privately-financed 7,500-seat modular stadium on the campus of York College
(more…)WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – (BUSINESS WIRE) – HotelPlanner, the leading online provider of group hotel bookings and a premier seller of individual hotel stays worldwide has announced a new partnership with Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE), the parent company for the New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia 76ers, and Prudential Center.
(more…)Jeff Marks is a true Sports Entrepreneur, having started several agencies from an early age and now leading a “best in class” COI (Contractual Obligated Income) Agency which is breaking grounds around the world, including a recent huge deal with FC Barcelona to manage the branding of the Nou Camp Stadium and new facilities. Tons of learning and insights into the world of COI.
Listen Here: Episode 25 with Jeff Marks
On Early start during MBA days:
Managing Director of a 2 Man Consulting business with his Professor. Stubhub story, the one that got away.
On Starting Sports Business Ventures:
Venture Capital Pledged Fund dedicated to Sports, partnered with Alan Rosenberg and other big hitters
On Premier Partnerships:
Premier Naming rights agency. Generating massive COI, for large US teams and franchises.
On Premier Ventures:
Advisory agency, another run at Venture Capital
On Innovate Partnership Group (IPG360):
Starting of a new business development group to help sports IP owners generate long term commercial revenue
On the Two words you are not allowed to say at IPG360:
“Sales” and “Sponsorship”
On the Four Main Areas of Focus:
On Proprietary Software:
Partnership intelligence platform (a brand new Valuation System)
Direct and Indirect Revenue measurements
R&D, Technology, other non-traditional areas to measure returns
On Current Projects:
US Triathlon, Circuit of Americas (US F1 Track), MLS teams, Canadian Premier League
On FC Barcelona story:
Goldman & Sachs intro leads to working on re-development of Camp Nou
On Not just Naming rights:
Beyond naming a Venue…. Naming a part of the city
Other Highlights
Jeff Marks is a sports business executive with over twenty years of experience working with C-level executives at Fortune 500 companies, sports teams, leagues, venues, governments, universities, franchise owners and investors. Marks currently serves as Founder and Chief Executive of IPG360 (Innovative Partnerships Group) which is a leading business development company that drives long-term revenue for prestige properties with a focus on sports and entertainment.
Marks has been credited with negotiating the largest naming rights agreement of 2016, the Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village, which turned out to be one of the most recognized sports deals of the year and a catalyst for changing how naming rights and commercial partnership deals are executed in the sports industry and beyond.
Marks has worked on over a hundred plus business partnerships over his career and a few notable partnerships include: Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Globe Life Park in Arlington, TD Place in Ottawa, Kabam Field at California Memorial Stadium and O.co Coliseum and Tim Horton’s Field. Marks also executed one of the largest jersey naming rights deal in MLS history with the Atlanta United and American Family Insurance.
Jeff Marks is also credited for developing the sports industry’s leading valuation tool which is an analytical sales model for identifying, creating and valuing sponsorships and naming rights.
Marks is a frequent industry speaker on revenue related topics in the Sports Industry including NFL league meetings, Sports Business Journal and other industry organizations. Marks is an adjunct faculty member at University of San Francisco’s Sports Management Program and teaches “New Business Models in the Sports Industry.” He frequently provides sports business insight to leading national media outlets, and has also published industry studies on sports business trends and best practices.
Prior to IPG360, Jeff served as president of Premier Ventures which specializes in sports investment and advisory for owners seeking to build shareholder value around sports franchises, emerging properties and related businesses. Jeff was concurrently Managing Director of Premier Partnerships where he executed some of the top sports commercial business transactions in the country over the last decade. Marks was also Founding Partner and Managing Director of Sports Business Ventures (SBV), a sports investment and advisory firm.
Marks currently serves on the LA Sports Council Board as well as the Cedars Sinai Medical Center Sports Spectacular Committee. Jeff is also involved with his alma mater, the University of California Berkeley on the Revenue Generating Board and the Berkeley Athletics Southern California Committee. Jeff is a member of YPO and former chairman of the Golden West Chapter. Marks is also a past chair of the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
Marks earned a bachelor’s degree in International Economics with a minor in Rhetoric from the University of California, Berkeley, and his MBA from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California. He is married with two children and considers Los Angeles, California his home.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — USA Team Handball today unveiled its new logo, in conjunction with the refreshed website look of the Team USA platform. The refreshed visual identity for USA Team Handball will serve as the emblem of the American team handball program, as the sport continues to grow in the United States over the years to come.
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