Red lights are off down under

As the shadow of the cancelled F1™ Bahrain grand prix finally passes, excitement has been quietly growing for this weekend’s season opener in Australia. With five world champions in the pot, a host of new rules, the horror of Robert Kubica’s career threatening rally crash and two teams squabbling over a name, this season is shaping up to be a Hollywood blockbuster. And that’s before the cars have even lined up on the grid.

It seems the ever eccentric Bernie Ecclestone thinks that a line-up containing Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton and the sport’s youngest ever champion, Sebastian Vettel isn’t enough of a selling point. This year the technical bar has been raised, with a new set of challenges to disrupt the established hierarchy, including driver-adjustable rear wings, the return of the Kers power-boost system and a change of tyre supplier.

But in what can sometimes be a technical sport for the average fan, Pirelli have come to the rescue with the tyres at least and introduced a tyre colour coding scheme to identify what type of tyre each car is using.

F1™ is in a rare position. Like no other elite sport, its worldwide footprint gives sponsors access to a multitude of countries and cultures across the world on an annual basis. But despite this, it and its sponsors social media presence lags behind other elite events. No matter the budget, social media can be the great leveller for brands to engage with fans across multiple markets. . Perhaps in what is set to be a groundbreaking season on the track will be mirrored off it with some innovative campaigns from F1™ and furthermore it will make more than a pit-stop in social media..

Finally, our predictions. F1 predictions for the season are normally a minefield of possibility in the post-Schumacher age and this year is no different, or is it? From the outset, Red Bull and Vettel will be the combination to beat, but should they see the promising test lap times of former F1™ hero Michael Schumacher as anything to fear? Or maybe his main concern will be a trip down memory lane to face old rival and big F1™ hope, Paul di Resta. With the McLaren car looking red hot in the first practice session, we’re backing the British boys to bring it home. In the words of the great Murray Walker, anything can happen in Grand Prix racing, and it usually does.

Spurs add Armour to their Sponsorship Arsenal

Say what you like about Spurs (and I frequently do), they’ve shown their commercial nous this season.

First they unveiled their dual shirt sponsorship model. Aside from a gut-wrenching first half of their first ever Champions League match, during which the Investec chief who brokered the deal must’ve been on the verge of tears, this has proven an excellent deal for all parties. The asset management firm gained exposure in Europe’s premier club competition, and Spurs generated additional revenue from existing assets.

Now their new kit manufacturer is the latest indication that Spurs are looking to change the status quo. Not content with the Nikes, Pumas and Adidases of this world, Spurs have signed a five year deal with Under Armour.

Although a relative newcomer to these shores (they’ve manufactured Welsh Rugby Union shirts since 2008), Under Armour is a powerful competitor for the traditional kit big boys. The company has a strong reputation for innovative solutions in sports across the pond (they recently launched an NFL shirt that monitors the wearer’s heart rate and core body temperature), and this reputation tallies nicely with Spurs’ own attempts to alter the Premier League sponsorship model.

Whether the Spurs kit deal proves a beachhead for further Under Armour forays into the Premier League remains to be seen. One thing is for certain; Spurs have shown that clubs no longer need be at the behest of the established players in the sponsorship market. This should open up new revenue streams for clubs, and give some new brands a piece of the Premier League pie.

Steve Sandsmith