Welcome to Insider Sport’s latest edition of the Partnership Playbook, where we bring you details on the latest sports partnerships and sponsorships.
Mercedes may be trying to change the meaning of racing stripes through its deal with global fintech Stripe – we’re not sure why the team’s announcement didn’t use the obvious pun.
In other news that contains words that link, Greek yoghurt brand FAGE is set to help the WTA Finals become the Super Bowl of women’s tennis through its title sponsorship, according to WTA Chair Valerie Camillo.
Elsewhere, energy company Acelen is stepping into naming rights at Arena Fonte Nova as changes to Brazil’s betting sponsorship landscape prompt a sponsor change, while McLaren and AbbVie are tying championship success to charitable donations.
Mercedes F1 signs Stripe to speed up global operations
Adding stripes to a Formula 1 team used to be purely a design choice, but Mercedes’ partnership with Stripe aims to accelerate its business away from the track.
Mercedes has named Stripe its official global payments partner and team partner in a multi-year deal, with the fintech’s technology set to support the team’s financial and payments operations.
Under the agreement with Mercedes, Stripe’s branding will feature on the team’s cars and other assets from the opening race of the 2027 season.
Speaking about how Stripe will benefit Mercedes, Richard Sanders, the team’s Chief Commercial Officer, said its platform would simplify transactions across merchandise, fan experience and partner relationships.
He also said the fintech will provide the infrastructure needed to support the team’s growing global audiences, which have surged with following F1 initiatives such as the Netflix Drive to Survive series.
Toto Wolff, Mercedes Team Principal and CEO, said the team wanted to be ambitious as it rethinks its approach to the sector.
“When the opportunity arose to rethink our approach in this sector, we wanted to be ambitious and partner with the very best. Stripe was the only choice,” he said.
McLaren F1 and AbbVie put a charitable price on every 10 points
Formula 1 points could mean more than progress for McLaren, with its latest partnership turning on-track success into funding for people with immune-mediated diseases.
The F1 team has announced that pharmaceutical company AbbVie will become its official pharmaceutical partner, launching the Race to Innovate campaign to support global patient advocacy organisations.
AbbVie will donate $10,000 to global charities for every 10 points McLaren scores in the Constructors’ Championship, funding organisations that provide education, resources and support for people affected by immune-mediated diseases.
Starting at the 2026 US Grand Prix in Austin and expanding across the 2027 season, the campaign will also use storytelling and fan engagement to shed light on the initiative.
Tracie Haas, AbbVie’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs, said the two organisations shared “a mindset of continuous improvement and shared determination to solve complex challenges”.
FAGE takes title sponsorship of WTA Finals ahead of move to Charlotte
The WTA Finals is entering a new chapter and has brought in a Greek yoghurt brand to fuel its ambitions for women’s tennis.
FAGE has signed a multi-year partnership to become the title partner of the season-ending championship and the WTA’s official yoghurt partner, beginning at Indian Wells in 2026 before the Finals move to Charlotte, North Carolina, from 2027 to 2029.
The agreement will integrate FAGE into the event through broadcast and venue branding, product sampling, fan experiences and hospitality.
The deal comes as the WTA looks to elevate its flagship event, with WTA Chair Valerie Camillo outlining a determined vision for its future after last year’s record viewership.
“Our ambition is to make the WTA Finals the Super Bowl of women’s sports – delighting fans, elevating the WTA Tour, and matching the world-class calibre of our athletes,” said Camillo.
“FAGE’s commitment is a strong endorsement of the momentum behind this vision, women’s tennis, and the opportunity ahead.”
Acelen replaces betting brand with Arena Fonte Nova naming rights deal
A Brazilian energy company is taking over a football stadium’s naming rights from a betting brand following changes to the country’s online gambling sector.
Acelen has become the naming rights partner of Arena Fonte Nova, the 48,000-capacity stadium in Salvador, Brazil, home to Esporte Clube Bahia, replacing Casa de Apostas.
The venue will be known as Arena Accelen Fonte Nova, expanding the energy company’s presence in Bahia, where it has operated since acquiring the Mataripe Refinery in 2021.
The rebrand will launch with the tagline “All energy has a source. Ours is Bahia”.
Marcelo Lyra, Acelen’s Vice-President of Institutional Relations, Communications, ESG and Territorial Development, said the company will preserve the stadium’s original typography and restore its arches out of respect for the venue’s history.
Arena Fonte Nova opened in 2013 and has hosted major events including the FIFA World Cup and Copa América. It will also host matches at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
In other news:
- Real Madrid has named IREN an official sponsor, though it has disclosed few details about the partnership.
- Athletic Club has extended its partnership with Vueling until 2030, with the airline moving its branding from the front of the men’s first-team shorts to the left sleeve of the shirt.
- The NHL has renewed its partnership with Expedia, which retains exclusive travel, hotel and vacation rental rights across the US and Canada.
- BOSS PARFUMS has signed a multi-year partnership with HYROX across six European markets to support the launch of its BOSS Bottled Beyond fragrance.
- Prem Rugby is set to name Thatchers Cider as a commercial partner in a deal reportedly brokered by Rocket Sports, the agency founded by Elton John.
- The Atlanta Hawks have named The Home Depot their official home improvement partner in a multi-year deal featuring fan activations.
If you would like to stay up to date with the latest sports partnerships and sponsorship deals, you can subscribe to Insider Sport’s LinkedIn newsletter to get Partnership Playbook delivered to your inbox every Wednesday.
