Tissot and Sports

A perfect partnership

As a multi-specialist brand with a very broad customer base, Tissot reaches a very broad audience across the globe in over 150 countries. Tissot aims to offer the very latest in design, technology and materials to produce timepieces of every type to suit every occasion. The huge popularity of sports around the world and the wide base of support that they enjoy – invoking emotion, passion, energy and excitement in the fans – makes sport the perfect platform upon which to communicate Tissot’s brand message to the widest possible audience.

For 2009, its core programme remains intact with Tissot being the Official Timekeeper and Official Watch of 5 major international disciplines: MotoGP, NASCAR, Ice Hockey, Cycling and Fencing, giving us a strong international base from which to build. In addition, 2008 saw the successful introduction of two major regional sports events to the programme with the CBA in China and the AFL in Australia. These will also continue in 2009.

As has always been the case throughout its long-standing involvement in sports, Tissot has always sought to ways to innovate to develop its sponsorship
programme in new directions through new partnerships and in 2009 this is the case once again. For 2009, it has agreed a new partnership with FIBA, the International Basketball Federation, to become the Official Timekeeper of all international basketball Championships. This is expected to develop to become a very successful partnership through which to communicate the brand and its message, in one of the most popular sports in the world and one that shows signs of further growth in the years to come.

Tissot Ambassadors will also continue in 2009 with IndyCar Driver, Danica Patrick, MotoGP Racers, Nicky Hayden and Tom Lüthi and International Footballer Michael Owen striving to continue to perform at the very top level of their respective sports. It has added to its Tissot Ambassadors once again this year with 2008 NHL Draft First Overall Pick, Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning joining as our first ever Ice Hockey Ambassador in a year when the Ice Hockey World Championship returns to Switzerland.

CBA League – Official Timekeeper

2008 saw Tissot’s first season as the Official Timekeeper of the CBA League in China. A wholly successful campaign saw an excellent integration into the CBA with Tissot becoming established as one of the League’s key partners. In 2009 it moves into a second CBA season with the launch of the first Official Watch of the CBA. The 2008/09 season has already started in China and was combined with the launch of the first ever Official Watch of the CBA. A PRC 200 presented in a special basketball packaging with a limited number of 8,888 pieces, which is sure to be a hit with fans of the CBA from around the world.

FIBA

In an exciting new development in the sports programme, Tissot has reached an agreement to become the Official Timekeeper of FIBA, the International Basketball Federation. This four year agreement will further underline Tissot’s strong position in the sport of basketball and make Tissot the premier watch brand in the sport around the world. The highlight of the FIBA calendar is the FIBA World Championships, which take place every four years, the next occasion being 2010. However, 2009 promises to be an extremely busy year for the sport with continental championships taking place all over the world throughout the summer. Key championships are the Eurobasket in Poland, the FIBA America Championship in Mexico and the FIBA Asia Championship in China, all taking place in August 2009.

MotoGP World Championships

As the Official Timekeeper of the MotoGP World Championship, Tissot reinforces its dedication and commitment to supporting sport at the highest level and offering the best and most spectacular entertainment to a wide audience around the world. The 2009 season will again take place over 18 races in 14 countries. One interesting addition to the calendar is the new Hungarian Grand Prix to take place at the newly constructed Balatonring and replacing the Chinese Grand Prix. Tissot has prepared every last detail to ensure that the timekeeping of the 2009 MotoGP achieves perfection. The Tissot 2009 T-Race MotoGP Limited Edition adds the ultimate finishing touch to the equipment for the championship. As black as the high-performance tires of the MotoGP bikes, the 9,002 pieces of this special sports watch will keep top followers perfectly on track.Once again, for those not fortunate enough to get their hands on the 2009 MotoGP Limited Edition, an exclusive edition will also be available, making a more than ample replacement.

NASCAR

In 2009, Tissot moves into its fourth year of partnership with the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) to be the Official Timekeeper and Official Watch of NASCAR. The sport is extremely popular in the United States, with popularity growing around the world every year. Fans flock to see NASCAR both at the circuit and on television, with television ratings ranking only behind the National Football League in terms of popularity.

Fencing World Championship and Fencing World Cup

As one of the oldest sports in the world and one where timing and precision are crucial, Fencing was an obvious sport for a watch making company to partner and one that embodies Tissot own adage of “Performance by Tradition”.

Ice Hockey

2009 promises to be a very important year in Ice Hockey and also for Tissot’s involvement in the sport. Tissot has been the Official Timekeeper of the IIHF World Championship since 1998 and this year, for the first time in 11 years, the World Championships will return to Tissot’s home country of Switzerland. The 2009 IIHF World Championship will take place in Berne and Zurich-Kloten between April 24th and May 10th, 2009. Ice Hockey is one of the most popular sports in Switzerland and the Championship will certainly be a time of celebration throughout the country. To celebrate the 2009 IIHF World Championships, Tissot has developed the new Tissot T-Tracx Ice Hockey, a special edition watch for Ice Hockey fans from around the world.

AFL

In 2008 Tissot became the Official Timekeeper and Official Watch of the Australian Football League (AFL). This first season of partnership developed into a successful relationship with the development of new timekeeping methods and controls alongside the AFL. Of course, the 2008 season also saw the launch of the Official Watch of the AFL, which proved to be extremely popular amongst fans and players alike. The 2008 AFL season was a dramatic one with the Hawthorn Hawks stunning the red-hot favourites the Geelong Cats in the Grand Final to become the 2008 AFL Premiers. The 2009 AFL season promises to be every bit as exciting and starts on March 24th and concluding with the Grand Final taking place on September 26th, 2009.

UCI Cycling World Championships

Tissot has been a long term partner of the UCI managing the timing and results of the UCI (Union Cycliste International) World Championships since 1996. Tissot is pleased to announce that it has recently concluded an agreement with the UCI to continue as its Official Timekeeper until 2010 for the World Championships of road, track and mountain bike cycling as well as the World Cup Classics track series. During this long-term partnership, Tissot has worked closely with the UCI to constantly develop the quality and technology of timekeeping in cycling to stay at the forefront of the sport and to increase the excitement and spectacle for both competitors and spectators. The partnership with the UCI continues in 2009 with a further series of World Championship and World Cup events. This year the World Championships will take place in Pruszkow, Poland (Track), Mendrisio, Switzerland (Road) and Canberra, Australia (Mountain Bike).