Comms Direct, Cardiff City's shirt sponsor was offered an incredible half-a-million pound deal to give up their advertising rights for the FA Cup final.

But executives at CommsDirect declined the offer from an Asian-based online gambling venture in favour of taking advantage of a "once in a century" opportunity to have global television exposure when Cardiff play Portsmouth at Wembley. CommsDirect, which has its headquarters in Cardiff, is one of Europe’s leading third-generation mobile phone contract reselling businesses.

It employs 400 people at its Cardiff and Swansea call centres and sells a new phone every 40 seconds.

Days after Cardiff’s FA semi-final victory over Barnsley on April 6, the company was approached by an intermediary representing an online gambling venture based in the Far East. The broker offered £500,000 to have its clients’ name emblazoned on Cardiff City’s black strip for the FA Cup instead of CommsDirect.

Football fans in more than 200 countries, generating a global audience of more than 500 million, will view tomorrow’s match.

Matt Burge, managing director of CommsDirect, said: "On the Wednesday after Cardiff’s FA semi-final win at Wembley we were contacted by a sports marketing agency representing an undisclosed online gambling business based in Asia.

"The offer of £500,000 was tempting, but after discussing it with our board and then with Cardiff City we decided to reject it.  

Colchester United will be pushing for promotion in style next season, after signing a four year deal with Puma. The Technical Kit Partnership will see Puma supply the U's match, training and youth team kit as the U's look for an instant return to the Championship as they embark on a new chapter at the new Community Stadium.

Richard Callaway, Head of Sport for Puma UK, told the official website: "This is an exciting opportunity for us and will provide great exposure for Puma in and around Essex.

"We are delighted to be the Technical Kit Sponsor for Colchester United and are looking forward to working with the club and its fans over the next four seasons.

"With great kit and excellent service, we're sure our partnership will be a successful one."

Genesis Group International Ltd is the Exclusive Licensee for Puma Teamsports (UK and Ireland). and John Howarth, Genesis Sales Director added: "We're delighted to announce the PumaTechnical Kit Partnership with Colchester United. "The sponsorship marks an exciting time ahead for everyone at the U's especially with the new stadium opening for next season.

In June 2005 Hearts signed a six-figure shirt sponsorship deal with the Lithuanian bank Ukio Bankas of the club's major shareholder, Vladimir Romanov.

Ukio Bankas have now renewed their sponsorship agreement with Hearts for a fourth consecutive season. The Lithuanian bank, in which Vladimir Romanov is a major shareholder, will see their name emblazoned across the club's new Umbro shirts next 2008-2009 season.

Hearts had been seeking alternative sponsorship for the 2008/09 campaign but have opted to extend the agreement with Ukio for a further year.

The club are due to launch new home and away kits bearing the Ukio Bankas logo this summer as they enter the second of a two-year agreement with sports manufacturing giants Umbro.

The German Bundesliga team, Arminia Bielefeld and their sports equipment manufacturer, Saller have agreed on the extension of their current contract. Saller will remain Arminia's official outfitter for another four years. The sponsorship package arranged by SPORTFIVE includes the equipment of the professional, amateur and youth teams.

"We are proud to equip a historic club like Arminia Bielefeld, and look forward to continuing to do so. Our partnership with them is a lot of fun and a compliment to the high quality of our sports equipment," said Richard Saller.

"Both Arminia Bielefeld and Saller will continue to benefit from our collaboration for another four years," said Roland Kentsch, managing director of DSC Arminia Bielefeld GmbH & Co. KGaA. "Both sides are thoroughly satisfied with this decision."

Volkswagen has signed a football shirt sponsorship deal with D.C. United that will deliver as much as $3.7 million annually to the American football club, making it the second-largest shirt sponsorship deal in league history. The deal is expected to be announced this week, according to the Sports Business Journal, a sister publication of the Washington Business Journal.

The deal also makes Volkswagen the official automotive partner of Major League Soccer for an additional $1 million to $2 million annually. Officials with MLS declined to comment. MLS has been without a major auto sponsor since Honda ended its relationship with the league last year.

Wolves have signed a new two-year sponsorship deal with sportswear manufacturers, Le Coq Sportif. The Club and Le Coq, who have produced Wolves' strips for the last four years, will this evening (1st May 2008) unveil the new home kit at the 'End of Season Awards Dinner,' sponsored by GCI Com. The new design will also be paraded around the pitch before the final game of the season at home to Plymouth on Sunday May 4th 2008, (kick-off 2pm). The seven figure deal will see Le Coq Sportif produce a new home and away kit every year. The away kit will be launched in the summer. The home kit will be available to pre-order from Friday 2nd May 2008.

Chief executive Jez Moxey said: "Le Coq Sportif have a proven track record in top class football and have been an outstanding merchandising partner of ours over the past four years. "The feedback on Wolves /Le Coq Sportif branded products from our fans, manager and players has been very positive.

During the contract period with Le Coq we've sold record numbers of replica shirts and associated products. "The Fans' Parliament members gave their views on a selection of potential home shirt designs before the final kit was chosen. And I'm sure supporters will be happy with the look of the new strip when it is unveiled this evening and again at the Plymouth game on Sunday. Following on from feedback from supporters, one of the changes for next season is the socks, which will revert back to old gold in colour from the current mainly black design

Wrexham shirt sponsors, Leasedirect Finance, have renewed their commitment to the club, even though the Dragons have been relegated from the Football League.

Wrexham is delighted to announce the extension of their existing shirt sponsorship deal with Leasedirect Finance Ltd, the North Wales based commercial finance firm. They have agreed to extend their sponsorship arrangements with Wrexham FC beyond the existing contract that already takes them up to the end of next season (2008/09), for a further two years into 2009/10 and 2010/11.

This is a recording breaking deal for the club and makes their sponsorship worth over GBP 1/4m. Leasedirect will continue to offer a range of incentives over and above the standard terms of the sponsorship arrangement (as has been the case in previous seasons), although to help with securing the long term investment in youth, all incentives earned will be directed exclusively for use by the club's Centre of Excellence.

Paul Buchanan, Leasedirect's Managing Director said: "The partnership over the past two seasons with Wrexham has been highly enjoyable and we are confident that the club will bounce straight back into the Football League, and see no reason why we shouldn't continue to back Wrexham towards this goal. "I also think it is important for Leasedirect to set an example to the rest of the business community in North Wales that continuing to back Wrexham, the only major football club in the locality, is important for the area as a whole, as the club is a focal point for the passions of a great number of people."

Norwich City are delighted to announce a new three year sponsorship deal with AVIVA worth a substantial seven figure sum. The deal, which will see the company logo printed on the team shirt, also includes:

An exciting new educational initiative linking football with money management skills for young people, Renewed sponsorship of the Community Stand,Funding of the club's Ability Counts initiative.

John Kitson, AVIVA sales and marketing director, said: "I'm a massive Norwich City fan and I live here, so I'm very aware of how huge a role the club plays in the local community.

"Being able to announce Aviva's significant investment in the Canaries makes me extremely proud, and signals an exciting development in our existing, excellent relationship with the club. "Over the coming months, we look forward to announcing some exciting initiatives that will be of benefit to the club, the community and Aviva employees"