3.5.7. Sports sponsorships
MasterCard currently sponsors the New Zealand All Blacks, the country's rugby union team. MasterCard also sponsors the UEFA Champions League. For many years, it also sponsored FIFA World Cup but withdrew its contract after a court settlement and its rival Visa took up the contract in 2007. It is currently the sponsor of the Memorial Cup Tournament of the Canadian Hockey League. MasterCard has just announced new sponsorship deal with Australian Cricket team and is also the founding sponsor of IPL cricket team Mumbai Indians. It was the official credit card of UEFA Euro 2008. Mastercard is also the official sponsor of the Uefa Champions League.
In 1997, MasterCard was the main sponsor of the aborted MasterCard Lola Formula One team.
On October 12, 2007 MasterCard offered $160,000 to the municipal government of Toronto so that the city could keep its ice rinks open, as the city was facing a budget shortfall.
