Reuters has revealed that the National Football League, the world's most valuable sports property as valued by SportsPro magazine, has signed widely expected extensions with two of its major partners, Visa and IBM.

Visa's sponsorship, which sees an increase on the US$8 million per season the company was paying on the last contract to a figure believed to be closer to the US$10 million agreement the NFL signed with Procter & Gamble last month, continues a relationship that has run since 1995.

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"It is the number one sport in the country when it comes to viewing," said Antonio Lucio, Visa's chief marketing officer, in an interview with Reuters. "It is a very well-managed institution of people that understand the needs of sponsors. When you add on top of that everything that has to do with increases in audiences during tough economic times, it is a property that actually fits very well with our strategic priorities."

Confirming the deal with IBM, NFL chief marketing officer Mark Waller boasted: "We're an incredibly strong proposition in the marketplace,. The sport is strong, the ratings are strong and our brand is strong."