THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION is believed to be on the verge of signing a new £30 million sponsorship deal that would see the oldest knockout football competition in the world being renamed the Emirates FA Cup.
Following a year without a sponsor, the FA’s commercial department has been under increasing pressure to attract a big sponsor to the table. While no contract has yet been signed, the £10 million a year deal with Emirates is now expected to be rubber-stamped by the board on Thursday.
Advertisement
While sponsorship deals in the past have been styled as the FA Cup “in association with”, this deal will see the competition re-branded.
Emirates Airlines already sponsors Arsenal’s jersey, stadium and an annual football competition held in the summer at their ground, as well as various other clubs around Europe.
EMPICS Sport
EMPICS Sport
But the Dubai-based airline are now ready to add the 144-year-old competition to their growing portfolio. The extra money could be due to their decision to end their sponsorship of the FIFA World Cups. Emirates was FIFA’s airline partner for three World Cups from 2006 through 2014.
“This decision was made following an evaluation of FIFA’s contract proposal which did not meet Emirates’ expectations,” the airline said in statement released in November.
FA Chairman Greg Dyke has spoken recently about his plans to invest more in grassroots football and the revenue generated from this deal may help achieve this goal. As part of the new deal, the FA are allowed a further six subsidiary sponsor. Budweiser has already signed up to be the official beer partner until 2018, with Nike and William Hill also announced.
Members of the FA’s team are believed to be in Dubai at the moment but the deal isn’t expected to be officially announced until nearer the FA Cup final, when Arsenal take on Aston Villa on May 30th.
Is the FA Cup about to be renamed?
Updated at 21.15
THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION is believed to be on the verge of signing a new £30 million sponsorship deal that would see the oldest knockout football competition in the world being renamed the Emirates FA Cup.
Following a year without a sponsor, the FA’s commercial department has been under increasing pressure to attract a big sponsor to the table. While no contract has yet been signed, the £10 million a year deal with Emirates is now expected to be rubber-stamped by the board on Thursday.
While sponsorship deals in the past have been styled as the FA Cup “in association with”, this deal will see the competition re-branded.
Emirates Airlines already sponsors Arsenal’s jersey, stadium and an annual football competition held in the summer at their ground, as well as various other clubs around Europe.
But the Dubai-based airline are now ready to add the 144-year-old competition to their growing portfolio. The extra money could be due to their decision to end their sponsorship of the FIFA World Cups. Emirates was FIFA’s airline partner for three World Cups from 2006 through 2014.
“This decision was made following an evaluation of FIFA’s contract proposal which did not meet Emirates’ expectations,” the airline said in statement released in November.
FA Chairman Greg Dyke has spoken recently about his plans to invest more in grassroots football and the revenue generated from this deal may help achieve this goal. As part of the new deal, the FA are allowed a further six subsidiary sponsor. Budweiser has already signed up to be the official beer partner until 2018, with Nike and William Hill also announced.
Members of the FA’s team are believed to be in Dubai at the moment but the deal isn’t expected to be officially announced until nearer the FA Cup final, when Arsenal take on Aston Villa on May 30th.
Read: A 16-year-old wonder kid could be set to make his Real Madrid debut tonight
Read: The World Players’ Union has voted in favour of a fourth substitution
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Arsenal Aston Villa Emirates FA Cup fa cup 2015 Football Football Association