Marketplace Roundup

Saudi Telecom Could Replace AIG On Manchester United's Jerseys

The London TELEGRAPH reports English Premier League (EPL) club Manchester United is "set to announce a new multi-million [dollar] shirt sponsorship deal with Saudi Telecom." Sources indicated that Saudi Telecom are "favourites to replace AIG on the club kit from next season." AIG, which signed a four-year, US$85.9M deal with ManU in '06, has been "hit hard by the global credit crunch, and are thought to want to terminate their agreement." Saudi Telecom in August signed a five-year, US$15.2M sponsorship with ManU to "advertise on United's website and around" Old Trafford (London TELEGRAPH, 11/19).

BIRD CALL: In Manchester, Andy Hunter reports EPL club Liverpool FC "applied to register the iconic image" of the mythical Liver bird as a trademark. A "furious council, however, has accused" co-Owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks of "riding roughshod over the city's heritage." The Liverpool city council "erupted" after Liverpool made a US$683.4 application to "trademark the image that adorns its crest with the UK Intellectual Property Office." The club said that it will not "prevent other legitimate organisations from using the Liver bird logo" (Manchester GUARDIAN, 11/19).

TAPPING THE BRAKES: Buick Golf Marketing Manager Larry Peck said of how the current global financial crisis is affecting his company's golf sponsorships, "Everything is fair game right now and we're taking a hard look at it all." Peck: "We are looking to reduce our overall marketing expenses and our advertising and promotional budgets have been reduced, and there's continual pressure on that." Peck added, "In particular, the Buick Invitational that's upcoming in February, really we've trimmed back all the back-of-the-house kind of stuff ... no dealer contests, no hospitality, all that is cut back. You'll still see products on television and advertising that will promote the products through the broadcast, but any of the entertainment, hospitality type of activities have been canceled" (REUTERS, 11/18). Golf Channel's Kelly Tilghman said, "Some of the perks we have gotten in the past are going to get cut back, and it only makes sense" ("Golf Central," Golf Channel, 11/18).