ManU’s commercial revenue "is now approaching an astonishing" $204M a year and “will only continue to rise,” according to Laurie Whitwell of the London DAILY MAIL. There are “no fewer than 32 companies listed as sponsors of the club" on its official website and this does not even include three -- "somewhat peculiar" -- deals announced this month. First there was “the tie-up with Indonesian tire manufacturer Multistrada on January 7, then came Wahaha, a Chinese soft drinks producer, a week later, and on January 18 we heard Japanese paint manufacturer Kansai had become the club’s first ‘paint partner.’” Each contract will run for three years, and business experts speculate they are worth between $1.6-3.1M annually. These are the “types of deals staff in United’s recently-opened office in Hong Kong are striving to sign; brands specific to regions.” There also is the club’s shirt sponsorship with Chevrolet, which will come into effect from '14. At the start of that season it will be worth $69M a year, increasing by 2.1% annually to'21 -- totalling an incredible” $559M. These numbers “do not make it into United’s current take home from sponsorship," but the $18.9M Chevrolet has paid to "have its logo on the Old Trafford dugout seats this season does.” Aon pays United $31M a year “to sponsor the shirt currently," while DHL since '10 has paid $16M a year "to feature on the team’s training kit.” In addition, it costs Nike around $40M “to supply United’s kit each season but talks will begin next month over a new deal which should dwarf that amount.” Brand Finance Valuation Dir David Chattaway, whose company “worked with United on a consultancy basis a few years ago," said that there was "plenty of mileage left in sponsorship deals and suggested Australia and USA would be the next markets targeted” (DAILY MAIL, 1/29). Meanwhile, ManU announced that Singha has renewed its deal as the official beer partner of the EPL club. The original three-year agreement is extended by another three years to '16 (ManU).
MANCHESTER UNITED CLUB SPONSORS
|
SPONSOR |
CATEGORY |
ANNUAL VALUE
|
Nike |
Kit supplier |
$40M
|
Aon |
Shirt sponsor |
$31M
|
Chevrolet |
Auto |
$18.9M
|
DHL |
Logistics |
$15.7M
|
Hublot |
Timekeeper |
$6M
|
Bwin |
Online game and betting |
$3.8M
|
Singha |
Beer |
$3M
|
Casillero Del Diablo |
Wine |
$3M
|
Thomas Cook |
Travel |
$2M
|
Smirnoff |
Responsible drinking partner |
$1.6-3M
|
Toshiba Medical Systems |
Medical |
$1.6-3M
|
STC |
Integrated telecommunications (Saudi Arabia) |
$1.6-3M
|
PCCW |
Integrated telecommunications (Hong Kong) |
$1.6-3M
|
Turkish Airlines |
Airline |
$1.6-3M
|
Epson |
Office equipment |
$1.6-3M
|
Mister Potato |
Savoury snack |
$1.6-3M
|
Yanmar |
Global |
$1.6-3M
|
TM |
Integrated telecommunications (Malaysia) |
$1.6-3M
|
Globacom |
Integrated telecommunications (Nigeria, Ghana, Benin) |
$1.6-3M
|
Viva Kuwait |
Integrated telecommunications (Kuwait) |
$1.6-3M
|
MTN |
Integrated telecommunications (South Africa, Zambia, Rwanda, Uganda, Swaziland, Botswana) |
$1.6-3M
|
Airtel |
Integrated telecommunications
(India, Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Bangladesh) |
$1.6-3M
|
Zong |
Integrated telecommunications (Pakistan) |
$1.6-3M
|
Globul |
Integrated telecommunications (Bulgaria) |
$1.6-3M
|
Mamee |
Noodles (Asia, Oceania, Middle East regions) |
$1.6-3M
|
Viva |
Integrated telecommunications (Bahrain) |
$1.6-3M
|
Turk Telekom |
Integrated telecommunications (Turnkey) |
$1.6-3M
|
A.P. Honda |
Motorcycle (Thailand) |
$1.6-3M
|
Airtel Africa |
Integrated telecommunications (Burkina Faso, Chad,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Kenya,
Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Sierra Leone, Tanzania,
Republic of the Congo) |
$1.6-3M
|
Beeline |
Integrated telecommunications (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos) |
$1.6-3M
|
Bakcell |
Integrated telecommunications and broadcast partner (Azerbaijan) |
$1.6-3M
|
Kagome |
Soft drinks (Japan) |
$1.6-3M
|
Wahaha |
Soft drinks (China) |
$1.6-3M
|
PT Multistrada |
Tire |
$1.6-3M
|
Kansai |
Paint |
$1.6-3M
|