Man City is seeking to replace Etihad Airways as its shirt sponsor, "but the search is being hampered" by the chaos surrounding former Manager Roberto Mancini's sacking and uncertainty over the club's future, according to Nick Harris of the London DAILY MAIL. According to a source, Man City COO Tom Glick "is using a group of external consultants and agencies to find sponsors." Initial feedback is that Man City is "not the easy sell that was perhaps imagined." The source, who has knowledge of Man City's commercial affairs, said, "Developments over the past four or five weeks haven't been helpful." Industry sources said that Man City's hierarchy "decided months ago to find a major sponsor to replace Etihad on City's shirts," although Etihad will remain a major club sponsor. Glick is using outside agencies working under contracts issued by City Sports Marketing Ltd., "a subsidiary of Manchester City registered at Companies House in January." It is understood one potential shirt sponsor, an int'l financial services firm with its headquarters in the U.S., was considering a five-year, £25M- ($38M)-a-year deal, but has dropped out of negotiations "because of uncertainties about where City are going, medium-term" (DAILY MAIL, 5/18).
