ManU wanted to explore the possibility of introducing sponsorship on the back of replica shirts, "but the idea was rejected" by rival Premier League clubs, according to James Ducker of the LONDON TIMES. Sponsorship on the rear of jerseys "is banned under Premier League rules, although it is allowed in the FA Cup and League Cup." ManU was "interested in discussing the potential for a second shirt sponsor at a Premier League meeting, but it is understood that the other 19 top-flight clubs were opposed to such a move." Premier League sources said that the consensus "was that there was a risk of diluting the impact of a club’s main shirt sponsor." There "was also thought to be a desire to avoid the risk of football shirts becoming similar to their Formula One counterparts, which are often plastered in sponsorship logos." Under FA kit and advertising regulations, which apply to the FA Cup, sponsorship "is allowed on the back of a shirt in one single area, as long as it does not exceed 100 square centimetres." The same applies to the front of a jersey, "but the maximum allowable size there is 200 square centimetres" (LONDON TIMES, 10/11).
