League One side Sheffield United sponsors "are threatening to terminate their
partnerships if the club goes ahead and signs up former player and
convicted rapist Ched Evans," according to Ben Bold of MARKETING MAGAZINE. Official shirt sponsor John Holland Sales and back-of-shirt sponsor DBL Logistics "have both issued statements expressing their discomfort with Sheffield allowing Evans to train at the club at the request of the Professional Footballers’ Association." DBL said in a statement that it was a business "built with family values at its core" and "strongly condemns rape and violence of any kind against women." It continued, "DBL Logistics would end its back-of-shirt sponsorship with Sheffield United if the Club employed a convicted rapist." It said that "it would continue its association with the club" so long as Evans was not re-employed. Sheffield "clarified that Evans has not been re-employed, but is training in order to return to a level of fitness that will allow him to seek employment in football" (MARKETING MAGAZINE, 11/13).
