The FA "confirmed a new three-year sponsorship deal for its flagship competition, which from August will be known as the Emirates FA Cup," according to Paul Wilson of the London GUARDIAN. FA Chair Greg Dyke, who promised that most of the money raised in a deal thought to be worth £30M ($46M) would be spent on improving grassroots facilities, "expects some opposition and criticism from football traditionalists." Dyke said, "Let me try and allay their fears by saying all the money will be going back into the game at all levels. The vast majority of the funds raised will be going to the parts of the game that need it most. Grassroots, youth coaching and especially the development of all-weather pitches in communities around the country. That is an area where we are miles behind the Dutch and the Germans." Emirates Airline was associated with FIFA until last year, and company President Tim Clark "was careful to draw a distinction between supporting the FA" and the discredited organization still led by FIFA President Sepp Blatter. Clark: "The least said about last week’s events the better. The FA is not that organization, and the FA Cup has an unrivaled heritage and draws a global audience of more than 1.1 billion. I think we are regarded as a healthy, wholesome brand and we are proud to be first title sponsors of such a great competition" (GUARDIAN, 5/30). In Abu Dhabi, Ian Oxborrow wrote the airline is "the first title sponsor in the English tournament’s 144-year history." While the value of the deal between Emirates and the FA "was not disclosed," it has been reported to be worth about £10M ($15M) a year. Emirates already sponsors Arsenal, AC Milan, Real Madrid and Ligue 1 side Paris St. Germain (THE NATIONAL, 5/31). The LONDON TIMES reported although in previous deals the sponsor’s name "has featured almost as an afterthought, the Emirates agreement will be the first time the name has been part of the trophy branding." Dyke, noting criticism of the cup-final day announcement on social media, said the considerable financial benefits outweighed any concern over what he called a "subtle renaming" (LONDON TIMES, 5/30).
