Barclays To Become English Premier League's First Official Banking Partner

The Premier League announced that Barclays "is to become" its first official banking partner, according to Kev Howland of FC BUSINESS. Barclays "has been the title sponsor" of the Premier League since '01-02. Last year, Premier League clubs "agreed a new sponsorship strategy which will see the league going title sponsor free" from '16-17 onward. That decision "has provided the Premier League with an opportunity to agree new category partnerships," of which the official banking partnership with Barclays is one. Premier League Managing Dir Richard Masters said, "We are very pleased that Barclays will become the league’s first official banking partner from '16-17." Barclays Global Head of Sponsorships Nathan Homer said, "The Premier League is moving to a new model without a title sponsor yet we could still see the benefit of maintaining our association with one of the most successful sports brands in the world" (FC BUSINESS, 3/17).