Southampton Announces Virgin Media As Shirt Sleeve Sponsor From '17-18 Season

Premier League side Southampton announced Virgin Media extended its partnership with the club. From the '17-18 season, the company's logo will appear on the sleeves -- as well as the front -- of the team's home, away and goalkeeper shirts. Virgin Media became Southampton's main club sponsor in '16 (Southampton). THE DRUM's Tony Connelly reported the decision to open up more shirt sponsorship space is in "keeping with other European leagues" such as La Liga, where white goods manufacturer Beko adorns the shirt sleeves of Barcelona. The new sleeve sponsorship offers football clubs an "easy additional revenue stream, something which could become more significant in the future as the lucrative sums paid by broadcasters look less certain" amid declining viewing figures and competition from "cheaper forms of entertainment" from the likes of Netflix (THE DRUM, 7/17).