EPL club Queens Park Rangers today announced a shirt sponsorship deal with Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia. Malaysia Airlines will sponsor the club's home jersey for the next two seasons, while AirAsia will sponsor the team's away and alternate uniforms during the same period. The shirt bearing the Malaysia Airlines logo will be worn for the first time in tonight's match against Newcastle United, which will air live on Sky Sports (QPR). Both airlines "are connected with club owner, Malaysian businessman Tony Fernandes." He is the owner and CEO of AirAsia, and his firm last month "agreed to exchange 10% of Air Asia for a 20% stake in Malaysian Airlines." QPR "had been without a shirt sponsor after a three-year deal with Gulf Air ended in the summer" (BBC.co.uk, 9/12). AirAsia indicated that the "formal agreement" for the two-year, US$793,000 deal "was intended to be signed by Sept. 30." The airline will have the designation as an official partner of QPR and the "rights to advertise at the QPR Loftus Road stadium on match days" (THEEDGEMALAYSIA.com, 9/12).
| EPL CLUB SHIRT SPONSORSHIPS |
| CLUB | '11-12 SPONSOR | ANNUAL VALUE ($USD) |
| Manchester United | Aon Corp. | $32.6M |
| Liverpool | Standard Chartered | $32.6M |
| Manchester City | Etihad | $32.6M |
| Chelsea | Samsung | $22.5M |
| Tottenham Hotspur* | Autonomy | $16.3M |
| Aston Villa | Genting | $13.0M |
| Arsenal | Emirates Airlines | $9.0M |
| Fulham | FxPro | $6.5M |
| Everton | Chang Beer | $6.5M |
| Newcastle United | Northern Rock | $4.1M |
| Wolverhampton | Sportingbet | $1.8M |
| West Bromwich | Bodog Europe | $1.8M |
| Swansea City | 32Red | $1.8M |
| Sunderland | Tombola | $1.6M |
| Stoke City | Britannia | $1.6M |
| Wigan | 12Bet | $1.6M |
| Bolton | 188Bet | $1.2M |
| Norwich City | Aviva | $569,855 |
| Queens Park Rangers** | Malaysia Airlines/AirAsia | $396,500 |
| Blackburn*** | Prince's Trust | ---- |
NOTES: * = Autonomy's mobile platform, Aurasma, is being featured on Tottenham's shirts during the '11-12 season. ** = Malaysia Airlines will sponsor home jerseys, while AirAsia will sponsor away jerseys. *** = Shirt deal part of charity work.
