Qatar Airways has "been approached by two Premier League clubs" about potential sponsorships, according to Robert Lea of the LONDON TIMES. Qatar Airways CEO Akbar al-Baker "insisted that any such deal would be signed only if he could get stadium naming rights." That notion led to speculation that the airline "could link up with West Ham United, leading to the Olympic stadium being renamed something like the Qatardome." al-Baker said he did not follow rivals Emirates Airline and Etihad Airways into EPL sponsorships because he could "spend the same amount of money (in other marketing expenditure) for the same amount of publicity." However, he "admitted that that might change." al-Baker: "Two English teams have approached us. We told them that we would consider it, but we are not yet ready to do it. We might be interested at the appropriate time." He indicated that he would "want similar terms to the deal with Arsenal, which has the Emirates name attached to its ground in North London, and Manchester City, which plays at the Etihad" (LONDON TIMES, 7/11).
