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" (LONDON TIMES, 7/11). Reuters' Rhys Jones wrote al-Baker said the approaches "had come from clubs looking to build new stadia" and the airline "favored a deal involving stadium naming rights" -- similar to Arsenal's deal with Dubai-based Emirates Airline. Al-Baker: "If we do it we would like to do it in a big way." EPL clubs Liverpool and Tottenham are known to be considering building new stadia (REUTERS, 7/11).
