UNITED TO SIGN WITH NEW SPONSORS?
From The Times:
Manchester United were close to securing a British record sponsorship deal last night with American Investment Group (AIG). United's impending agreement with AIG — which seems to have fought off competition from Mansion, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways and LG Electronics — will easily surpass the £10 million-a-year British record deal that Chelsea signed with Samsung last year.
Whether it is also a world record remains to be seen, with sources in Italy claiming that Juventus are receiving €240 million (about £167.5 million) over the course of a ten-year contract with Tamoil, but United's deal with AIG is certain to be close to the one they had previously agreed with Mansion, the gambling and casino company, which claimed to have agreed to pay “£60 million to £65 million over four years”.
Mansion remains angry with United over the decision to look elsewhere, but the club believe that AIG, the New York-based insurance giant is a more suitable company to succeed Vodafone, which terminated its £9 million-a-year contract in November.
United officials, having felt compelled to issued a statement on Monday in response to some angry comments from Mansion, remained silent yesterday. AIG was similarly non-committal, with its public relations manager, Peter Tulupman, saying simply that “we don't comment on rumours and speculation”, but a deal is expected to be announced in the coming days.
United officials, having felt compelled to issued a statement on Monday in response to some angry comments from Mansion, remained silent yesterday. AIG was similarly non-committal, with its public relations manager, Peter Tulupman, saying simply that “we don't comment on rumours and speculation”, but a deal is expected to be announced in the coming days.
From the Independent:
The other party in the Manchester United sponsorship tryst that has so far prompted allegations of "double-dealing" and the withdrawal from a world- record £70m deal is expected to be revealed as the insurance and financial services giant American International Group.
AIG have emerged as the leading contenders to replace Vodafone as United's main commercial partners over the next four years, an agreement that will net the Old Trafford club the most lucrative sponsorship deal in world football.
Mansion accused United of using them as a stalking horse to attract alternative sponsors despite their willingness to pay more than £15m a year.
United, however, had reservations about entering into a high-profile deal with the betting industry, a fact demonstrated by the Mansion chief executive David Kinsman's admission that at no time during talks with the club did he meet any of the three Glazer brothers who are now on the Old Trafford board.
United, however, had reservations about entering into a high-profile deal with the betting industry, a fact demonstrated by the Mansion chief executive David Kinsman's admission that at no time during talks with the club did he meet any of the three Glazer brothers who are now on the Old Trafford board.
By contrast, Bryan Glazer is believed to have been involved in negotiations with AIG and it will be regarded as a coup by the controversial owners if they secure a contract that reaffirms the club's standing in the game. The company has interests in 130 countries and would be keen to exploit the market offered by United's global fan base.