Standard Chartered Signs £80m Liverpool Deal
Despite the continuing impact of the recession, financial services firm Standard Chartered Bank has signed a deal to become the main sponsor of Premier League club Liverpool after agreeing a four-year contract reported to be worth approximately £80m.
The agreement, which begins in July, runs to the end of the 2013-14 season and will end Liverpool’s 17-year association with brewer Carlsberg.
The move by Standard Chartered Bank comes after US financial giant Aon signed a similarly lucrative sponsorship deal with champions Manchester United.
The club said the deal aimed to step up Liverpool’s profile in the lucrative Asian markets, as well as in Africa and the Middle East.
It is Liverpool’s largest ever commercial agreement – with media reports suggesting it was worth £80m over four years.
Carlsberg recently retained its role as the official beer of the England national team and the FA Cup through a renewed deal with The FA despite coming under pressure from the British Medical Association (BMA) which had called for an end to alcohol sponsorship of sport.
