West Ham Looks For Commercial Boost

FA Premier League side West Ham United has appointed rights agency The Bonham Group with a brief to increase the club’s commercial revenue from sponsorship.

The speculation over increased financial backing from a new owner for the club and the arrival of a number of star players may appear to have had a troubling impact on the pitch in the short-term but in the eyes of many in the industry it has increased West Ham’s commercial clout in the sponsorship market.

First on the agenda for The Bonham Group is to bring in a more long-term and lucrative shirt deal for the club – a sponsorship package which has seen a number of brands come and go in recent years. Current shirt sponsor Jobserve’s contract expires at the end of this season.

The appointment is one of the first pieces of new business for the recently established European arm of The Bonham Group. Last year, the US-based agency handled O2’s naming rights deal for The Dome which gave it a foothold in the European market.

The Bonham Group recently hired O2’s head of sponsorship Paul Samuels to become chief executive officer of the newly established European arm.