Liverpool signs up biggest shirt sponsorship deal

Liverpool signs up biggest shirt sponsorship deal

MUMBAI: Soccer club Liverpool FC has signed for $133 million its biggest shirt sponsorship deal with Standard Chartered Bank (SCB).

Liverpool MD Christian Purslow insisted that the club‘s sponsorship agreement with SCB signals the start of a new era at Anfield.

"I am tremendously excited. It‘s a hugely important day in the history of Liverpool Football Club. This is the largest commercial agreement we have ever entered into. To have attracted a partner of the calibre of Standard Chartered Bank says everything about where we are trying to take this football club," said Purslow.

Standard Chartered operates in a number of markets around the world where Liverpool has a long term plan to increase its family of club fans.

"Many branches in these countries will effectively be a shop window for Liverpool Football Club and a means of attracting more supporters to the cause," said Purslow.

SCB CEO Peter Sands says, "This is a great partnership. We are excited to be working with such a famous global brand as Liverpool FC for the next four years. This is an outstanding opportunity for Standard Chartered, our customers and shareholders, and for Liverpool, its players and fans."
From July 2010, Liverpool players will sport the bank‘s name and logo on their jerseys and Standard Chartered advertising will appear in Liverpool‘s Anfield stadium.

Until recently, Manchester United’s ?56 million deal with AIG was the biggest sponsorship deal, having topped the ?50 million deal Chelsea FC struck with mobile phone manufacturer Samsung state reports.

But the Liverpool deal with Standard Chartered will be of equal value to that recently signed between the Manchester club and American financial company Aon Corp in June.

According to Deloitte and Touche, Liverpool ranks seventh in terms of money made by soccer clubs. It earned ?167 million revenue in the 2007-08 season.