Fulham FC signs £2m Pizza Hut sponsorship

Fulham Football Club has signed a one-year, £2m sponsorship deal with Pizza Hut following its promotion to the Premiership.

The pizza chain has the option of extending the deal for a further two years after the 2001/2 season.

In addition to sponsoring the team’s shirts and placing hoardings around the ground, Craven Cottage, Pizza Hut will back the deal with promotions in restaurants in south-west London.

The deal is performance-related. The club’s ability to win the League and the FA Cup and gain entry into European competitions are key to getting the full £2m. The minimum payment has not been disclosed.

Pizza Hut UK marketing director Bill Ogle admits sponsoring a club just promoted to the Premiership is a risk. But he says: “Our concerns are eased by the deep pockets of the owner [Mohamed Al Fayed].”

Al Fayed says the club’s international ambitions are “mirrored by Pizza Hut”.

Last season Pizza Hut sponsored BSkyB’s coverage of the Nationwide League. ITV Digital, formerly ONdigital, now has the rights to live Football League coverage and will screen 65 First Division matches in the forthcoming season.

The move ends Demon Internet’s three year sponsorship of Fulham FC, which began when the club was in the Second Division.