Diageo may be eyeing Premier League for first major football sponsorship
Diageo may be looking to sponsor the Premier League according to reports released today, a new move for the drinks maker which has yet to tap a major football sponsorship deal in the UK.
A Sky News report released today (30 January) suggested that Diageo and existing sponsor Barclays are among those competing for the title sponsorship deal, which is believed to be worth more than £150m.
If the sponsorship goes through, this would be the first major football deal for the company, which has made major plays in rugby and F1 sponsorship with its Guinness and Johnnie Walker brands.
Diageo issued a statement this morning which said: “With global brands such as Guinness, Smirnoff and Johnnie Walker, sponsorship plays an important role in our marketing activities. We look at opportunities all the time so as a rule we do not comment on speculation.”
It was believed that current sponsor Barclays would axe its sponsorship deal at the end of the 2015/16 season due to concerns over the cost of renewal being higher, having agreed a three-year deal with the Premier League in 2012 valued at £120m.
However, it appears the bank is once again vying for the title.
It is unclear what Diageo’s sponsorship of the Premier League would mean for the title, as it is unlikely the deal would result in the creation of a “Diageo Premier League”. The company could be eyeing brands, such as Guinness, which are already big in the sports world as potential headliners.
Despite the title, if the deal goes ahead it would give the drinks maker an avenue to promote its brands across the world, including major markets in Africa, Europe and Asia.
The report suggested that Samsung, Ford and Mastercard were all possibilities for the title deal, which is likely to be made within the next few weeks.
