Pompey names commercial chief
Portsmouth Football Club has appointed Paul Bell to the newly created position of commercial director.
Bell, who joins from Mitre Sports, where he was marketing manager, will be responsible for spearheading the expansion of the club’s marketing activities and sponsorship deals. These activities have hitherto been handled by Portsmouth FC’s commercial department.
Portsmouth FC recently signed a two-year, &£1.6m sponsorship deal with Oki Printing Solutions. The Oki logo appears on both home and away strips and replaces Ty Europe, whose three-year sponsorship deal concluded at the end of last season.
Oki is embarking on a global initiative to reposition its brand and build its profile as the leading challenger brand in the business printing market. It is advertising on terrestrial television channels for the first time as part of the campaign.
Portsmouth FC is entering its third year in the Premiership, and turnover at the football club has more than trebled in recent years. The club is redeveloping its Fratton Park stadium in order to increase its capacity to 28,000 by the end of next year, with plans for a casino to be built next door.
Portsmouth FC, which recently appointed Alain Perrin as manager after Harry Redknapp’s departure, is in the news this week, having appealed against a decision to deny new striker Collins Mbesuma a work permit.
