League cup seeks new sponsor

It’s not the most glamorous competition in football.  Managers often put out reserve sides and only become interested when they realise that there is a prospect of a Wembley appearance and a short cut to a place in Europe.   Now the League Cup is looking for a new sponsor with Carling’s £3.5m a year deal which has lasted for 14 years coming to an end when the current competition is completed.

It’s not the most glamorous competition in football.  Managers often put out reserve sides and only become interested when they realise that there is a prospect of a Wembley appearance and a short cut to a place in Europe.   Now the League Cup is looking for a new sponsor with Carling’s £3.5m a year deal which has lasted for 14 years coming to an end when the current competition is completed.


The League Cup has had a number of names including the Milk Cup, but the Carling brand has largely overcome the negative perception that led to it being nicknamed the Worthless Cap when it was sponsored by Worthington (also a Coors brand).   Molson Coors think that the sponsorship deal had been successful in reinforcing Carling’s position as the market leader lager in the UK.


However, the economic downturn has hit beer sales.   The company’s profits in the second quarter of the financial year fell by 6 per cent.   Beer companies also realise that alcohol-related deals in sport are likely to be banned sooner or later, just as has happened with tobacco.   So they are looking for more subtle ways of promoting their brands that will not fall foul of the regulator.


The search for a new sponsor is now on and the Football League hopes, perhaps a little optimistically, that it might attract an international sponsor.   Marketing experts regard it is a chance to gauge the strength or weakness of a sponsorship market that is going to be flooded with contracts around the Olympics and the 2015 rugby World Cup.   Football is far and away the most popualar sport in the UK, but the Legaue Cup is a bit B list.   But a prestige sponsor could give it a boost.