Manchester United have once again demonstrated their financial pulling power by securing the biggest shirt deal in football history. They have secured a four year contract worth £80m with Aon Corporation, the American financial giant, which will replace AIG as the club’s shirt sponsors from the start of the 2010-11 season. The deal comfortably eclipses the £68m four year agreement that Bayern Munich have with T-home, the telecommunications firm, and dwarfs United’s existing £56.5m contract with AIG.
Manchester United have once again demonstrated their financial pulling power by securing the biggest shirt deal in football history. They have secured a four year contract worth £80m with Aon Corporation, the American financial giant, which will replace AIG as the club’s shirt sponsors from the start of the 2010-11 season. The deal comfortably eclipses the £68m four year agreement that Bayern Munich have with T-home, the telecommunications firm, and dwarfs United’s existing £56.5m contract with AIG. It is believed that United received a strong bid from a betting company, which enabled them to drive a competitive race among three to four suitors, said to include Standard Chartered. Beyond the £20m a year rights fee, the deal provides for Aon to pay commissions to the club from the sale of insurance policies to its fan base plus match-related bonuses. This should yield an extra £5m a year. Greg Case, president and chief executive if Aon, said United’s presence in Asia was important, just as it was for AIG. The deal is a first cry from United’s first shirt sponsorship with Japanese electronics firm Sharp. Its initial five year partnership was worth £500,000. It hit the big money with a four year £30m deal with Vodafone struck in 2000.