Liverpool FC Forum

by **Reg** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 3:59 pm

Instead of internal handbag swinging we should be out there bringing in the cash. This p!sses me off even more when our biggest issue seems to be to find the last million to buy Barry.
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Manchester United Scores With Saudi Deal, 08.18.08,

LONDON - Global brands are flocking to the Middle East, eager to bask in the glow of booming economic growth and spending power. It's no surprise, then, that the world's most valuable soccer team, Manchester United, has picked Saudi Arabia for its latest sponsorship deal, in a bid to expand well beyond its humble British origins.

Manchester United said on Monday it had signed a five-year deal with Saudi Telecom to become the network operator's "official mobile communications partner." What this means in practice is that Saudi Telecom will be able to sell all sorts of Manchester United-related content to its subscribers, from text-message news alerts to video clips of soccer games, which should give even more brand power to Manchester United in the region.

A representative for Manchester United was unavailable for comment. The deal is reportedly worth upward of 10 million pounds ($18.7 million), and is an unusual spin on soccer sponsorship arrangements. Traditionally, Britain's soccer teams display the name of their sponsors on their jerseys; the deal with Saudi Telecom, however, will not dislodge insurer American International Group (nyse: AIG - news - people ) from its usual position on the torsos of Manchester United's stars.

"Our match earlier this year in Riyadh demonstrated the passion our Saudi fans have for Manchester United," said David Gill, chief executive of Manchester United, referring to a match played against Saudi Arabian team Al-Hilal Al-Saudi in January. Manchester United lost the game 3-2, but none of that seemed to matter, given the sold-out crowd and $2.0 million check the British team got just for turning up.

Middle Eastern money is also flowing into Britain's "beautiful game" via other clubs. Dubai-based airline Emirates signed a deal with London team Arsenal four years ago, becoming its jersey sponsor and also the name behind the new Emirates stadium opened in 2006. Arsenal is home to Russia's Alisher Usmanov and Colorado sports mogul E. Stanley Kroenke, two billionaire shareholders, who are both reportedly interested in buying the team.

Dubai's sovereign-backed private-equity firm Dubai International Capital reportedly approached Liverpool with an $800.0 million bid in March, though it ended up getting booted out by owners George Gillett and Thomas O Hicks. (See "Liverpool In Play Again.")

by **metalhead** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 12:14 pm

Thats actually a good deal for the sc*ms.

It also benefits alot of Mancs supporters in Saudi Arabia, thus it brings more money for them.

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Man utd score another sponser deal - Lfc prefer to bitch in public

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