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Man Utd lose sponsors Vodafone to Champions League
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-11-24 10:43
INVESTORS MEETING
United fans had urged Vodafone at its annual investors' meeting in July to
end the sponsorship deal as a way of protesting about Glazer's 790 million pound
takeover.
Vodafone and United said they were keen to continue their relationship, which
began with a four-year, 30 million pound deal in 2000/01, and were exploring a
new sponsorship deal.
Vodafone first put its name on the famous red shirts of the club in 2000/1
and are only the second company since 1982 to be the club's shirt sponsors.
United said in a separate statement that initial discussions with a number of
"world class potential partners" had been encouraging and that the club was
confident of securing a new deal for a principal sponsor in coming months.
"The Manchester United shirt is the most iconic in sport," said the club's
commercial director Andy Anson. "The club feels that, in the current market,
there is a genuine chance to attract significant additional investment."
Glazer's takeover infuriated United fans who said he would milk United's
profits to pay back the vast amounts of debt he used to buy the northern club.
Calls for a boycott have largely been ignored although fans are concerned
United could go a second season without a major trophy and pressure is growing
on United manager Alex Ferguson, in charge since 1986.
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