Manchester City announce new sponsorship deal - with a fuels and lubricants partner - in Botswana
Partnership just latest in trend of unlikely deals being struck by Premier League clubs
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Your support makes all the difference.Manchester City have announced Vivo Energy as the club’s official fuels and lubricants partner in Botswana.
The deal is the latest of many bizarre partnerships struck between English clubs and companies in emerging markets.
The Eastlands club, who can already boast forex trading and digital sticker partners, have extended their relationship with Vivo Energy following an earlier partnership in the Ivory Coast.
Omar Berrada, the club’s commercial director, said: “We are confident we can work together to continue to provide great experiences for their customers, whilst building our presence in key markets.”
The announcement comes in the same week that club captain Vincent Kompany criticised UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations for protecting the “established order” in European football.
Under the regulations, deals such as that struck today are becoming an important source of bona fide income for the club.
Manchester City are by no means the only Premier League side to expand their commercial portfolio in foreign climes.
Their rivals at the top of the table have formed similar partnerships with tyre manufacturers and telecoms companies over the past few years. Here are some of the more peculiar ones.
ARSENAL
Capital Bank Kazakhstan JSC - Official credit and debit card partner in Kazakhstan
Cooper Tire - Official tyre partner for Europe, Russia, Middle East, South Africa and selected north African countries
Indesit - Official home appliances partner
CHELSEA
Nitto Tyre - Official tyre partner in Thailand
Grand Royal - Official whisky partner in Myanmar
Mobinil - Official mobile service partner in Egypt
MANCHESTER UNITED
Apollo Tyres - Official tyre partner for Europe (excluding Russia), India, the Middle East and Thailand
Nissin Foods Group - Official global noodle partner
Unilever - Official personal care and laundry partner for South East Asia
LIVERPOOL
3K Battery - Official car battery partner in Thailand
Dunkin’ Donuts - Official coffee, tea and bakery provider
Konica Minolta - Official print and document management partner
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