Manchester United are in advanced talks over a new front-of-shirt sponsorship with the U.S. technology company Qualcomm.
The Premier League side are targeting a deal that would see them earn £60million ($75.1m) per year.
It is highly unlikely the deal would come into force this season, given that many replica shirts will already have been sold, and therefore it would be expected to commence in time for the next campaign.
United have an existing relationship with Qualcomm, a company which manufactures telecommunications equipment including semiconductors. The club announced a deal in August 2022 to promote Qualcomm’s subsidiary brand Snapdragon, which powers many of the world’s premium smartphones, PCs, gaming devices, connected cars, smart wearables and more.
As part of the 2022 deal, Qualcomm also agreed to advise United on planned improvements to mobile connectivity at Old Trafford, in order to enhance fans’ experience on match days.
United have been searching for a new front-of-shirt sponsor since TeamViewer, a Germany-based software firm, announced last year that it did not intend to renew its deal with United — a five-year agreement which began in 2021 worth £47m per annum. Then in December, United and TeamViewer reached an agreement that provided the club with the option to buy back the rights to their front-of-shirt sponsorship.
A statement was released which said the two parties had “reached a mutually beneficial agreement” regarding their future collaboration.
“Once a new shirt front partner is selected and takes on this role, TeamViewer AG will remain part of Manchester United’s partner ecosystem until the end of the original contract term, with an adapted scope of partnership,” the statement continued.
“This would lead to a substantial reduction of partnership volume to a single-digit million USD amount p.a., resulting in a significant positive impact on TeamViewer’s profitability.”
Before TeamViewer, United had a £64m-per-season deal with U.S. car manufacturer Chevrolet that began in 2014.
United declined to comment when approached by The Athletic and Qualcomm has been approached.
(Photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images)
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