Sources: Key Newcastle United sponsor update as £20m-plus deal on the cards
New Saudi Public Investment Fund-owned airline Riyadh Air is not in the running to sponsor Newcastle United next season, Football Insider has learned.
Commercial sources have told this site that the ambitious aviation project is unlikely to begin major promotional activities until closer to its launch in 2025.
Industry insiders claim that fellow Saudi Arabian airline Saudia remains the favourite to become Newcastle’s front-of-shirt sponsor next season given their existing relationship with the club.
Saudia was one of several companies from the owners’ homeland that sponsored the Magpies’ mid-season tour of the country in December.
It has been suggested, however, that club chairman and PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan’s appointment as head of Riyadh Air’s board of directors may mean that it would be favoured for the front-of-shirt deal.
But, while sources could not speak to the airline’s long-term sponsorship ambitions, it is seen as unrealistic that they would begin a major commercial campaign at such an early stage.
Newcastle have agreed to terminate their current shirt deal with Fun88 ahead of schedule in the summer, with the club’s commercial team optimistic that they can quadruple the value of that £6.5m-a-year partnership.
Amanda Staveley has complained about being lumbered with poor commercial deals from the previous ownership regime – and a £20m-plus partnership would give the club greater room to manoeuvre in financial fair play terms.
PIF announced the launch of Riyadh Air earlier this month, outlining their ambition for it to become the biggest airline in the Middle East.
But the project is still very much in its infancy and has only recently filed an order with Boeing for its first 39 aircraft, which will take years to deliver.
Saudia by contrast is one of the Gulf’s most established airlines and has recently ramped up its sports sponsorship operation with a partnership with PIF-owned F1 team Aston Martin.
Newcastle have signed several deals with companies in the PIF portfolio since the takeover in October 2021, including a lucrative sleeve deal with e-commerce brand Noon.
It is understood that the £7.5m-a-year alliance will continue into next season.
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