Finance guru issues ‘£7m’ claim as Nottingham Forest chase ‘one of the league’s biggest deals’
Nottingham Forest will have pulled off one of the biggest sponsor deals outside the so-called ‘Big Six’ if their £10million-a-season demands are met – but a more realistic target would be closer to £7m.
That is the view of finance expert Doctor Dan Plumley, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the Premier League new boys’ hunt for a new front-of-shirt partner.
Sport Business reported last Tuesday (26 July) that Forest are holding out for a £10million-a-year deal and have knocked back several offers.
Their deal with BOXT expired at the end of their promotion-winning 2021-22 campaign, and Forest are now just days away from kicking off their first top-flight season in over 20 years
Plumley emphasised the risk inherent in the club’s last-minute strategy.
“It’s ambitious,” the Sheffield Hallam University expert told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.
“We have to look at benchmarks. West Ham and Everton’s are around £10m or £11m. Newcastle and Leeds meanwhile are closer toward £7.5m. That is the region we’re looking at.
“We know betting companies will often pay more than non-betting companies. For a newly-promoted club, you are probably setting your sights towards £6m or £7m. So, Forest are going for above the benchmark there.
“The risk is that the longer you go without naming a sponsor, the more likely it could backfire. Sponsors want to be involved in every game and we are nearly at the start of the season now.
“If it does come off, fantastic. It would put them among the biggest deals in the Premier League. But there is a risk we can’t ignore with this strategy.”
In other news, pundit tells Nottingham Forest to complete Aaron Ramsey signing after club announcement.