Stefan Borson: Man United could face £20m sponsor blow
Manchester United are currently at risk of losing another key sponsorship deal at the end of this season.
Man United have faced several sponsor issues over the past few months after missing out on European football following their 15th-place finish in the Premier League last season.
In terms of their sleeve sponsorship, Man United agreed a £20million-a-year deal with DXC Technology ahead of the 2022-23 campaign.
However, TBR Football reported on 31 October the deal with the American IT services company is set to expire next summer, potentially leaving the club without a sleeve partnership.
Man United currently don’t have a training kit sponsor after their Tezos deal, which was worth more than £20m a year, came to an end over the summer.
Man United to face issues agreeing sponsor deal
Former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson exclusively told Football Insider Man United could face issues agreeing a significant sleeve sponsorship deal without Champions League football.
Ruben Amorim’s side currently sit seventh in the Premier League table after drawing 2-2 with Tottenham on Saturday (8 November).
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Borson said: “Champions League football is definitely an element. I think if there is a lack of Champions League, and of course it’s not impossible that Manchester United get Champions League even if it’s unlikely, when you combine it, then of course the drivers are not positive for finding a very large-scale sleeve deal.
“I haven’t seen any research into the returns that people get from a sleeve deal. It seems to me to be a relatively expensive spend, but it also depends on what else you get within that package of rights.
“They’re not just the sleeve and nothing else. So, it’ll have a box. It’ll have certain amounts of perimeter advertising. It’ll have certain rights to access to the players for photo shoots, branding, activations and a whole load of inventory you’ll get for your £20m.”
Man United will be hoping to have their sleeve sponsorship situation resolved before the deal with DXC Technology expires at the end of the season.
Man United expected to agree new sleeve sponsor deal
Borson believes Premier League clubs are currently demanding unrealistic prices for their sponsorships.
“Of course, United remain one of the biggest clubs in the world,” said Borson.
“It might not be £20m, but you would think they can sell it. But the thing that would concern me is that there’s a real sort of backlog almost of major properties, front of shirts, and United’s training kit. These things should really be able to be sold.
“It’s about price and I think we have to conclude that, at the moment, the clubs are probably being unrealistic in terms of pricing.”
Man United continue to bring in the second-highest revenue in the Premier League, with their turnover increasing from £661.8m in 2023-24 to £666.5m last season.
That was boosted by an uplift in commercial income, which improved from £302.9m to £333.3m across the same period.
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