Tottenham set trend with groundbreaking plan, they're the 'first' Premier League club to do it
Tottenham Hotspur have just "enlightened" the Premier League to the way that club sponsorship will move forward in the coming years.
That is according to former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes that the Lilywhites have set a trend with their new Hotspur Labs scheme.
The new scheme was launched earlier in September and is designed for the club to work closely alongside start-up businesses to help them grow into future sponsors of the team.
Wyness believes that the North London outfit have shown a clever initiative with their plan, and also feels that schemes of this nature could provide the future of football sponsorship.
He also labelled the new approach from Spurs as "refreshing," and it is clear that he hopes it becomes a success in the coming years.
Recent reports have suggested that Tottenham believe they are the first Premier League club to adopt a strategy like this, but Wyness is in no doubt that they are unlikely to be the last.
Tottenham making good use of 'spare assets'
Everton’s former chief Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that Tottenham are putting their "spare assets" to good use with their new plan.
The club are investing assets and capital into the companies that are enrolled in their Hotspur Labs scheme, in a bid to speed up their growth and development.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider's Inside Track podcast, Wyness explained why the scheme is a smart investment for them.
"They've opened up what's called the Hotspur Lab, where they have actually started working with start-ups and very early development companies by helping them and giving them some assets to try and help those companies grow," he said.
"Now they believe that they're working with companies that will be their sponsors in the future going forward.
"It's that sort of approach to sponsorship that I think that we're seeing from the enlightened clubs now that they're having to grow some of their own sponsors.
"If they've got spare assets available, then they should reinvest in those new startup companies who will become their sponsors of tomorrow. It's a refreshing approach, and it's the way that I think sponsorship is going to be going in the future."
Tottenham close to pulling off major coup
Wyness previously told Football Insider on Sunday that Tottenham will be making a "very good move" if they can secure the services of sporting director Piero Ausilio.
The Italian chief recently left his role with Inter Milan, and is on the radar of several Premier League clubs at the moment, with Tottenham already holding talks.
Wyness outlined that he has "come across" Ausilio on several occasions in his own dealings with clubs, and feels that he is a canny operator behind the scenes.
The 54-year-old had been associated with the Nerazzurri for a prolonged period, and it would be seen as a major coup if Spurs could secure his signature.