Liverpool FC announced a sponsorship deal with British bank Standard Chartered on Sunday, reportedly worth £80 million (US$133 million) over four years.
The deal starting next July was the “largest commercial agreement in Liverpool’s history,” a statement on the club’s Web site said.
Media reports said the deal was worth some £20 million per season, which would equal the most lucrative ever in English soccer, but this could not be confirmed.
The figure would match the deal struck by Manchester United with Aon Corp, the US financial giant earlier this year, reports said.
Under the Liverpool deal, the bank’s logo and name will replace Carlsberg as the main sponsor on the English Premier League club’s shirt, ending a 17-year relationship with the side.
“This partnership brings together two highly successful organizations with a really strong cultural and strategic fit,” Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow said in the statement. “It is a real sign of the progress we have made at Liverpool that we have been able to secure the largest ever commercial deal in our history.”
Peter Sands, group chief executive of Standard, said: “This is a great partnership. We are excited to be working with such a famous global brand as Liverpool Football Club for the next four years,” he said.
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