Newcastle United will terminate their partnership with shirt sponsor FUN88 at the end of the current season as they review all existing commercial deals. Could this mean a new technical sponsor too?
Newcastle United 22-23 130th Anniversary Kit Released
Newcastle to Have New Shirt Sponsor in 23-24
Newcastle fans will be happy to learn that this will be the final season with the Fun88 logo appearing on their club's jerseys. The logo has received a lot of criticism over the years for its negative impact on the kits' aesthetic, as well as promoting gambling. The deal with Fun88 started in 2017 and was due to run until the end of the 24-25 season, but the club have decided to end it two years early. It is currently the lowest-earning sponsorship deal in the Premier League, bringing in £6.5 million per season.
All Newcastle home shirts to carry the Fun88 sponsor.
The Chronicle report that the decision was taken as part of an overall review of Newcastle's commercial partnerships as the club looks to increase revenue. Many of the existing deals were inherited by the new Saudi owners from previous owner Mike Ashley. It is likely that they will try to source new commercial partnerships from the Middle East thanks to the owners' contacts and also in order to help grow their profile in the region.
New Kit Manufacturer and Stadium Name?
Newcastle's current contract with Castore runs until the 2024 and is worth £5 million per season. This particular deal was struck before the Saudi takeover and does not reflect the club's new, loftier aspirations. The club will be aiming to secure a more lucrative contract in this department, likely with greater global distribution than what Castore can offer, as was the case when Liverpool switched to Nike from New Balance a few years ago.
New Balance Takes Legal Action Against Liverpool To Block Nike Deal
There have been many instances in the past of clubs ending a kit contract early in favour of a better deal with another brand, so we would not rule out the possibility of Newcastle doing the same ahead of next season, especially in the context of the current review of all deals.
The club are also planning to "open dialogue" with fans about the possibility of selling the stadium naming rights, although they know they will have to tread carefully after the huge backlash that ensued when Mike Ashley sold the rights to Sports Direct in 2011, resulting in St. James' Park becoming the "Sports Direct Arena".
Will you be glad to see a new sponsor replace Fun88? Would you like to see Newcastle ditch Castore for another brand? Let us know in the comments.