May 5 – English football’s financial problems are beginning to grow after it emerged that National Express will not be renewing its multi-million pound sponsorship with the Football Association.
It follows the new that the FA Cup’s main sponsor, E.ON, will not be renewing its £7.5 million ($11.3 million) sponsorship deal after this month’s final between Chelsea and Portsmouth.
Dean Finch, National Express’s chief executive, said the company would not be renewing a deal as the official transport partner of the England team and FA Cup signed by his predecessor, Richard Bowker, who resigned last year amid mounting financial problems at the transport business, The Guardian reported.
Finch told the newspaper: “We will not be renewing it.
“We are better focused elsewhere.
“I am not compelled by the impact of that sponsorship.”
Some parts of the deal may be saved, though, relating to Wembley Stadium.
A spokeswoman told The Guardian: ”We are still in discussions with the FA to continue some parts of our sponsorship.”
The FA are also involved in delicate negotiations with Nationwide, who are refusing to pay more than the original £20 million ($30 million) they offered for a new deal after their current contract ends in August.
The FA has renewed second-tier deals with Carlsberg and the kit supplier Umbro, and signed new agreements with Mars and Virgin Atlantic.
The FA is also close to renewing deals with Tesco and McDonald’s related to its grassroots and coaching programmes.