Manchester United have agreed a lucrative £180million contract which will see their training kit and Carrington training ground sponsored by Aon in an eight-year deal.
With the training kit carrying the brand’s logo, Carrington will be renamed the Aon Training Complex, and they will become Presenting Partner of Manchester United Tours and also their business network.
The new deal has delighted United’s commercial director Richard Arnold – with Aon’s £25million-a-year current shirt sponsorship due to be replaced by Chevrolet’s £53million-a-year in 2014.
“I am delighted that this cements our relationship with Aon for a further eight years,” he said.
“They are a great partner and I am very excited about the possibilities for sustainable advantage this provides the Club as we build our global presence.
“Aon knows that every employee, including the first team, drives the success of our Club. The Aon Training Complex is all about winning and preparing individuals, identifying talent and performing at the highest level to achieve success.
“Aon serves clients with unwavering focus on high performance, training and execution, an approach that mirrors the way we prepare here at Manchester United.”
The new partnership takes effect from July 1 and confirms the pair’s relationship until at least 2021, something Phil Clement, Aon’s Global Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, believes beneficial for both parties.
“This announcement is the next step in the evolution of our partnership with Manchester United,” he said.
“Together, Aon and Manchester United have been working on two critical issues for a growing global business – managing risk and highly performing teams.
“The first phase of our relationship brought Aon an explosion in brand awareness. This phase of our partnership is a more holistic approach where we can use our expertise and create a global dialogue and knowledge.
“As a business our ambition is to empower economic and human possibility and our partnership with Manchester United is the ideal way to do this.
“It is a privilege for Aon to be associated with the world-famous Manchester United training facility. As a symbol of innovation and excellence in the world of sport, it is revered around the world.”
Image courtesy of North West Air Ambulance, via Flickr, with thanks
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