Man United Thread

[TheArsenal]

I've got to agree with that. I never thought I'd want Man United to win anything......

But I hate Chelsea so much more.

It's kinda nice how the hating of Chelsea can even bring even sworn enemies Arsenal and Utd fans together.

[DaveKOTW]

MANCHESTER (Reuters) - Manchester United announced a four-year shirt sponsorship deal with U.S. insurance company AIG Inc. on Thursday worth 56.5 million pounds.

The deal covering United's famous red shirts, the biggest of its kind in British football, will begin next season and was hailed as "a blue chip deal for a blue chip club" by United chief executive David Gill.

"This is a deal that is right for Manchester United and it underlines our position as the world's leading club," Gill told a news conference.

"AIG's global operations compliment our great fan base and we are excited about the global prospects this relationship brings."

United, second in the Premier League behind champions Chelsea, are in their first season under the control of American billionaire Malcolm Glazer and his family after his controversial 790 million pound takeover.

United's nine million pounds-a-year shirt deal with Vodafone finishes at the end of this season after the mobile phone giant pulled out two years early to switch its allegiance to the Champions League, Europe's top club competition.

"We believe this relationship will mutually benefit both organisations and we look forward to maximising the value of this high-profile sponsorship to help grow AIG's businesses around the world," Martin Sullivan, president and CEO of American International Group Inc., said.

Gill said that Bryan Glazer, son of Malcolm, had been involved in setting up the deal. The American company's worldwide reach will help United increase their commercial operations, particularly in Asia, Gill said.

"We are looking to be more accessible to our global fan base, and having a partner with the knowledge and experience of AIG is invaluable," Gill said.

"AIG has over 250,000 employees and agents in Asia alone - a region where we have an estimated 40 million fans. This deal presents both of us with so many possibilities."

Chelsea, owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, signed a five-year, 50 million pound deal with South Korean electronics company Samsung in 2005.

Glazer's arrival was fiercely opposed by many fans who were worried about the debt-heavy structure of the takeover.

United pulled out of a more lucrative deal with online betting company Mansion at the weekend and Gill said Thursday's deal proved the Glazers were with the club for the long term.

"We could have taken a bigger deal. We didn't. We took the deal that was right for Manchester United and this is with their (the Glazers') full backing, approval and awareness.

"We are not just trying to make the fast buck. We are trying to do the things that make us stand out from the crowd."

United posted a 20 percent fall in profit to 46 million pounds in the 11 months to the end of last June after revenue fell to 157.2 million from 169.1 million.

United, European champions in 1999, were knocked out of the Champions League in the group stage this season and struggled in the Premier League before mounting a spectacular recovery which has put them within seven points of Chelsea.

United's title of the world's richest football club was taken by Real Madrid in February for the first time in the nine-year history of the survey by consultants Deloitte.

© Reuters 2006. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by caching, framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.

[AJ]

That's one dull, ugly looking logo. S'gonna look rubbish on the front of the shirts.

[9 to 5]

Yeah, that does look utter turd. I always thought the Sharp logo suited the early 90's Man Utd shirts very well. That will look as bad as our shirt did when we had ruddy Time computers sponsering us.

[Summers]

Lol. They could put a huge "LOL AMERICA FUK YEA" on the front for that amount of cash, and most wont care.

[Guest Ringmaster The Living Legend]

I would kill for a Jersey that said LOL AMERICA FUK YEA.

Kill for it.

[Summers]

I'll make it happen.

Your targets: David O'Leary and Roy Aitken

[DaveKOTW]

you dont think thats sexy!?

and no, im not referring to ferguson

[NobBe Nobbs]

You know you are really. Subconsciously, but you are.

[DaveKOTW]

You know you are really. Subconsciously, but you are.

[9 to 5]

At least with Emirates, it doesn't sound too much like a business unlike the Reebok Stadium etc.

[DaveKOTW]

At least with Emirates, it doesn't sound too much like a business unlike the Reebok Stadium etc.

Edited April 6, 2006 by DaveKOTW

[9 to 5]

Hey, if I was a rich chairman in charge of my own team and ponying up the money for a new stadium I would be tempted to name it after myself.

[DaveKOTW]

Hey, if I was a rich chairman in charge of my own team and ponying up the money for a new stadium I would be tempted to name it after myself.

[ONO]

Only picture I could find of it. I'm meh on it, doesn't look too bad.

[9 to 5]

It looks better than I thought it would, but still not very good at all.

[DaveKOTW]

I actually saw the press conference on tv. It was funny cos the whole team was wearing the kit and there but the CEO of AIG only wanted to shake the managers, David Gill and Wayne Rooney's hand and he nodded and Ronaldo, everyone else he pretty much didnt pay any attention to lol

Edited April 7, 2006 by DaveKOTW

[Buford Ripley]

Ech, I really don't like the look of the new kit. The 'AIG' logo just seems out of place.

[public enemy]

We're getting a new kit at the start of next season anyway, thats just a promotional one.

[Guest muddatrucker]

Yeah but regardless, the kit is going to be predominantly red and the logo will look exactly the same.

EDIT: I imagine all the new nike kits will be based on those that they've just released for the worldcup, which is completely shit because they're all retro and Arsenal have had their retro kit already, lets just hope we don't get one made on the dutch template.