THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION'S new National Football Centre, currently under development in Burton upon Trent, has secured its first blue-chip backer in the form of BT.
British Telecom has become the official communications services partner of St. George’s Park in an initial five year deal. Reported to be worth in the multi-million pound range, Frontloaded values the agreement at around £1m per year.
The London-based telecoms company has a history of supporting home-grown sports properties. Notable examples include BT’s title sponsorship of the 2011 BT Paralympic World Cup which took place in Manchester in May; official partner of the Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Race and, most significantly, as a tier one partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, paying around £80m for the privilege.
BT is the latest on a growing list of commercial partners for the £100m National Football Centre, headed by lead partner Umbro, as well as Hilton Worldwide which will build a 230-room hotel on the site.
Umbro’s involvement with the project is part of the brand’s overall association with English football and its current sponsorship deal with the FA which runs through July 2018, valued at around £26m per year.
St. George’s Park is due to open in time for the 2012 London Olympics.