The English Football League has announced a new sponsorship deal with pizza chain Papa John’s.
Terms of the deal were undisclosed, but the US firm will become the league’s official pizza partner in what is its first UK sports sponsorship.
Papa John’s has a strong presence in the US sponsorship market where it is the official pizza of American football’s NFL and half of its 32 teams.
Through the Football League deal, Papa John’s will receive thousands of match tickets and match day opportunities for Football League clubs, as well as use of their marketing channels both on and offline.
The agreement comes with the Football League yet to find a new title sponsor ahead of the 2013-14 season. Energy company Npower’s three-year lead sponsorship deal with the Football League expired at the end of the 2012-13 season.