Newly promoted English Premier League football club Newcastle United has named Asian online gaming company Fun88 as its new shirt sponsor.
Fun88 has signed a three-year deal with the club covering the 2017-18 to 2019-20 seasons. The company’s branding will feature on the front of the team’s jerseys as part of the agreement.
Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed but local newspaper the Evening Chronicle said the deal puts Newcastle into the top 10 in the Premier League in terms of money generated from shirt sponsors.
Fun88 will replace money lender Wonga as the club’s shirt sponsor. The Evening Chronicle said the club’s deal with Wonga was worth £24m (€28m/$31m) over five years, and that Fun88’s deal would go beyond that figure.
The newspaper’s report added that Newcastle’s agreement with Fun88 includes a clause whereby the club’s St James’ Park stadium cannot be renamed for sponsorship reasons.
Fun88 will support local, national and international fan initiatives to promote the partnership.
Lee Charnley, Newcastle’s managing director, said: “It was important for us to find the right partner and in Fun88, we have a shirt sponsor that understands the club and brings significant benefits commercially.
“The relationship will enable the club and Fun88 to enhance our respective global profiles together as we celebrate a landmark season and embark on the exciting Premier League campaign ahead.”
Newcastle was relegated to the second-tier Championship at the end of the 2015-16 campaign but bounced back at the first time of asking by winning the title this season.