Premier League clubs vote to drop title sponsor category

English Premier League clubs have voted to remove the League's title sponsor category once Barclays' existing deal expires at the end of the 2016-17 season.

The decision not to search for a replacement to Barclays' £40m (€55.5m/$59.7m) per year deal was made during the AGM at the league's headquarters yesterday (Thursday). Barclays announced in March that it would not be renewing its current deal.

"Premier League clubs have agreed a new sponsorship strategy that will see the league move away from a title sponsorship model from season 2016-17 onwards," a Premier League spokesman said. "The new approach will allow the League to add a number of additional partnerships, while the clubs will continue to operate their own individual commercial models. From 2016-17 the competition will be referred to as the ‘Premier League’.

"Barclays has been an excellent partner for the League throughout their sponsorship of the competition and we look forward to working with them in 2015/16, the final season of their title sponsorship."

Barclays has‎ held the title sponsorship rights to the Premier League since 2001, when it took over from Carling, the lager brand.