England lose Nationwide sponsorship
The Football Association have been left with egg on their red faces after Nationwide announced that they would not continue to sponsor the international team beyond the end of the current deal that ends at the end of this month.
Expecting the England team under the guidance of Fabio Capello to fare better than the mediocre showing in South Africa, the FA turned down a £5million per year deal from Nationwide prior to the World Cup.
It turned out to be an ill fated gamble by the FA who obviously imagined that a good run in the World Cup would have sponsors champing at the bit to improve on the Nationwide offer.
With England due to play a friendly against Hungary at Wembley in three weeks the FA will be exploring every avenue for a new sponsor before that game, but face an impossible task.
Already discounting ticket prices for the upcoming game, such is the disillusionment of the England fans with the teams performance in South Africa, the team are likely to play the friendly in front of a half full stadium of supporters.
2 comments so far
1 football caricatures // Jul 24, 2010 at 10:45 am
not really surprising, is it, considering our dismall performance in South Africa. And this was with one of our best generation of players. Shameful really.
2 Football Gifts // Jul 27, 2010 at 10:09 pm
There was a really enthusiasm in England leading up to the World Cup but after Englands poor performanceo there was a general lack of interest and sales of football related products dropped off considerably. Not suprising that sponsors reconsider their position.