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Sky Blues search for new corporate sponsor after Coventry University severs ties
The club’s woes and relocation to Northampton has hit sponsorship revenues hard
By Simon Gilbert | 2 Sep 2013 12:06
Bosses at Sky Blues have said they are trying to secure a new major corporate sponsor after it was revealed that a city university had cut its ties with the club.
Coventry University said it no longer had a deal with the club – which is currently playing its ‘home’ games at Northampton’s Sixfields stadium – and is one of a number of organisations that have not renewed their commercial support for the new season.
Club chief executive Tim Fisher said he was hopeful of a major deal with a new sponsor but also admitted that club owners Sisu would have to absorb the lost revenues of moving to Northampton.
As well as shirt, pitchside and other match day sponsorship, the club offers individual sponsorship slots for players and staff.
Last season it filled all 33 slots in the final programme of the campaign but of the 26 slots offered infor the club’s first match at Sixfields, just five were taken with only WT Motorsport, Midrepro and Milsco, sponsor of club mascot Sky Blue Sam, continuing their support for the club.
Among the prominent absences was construction company D-Drill which had sponsored the manager every year since Bobby Gould was at the Sky Blues helm in 1983.
A spokesman for the university said it had cut ties for the time-being but did not rule out any future support.
“The university does not have a sponsorship arrangement in place with Coventry City Football Club at present, but discussions are ongoing,” he said.
Arguably the Sky Blues’ prime offer is shirt sponsorship, yet over a month into the start of the new campaign the club has still failed to secure a sponsor.
That led to the suggestion that the club could opt for a charity to fill the void for free, prompting a response which suggests a shirt sponsorship deal may be just around the corner.
Mr Fisher said: “The charity idea has been suggested and it is a very positive suggestion which we will look at.
“However, at the moment we are negotiating with a potential sponsor over a corporate sponsorship deal which we are hopeful will come to fruition.”
In addition to lost sponsorship revenue, some supporters have chosen to boycott the club’s matches and merchandise in an attempt to drive Coventry City’s owners Sisu out by starving them of income.
But, in the latest match day programme, Fisher suggested Sisu would take the financial hit. He said: “Let me assure everyone, whether there are 1,000 or 7,000 supporters inside Sixfields each week, it is going to be at a huge financial cost to Sisu over the next three years.
“They don’t expect any sympathy for that but, instead, will work to ensure we return the club to the Coventry area as soon as possible.”
The club’s woes and relocation to Northampton has hit sponsorship revenues hard
By Simon Gilbert | 2 Sep 2013 12:06
Bosses at Sky Blues have said they are trying to secure a new major corporate sponsor after it was revealed that a city university had cut its ties with the club.
Coventry University said it no longer had a deal with the club – which is currently playing its ‘home’ games at Northampton’s Sixfields stadium – and is one of a number of organisations that have not renewed their commercial support for the new season.
Club chief executive Tim Fisher said he was hopeful of a major deal with a new sponsor but also admitted that club owners Sisu would have to absorb the lost revenues of moving to Northampton.
As well as shirt, pitchside and other match day sponsorship, the club offers individual sponsorship slots for players and staff.
Last season it filled all 33 slots in the final programme of the campaign but of the 26 slots offered infor the club’s first match at Sixfields, just five were taken with only WT Motorsport, Midrepro and Milsco, sponsor of club mascot Sky Blue Sam, continuing their support for the club.
Among the prominent absences was construction company D-Drill which had sponsored the manager every year since Bobby Gould was at the Sky Blues helm in 1983.
A spokesman for the university said it had cut ties for the time-being but did not rule out any future support.
“The university does not have a sponsorship arrangement in place with Coventry City Football Club at present, but discussions are ongoing,” he said.
Arguably the Sky Blues’ prime offer is shirt sponsorship, yet over a month into the start of the new campaign the club has still failed to secure a sponsor.
That led to the suggestion that the club could opt for a charity to fill the void for free, prompting a response which suggests a shirt sponsorship deal may be just around the corner.
Mr Fisher said: “The charity idea has been suggested and it is a very positive suggestion which we will look at.
“However, at the moment we are negotiating with a potential sponsor over a corporate sponsorship deal which we are hopeful will come to fruition.”
In addition to lost sponsorship revenue, some supporters have chosen to boycott the club’s matches and merchandise in an attempt to drive Coventry City’s owners Sisu out by starving them of income.
But, in the latest match day programme, Fisher suggested Sisu would take the financial hit. He said: “Let me assure everyone, whether there are 1,000 or 7,000 supporters inside Sixfields each week, it is going to be at a huge financial cost to Sisu over the next three years.
“They don’t expect any sympathy for that but, instead, will work to ensure we return the club to the Coventry area as soon as possible.”
