Manchester United will earn a staggering £40 Million in a 4-year training kit sponsorship deal with DHL. The world’s leading club will wear the logo of the world’s leading logistics company on their training gear, in a ground-breaking development for Premier League football. Beeline also becomes a sponsor…

DHL Express, a branch of of Deutsche Post, sponsored United’s 2011 pre-season summer tour of The United States Of America. They transported the group on a DHL-branded bus, had their logo on display via the sponsorship hoardings during games and promoted the club’s media events. It is believed they covered the cost of The Red Devil’s tour, while also paying in excess of £3 Million for the sponsorship (on top of matchday revenue).

The company have now taken their behind-the-scenes assistance to the next level, by sponsoring training kits worn by United’s first team, Reserves and Academy. The DHL emblem will be on display during press-accessed training sessions at Carrington, in the warm-ups before games and in the Reds’ dugout. The deal is valid for competitive domestic fixtures, and excludes endorsements for UEFA Champions League matches. 

The DHL sponsorship will net the club £10 Million per year – over 4 years – with the total £40 Million payout in excess of what 15 of the other 19 Premier League teams earn in that time for their actual kit sponsorship. AON will continue to sponsor United’s matchday kits, with the American insurance giant keen to extend their 4-year, £80 Million contract when it runs-out in 2014. Nike are also ready to renegotiate their £302.9 Million kit deal, expiring in 2015. 

United received a double-boost on Monday in the commercial front, agreeing a 3-year partnership contract with Asian telecommunications corporation, Beeline. The deal will give Devils in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia the chance to watch the team’s goals, interviews and news reports amongst other capabilities online and on mobile devices. The figures of the arrangement were not disclosed, while surveys estimate United have 16 million Vietnamese fans. 

On news of the DHL sponsorship, United’s Commercial Director Richard Arnold told ManUtd.Com: “This is a deal that continues to demonstrate the club’s position as the most innovative and successful in the game. DHL have been a great partner to work with, and have integrated with the club’s operations seamlessly. The work they did around this summer’s US tour was striking and we are looking forward to developing a broader relationship in the future.”
 
Manager Sir Alex Ferguson said of the deal with Beeline (owned by VimpelCom): “Manchester United has always been at the forefront of the game off the pitch as well as on it, and this partnership is another example of that. Everyone knows about the passion of our fans in that part of the world and this deal makes it a lot easier for us to keep in touch with them.” The Red Devils are considering playing in Vietnam as part of next summer’s Asia tour.

Last week, it was announced that United’s owners – The Glazer Family – will sell 25% of their stake in Singapore.