Door open for Diageo Premier League bid

Barclays is not renewing its sponsorship of Premier League football, leaving Diageo, which is rumoured to be compiling a bid, in strong standing.

The possibility of a “Guinness Premier League” could be one step closer (Photo: Diageo)

The Chairman of Barclays, John McFarlane, told the BBC on Wednesday that the banking group would not be renewing its longstanding partnership with Premier League football in the UK when their deal expires later this year.

Diageo is rumoured to be preparing to make a formal bid to sponsor the flagship football league, and will allegedly offer around £150m for the lucrative contract, the drinks business reported in January.

If successful, It would be the latest in a string of high-level sponsorship deals for the company, as its Scotch whisky brand Johnnie Walker recently increased its presence in Formula One racing.

The Guinness brand is also firmly tied in to rugby competitions in the UK and Ireland through its sponsorship of the Pro12 championship, made up of teams from the celtic countries of Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It is also a major sponsor of the Ireland international rugby team.

In January, when rumours about a possible Guinness Premier League were first reported by Sky News, Diageo told db that “sponsorship plays an important role” in its marketing activities, and that it looks at new opportunities “all the time”.

CORRECTION 09/07/15:
In June, the Premier League announced that it would not have a title sponsor for the competition following a £45m offer from Diageo that was rejected.