AIA and Spurs sign long-term shirt deal
AIA Group, which signed a shirt sponsorship deal with Tottenham Hotspur for the FA Cup last year, has entered into a new long-term partnership that will see the brand name appearing on the team's shirts in all competitions until the end of the 2018/2019 s
A five-year deal was signed at a ceremony on the 100th floor of the ICC Building here yesterday with AIA Group chief executive and president Mark Tucker, Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy and former Spurs star Ledley King in attendance.
“Following the success of our FA Cup shirt this season, we are delighted to be entering this new partnership with the club. They have a massive fan base in Asia and we look forward to helping them further expand their presence in 17 markets around the Asia-Pacific region,” said Tucker.
The new deal with AIA couldn’t have come at a better time for Spurs, who blanked Newcastle 4-0 on Wednesday to move into fifth place on the EPL standings, three points behind Liverpool.
“Together with AIA we share long-term ambitions across Asia, a region where the club has seen significant growth in recent years, and this extended partnership with AIA will further help support our objectives and engage with our supporters across the region,” Levy said.
Recognising the vital role that active participation in sport plays in promoting a healthy lifestyle, AIA and Spurs also announced that a series of Junior Training Programmes would be undertaken this year in selected AIA markets around the region. Spurs’ coaches will work with underprivileged children to further develop their interest and participation in football.
Spurs also committed to bring the first team to Asia over the period of the agreement. Thailand, as one of the soccer-oriented nations in the region, will be one of the Lilywhites’ destinations.
“Thailand is a key country in Asia. We have lots of policy-holders and football is very active. A solid Spurs fan base makes it a great chance for the team to come to Thailand soon,” said Sang Hui-lee, chief marketing officer of AIA Thailand.
Tottenham Hotspur are one of the top-ranked teams in the English Premier League and have a following of over 180 million supporters globally, with 80 million of those fans living in Asia. Spurs are one of only three clubs to have won the FA Cup eight times or more and to have won the Capital One English League Cup four times. They were the first British club to win a European trophy after winning the European Cup Winners’ Cup, and they have also won the Europa League, when it was known as the Uefa Cup, on two occasions.
