For the first time in the team’s history, Manchester United will have a sponsor on the back of their jerseys during a competitive match this season. A Microsoft product will be visible during Saturday’s Community Shield matchup between the Red Bulls and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium.
This season, United’s shirt backs will not be sponsored during Premier League or UEFA Europa League games; however, sponsorship will be available for FA Cup and Carabao Cup domestic cup competitions, as well as Women’s Super League (WSL) games.
This is a creative option as part of United’s larger sponsorship deal with Snapdragon, a division of the American technology company Qualcomm. At the beginning of this season, the firm signed a three-year first contract to sponsor the front of United’s shirts. The sponsorship of United’s men’s and women’s teams, as well as the club’s academy uniforms, is valued at $75 million (£59 million at today’s exchange rates) annually.
A two-year option to extend was contained in that agreement, and it is scheduled to come into effect after meetings between Omar Berrada, the new chief executive of United, and members of Snapdragon’s executive team in San Diego this summer, during United’s game against Real Betis at Snapdragon Stadium. With this, Snapdragon’s five-year investment in United will have a total value of $375 million.
Snapdragon sponsors the front of United’s jerseys (Tony Ding/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Around the world, Snapdragon manufactures the chips or processors used in an estimated three billion smartphones, PCs, virtual reality headsets, gaming consoles, and automobiles.
During United’s preseason trip in the US, astute spectators could have observed that the back of the team’s jerseys had Snapdragon’s fiery emblem. Qualcomm obtained a category as part of its sponsorship deal, granting it the ability to advertise the companies or devices that Snapdragon partners with.
Therefore, Microsoft CoPilot+ PCs, a computer device, will be the first brand to appear on the back of United’s shirt. Additionally, United’s jerseys at Wembley on Saturday will bear the Microsoft emblem. Underneath the team numbers, the logo will be displayed in WSL matches, academy games, and United’s FA Cup and Carabao Cup matches.
For the 2024–25 season, Snapdragon has selected the Microsoft product as its partner brand; nevertheless, it retains the flexibility to switch up the hardware it endorses in the future. Through this deal, Microsoft will not acquire any rights from United or become a partner of United. Snapdragon processors power its hardware, which is only the premium model.
The choice was taken by Qualcomm, demonstrating how football teams are always looking for new and creative ways to provide its key partners more value. In this situation, Qualcomm was able to improve its own ties with Microsoft and other companies.
In July, The Athletic also revealed that Snapdragon will have the opportunity to support charitable causes by having a charity’s name appear on the front of United’s jerseys for one game per season.
(Top photo: John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
For the first time in the team’s history, Manchester United will have a sponsor on the back of their jerseys during a competitive match this season. A Microsoft product will be visible during Saturday’s Community Shield matchup between the Red Bulls and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium.
This season, United’s shirt backs will not be sponsored during Premier League or UEFA Europa League games; however, sponsorship will be available for FA Cup and Carabao Cup domestic cup competitions, as well as Women’s Super League (WSL) games.
This is a creative option as part of United’s larger sponsorship deal with Snapdragon, a division of the American technology company Qualcomm. At the beginning of this season, the firm signed a three-year first contract to sponsor the front of United’s shirts. The sponsorship of United’s men’s and women’s teams, as well as the club’s academy uniforms, is valued at $75 million (£59 million at today’s exchange rates) annually.
A two-year option to extend was contained in that agreement, and it is scheduled to come into effect after meetings between Omar Berrada, the new chief executive of United, and members of Snapdragon’s executive team in San Diego this summer, during United’s game against Real Betis at Snapdragon Stadium. With this, Snapdragon’s five-year investment in United will have a total value of $375 million.
Snapdragon sponsors the front of United’s jerseys (Tony Ding/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Around the world, Snapdragon manufactures the chips or processors used in an estimated three billion smartphones, PCs, virtual reality headsets, gaming consoles, and automobiles.
During United’s preseason trip in the US, astute spectators could have observed that the back of the team’s jerseys had Snapdragon’s fiery emblem. Qualcomm obtained a category as part of its sponsorship deal, granting it the ability to advertise the companies or devices that Snapdragon partners with.
Therefore, Microsoft CoPilot+ PCs, a computer device, will be the first brand to appear on the back of United’s shirt. Additionally, United’s jerseys at Wembley on Saturday will bear the Microsoft emblem. Underneath the team numbers, the logo will be displayed in WSL matches, academy games, and United’s FA Cup and Carabao Cup matches.
For the 2024–25 season, Snapdragon has selected the Microsoft product as its partner brand; nevertheless, it retains the flexibility to switch up the hardware it endorses in the future. Through this deal, Microsoft will not acquire any rights from United or become a partner of United. Snapdragon processors power its hardware, which is only the premium model.
The choice was taken by Qualcomm, demonstrating how football teams are always looking for new and creative ways to provide its key partners more value. In this situation, Qualcomm was able to improve its own ties with Microsoft and other companies.
In July, The Athletic also revealed that Snapdragon will have the opportunity to support charitable causes by having a charity’s name appear on the front of United’s jerseys for one game per season.
(Top photo: John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
