Leeds United FC & Celtic F.C set for colossal kit-deal

Celtic F.C set for windfall with a potential new sponsorship deal that would surpass Rangers F.C current kit-deal with 32Red, while Leeds United FC could be getting a paramount cash injection that would exceed most English Premier League clubs current kit-deals.

As exclusively reported by Winner Sports, the mobile gaming brand have recently held discussions with Stuart Dodsley (Newly appointed head of commercial) at Elland Road, the talks between the two parties have been described as “tentative, but encouraging”.

In a bid to boost the growth of their brand name, mobile gaming giants – Fruity King, had recently made it clear that they are looking to establish themselves in the footballing industry and have been linked with various top English clubs such as Newcastle United, Aston Villa and West Ham Utd over possible record breaking kit sponsorship deals.

Our sources can now confirms it’s Leeds United (Football League Championship) & Celtic FC of the Scottish Premier League (SPL) who are set to be offered mega sponsorship deals.

As part of their long road back to financial stability, Rangers F.C had partnered with gambling giants 32Red in a lucrative three year shirt sponsorship deal at the start of the current season and had also secured a £3million loan from shareholder Mike Ashley to ease their current predicament.

During the last two years, the economic gulf between Celtic and Rangers has unsurprisingly grown exponentially and the Hoops (£95.7 million) are currently valued more than four times the Gers (£26.3 million).

It can now be revealed that the Mobile Gaming brand are not restricting their targets to only English clubs and have expressed their interest in joining hands with Scottish side Celtic as well.

With the guarantee of Champions League football and world-wide fan-base, Celtic look like a much bigger prospect globally than most English clubs.

Fruity King’s Head of Commercial Strategy told us directly that they are looking to establish themselves in British football as a whole and are excited at the prospect of investing in Scottish football – with reigning champions Celtic set to be approached.

He said, “We have a short list, we can compete with other gambling brands who currently work with some of the biggest clubs both in England & Scotland. We are enthusiastic about investing into Scottish football.”

The gaming brand also indicated that they are looking to purchase class A Ordinary Shares from any Selling Shareholder of the Scottish club and have not ruled out the possibility of acquiring “Stadium naming rights, training kit sponsorship & potential independent sponsorship deals” in the future.

For the time being though, the company is hopeful of striking a deal with Celtic over a lucrative kit deal. Celtic’s current sponsorship contract is with C&C Group owned cider company Magners and the deal, which is believed to be in the region of around £2million annually, runs till the summer of 2016.

The mobile gaming brand are now said to be looking to tempt Celtic to end their association with Magners by offering the Hoops a record breaking kit sponsorship in Scottish football for the 2015/16 season.

While the exact terms of the potential tie up is yet to be disclosed, it is believed that the offer which Fruity King are set to place on the table to Celtic will far exceed their fierce rivals’ Rangers’ recent kit deal with gambling site 32Red.com.

 Getting one over the Enemy

It is no secret that the animosity between Celtic and Rangers stretches way beyond the football pitch and the Old Firm rivalry is considered one of the fiercest rivalries in world football.

However, the two sides have not contested the derby for nearly two-and a half years now after Rangers were demoted to the third division in 2012, having entered administration over a tax scandal.

With Rangers in the doldrums, Celtic have enjoyed unchallenged supremacy in Scottish football both on the pitch as well as financially.

Although Rangers’ problems are far from over, the Gers have continued their steady path back to recovery over the two years and are now aiming to earn promotion back to the Scottish Premier League this season.

Strange as it may sound though, Rangers’ problems have proven to be a financial blow to Celtic as well after the Hoops chief executive Peter Lawwell revealed that his side are losing as much as £10million per year due to the absence of their rivals in the Scottish top flight.

After Rangers had been liquidated, Celtic proceeded to reduce £100 off season ticket prices and have also lost a potential £3million every season for the last three years – which would have been guaranteed if the Old Firm derby was contested as usual.

As a further blow, Celtic embarrassingly failed to qualify for the lucrative Champions League this season despite being handed a double reprieve.

Celtic’s problems are evidently not as precarious as Rangers’ but it is believed that the Scottish giants could further widen the gap between themselves and their fierce rivals if they enter any new sponsorship agreement.

Reaction of the Celtic Fans

Unsurprisingly, the Celtic faithful were a bit divided regarding the issue. A couple of fans were welcome of the deal while some remained skeptical. As usual, a few fans questioned the moral issues of tying up with a gambling brand.

@kraljski @celticservant don’t think it makes much difference as we already out weight them financially.

— kitkat (@mccusker659) December 10, 2014

 

@kraljski @celticservant strange, deal with Magners doesn’t end till Summer 2016. Never known us to be this early with sponsor talks.

— Damian Owens (@demonskot) December 10, 2014

 

Fruity King. Really? Looking forward to celtic fans bumping gums about the ethics of having a gambling company as a sponsor.

— Tam (@bigtamzippy) December 10, 2014

 

@kraljski @celticservant Not sure how ethical Fruity King Betting is initially

— 45 Rebellion (@Sevcositcom) December 10, 2014