DXC signs on to become Manchester United's sleeve sponsor
All eyes are currently on which signings Manchester United can make to bolster their flagging squad, ahead of the new season. The Red Devils have also been signing off-the-pitch deals, though, and have announced the DXC is to become one of the club’s new sponsors.
Erik ten Hag’s maiden campaign as Manchester United manager is due to kick off on the 7th of August. With the opening fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion now less than a month away, frustration has been mounting at the level of transfer activity at Old Trafford.
Since the end of a campaign which saw the Red Devils slump to a sixth-place finish, the club has only managed to recruit Feyenoord fullback Tyrell Malacia and Christian Eriksen. And a host of big names, including Paul Pogba and Edison Cavani have left, while speculation continues as to whether Cristiano Ronaldo may join them shortly.
While it may not be the name fans were hoping for, Manchester United has completed another signing, though. The club has confirmed that IT and consulting provider DXC has penned a deal for an undisclosed fee, which will see it become the Premier League club's sleeve sponsor, and use data analytics to deliver a more personalised experience for fans.
With younger sports fans favouring digital outlets for their sports viewing, social media presence is swiftly becoming a crucial revenue-driver for English football teams – something which has already seen clubs pour resources into building digital fan experiences. As Manchester United face a season outside of the lucrative Champions League, extracting every penny from other avenues will prove especially important for the club – especially following its slide down the list of the world’s footballing institutions with the highest revenues.
Looking ahead, the DXC logo will be seen on shirt sleeves of the club's home, away and third kit, for men, women and youth teams for the 2022/23 season, replacing manufacturing company Kohler, which had been there since 2018. Meanwhile Teamviewer and Adidas will also be principal partners on the jersey.
A Fortune 500 global IT services leader, DXC works with clients to get the most out of their data. Apart from the kit sponsorship, DXC will use its tech expertise to manage Manchester United's mobile app, support coaching staff with data analysis, tracking and reporting technologies.
Mark Hughes, Chief Growth Officer at DXC, said in a statement, "DXC will also run Manchester United's website and media platforms helping to take the match day experience to the club's 1.1 billion fans and followers around the world. In a first step, DXC and United will deliver a new platform that will aggregate data across the club and enable new insights to inform strategic business planning and performance."
