Ever since it was first started in 1992 as the FA Premier League, the Premier League has been named differently depending on the company sponsoring this league. Only a year after the league was established, a company sponsored the competition and mark the beginning of a long sponsorship history.
It was Carling, a large beverages manufacturer, who was noted as the first company or brand to sponsor the British Premier League. The league’s name was changed to FA Carling Premiership as part of the sponsorship agreement. The sponsorship contract was sign for an 8-year period, starting from 1993 all the way to 2001.
In 2001, a global credit card and loan provider Barclaycard owned by Barclay Plc. in UK won the sponsorship deal with a staggering sponsorship amount. The name of the league was then changed to Barclaycard Premiership. Three years after, exactly in 2004, Barclaycard’s holding company Barclays took over the sponsorship deal.
After Barclays took over the sponsorship deal from Barclaycard, the name of the league was of course changed to Barclays Premiership. The sponsorship deal ended in 2007, with Barclays acquiring another sponsorship contract. This time, the official name of the league was changed to Barclays Premier League until today.
Aside from the major sponsorship deals we’ve just discussed, the Premier League also has a number of official suppliers and partners. Nike, for example, is currently holding an official-supplier contract since 2001. It is clear the future sponsors will be even more interested now that the league is noted as the most popular football league in the world.