The Premier League has announced a decision not have a title sponsor from season 2016/2017 in a move that imitates major American sports leagues like the NBA and NFL in presenting a ‘clean’ brand.
Having been sponsored by Barclays since 2004, in 2016 the competition will be known simply as ‘The Premier League’.
Premier League sources have stressed their new sponsorship strategy will not impinge on their clubs’ ability to pursue their own individual commercial models.
A Premier League spokesman said: “Barclays has been an excellent partner for the League throughout their sponsorship of the competition and we look forward to working with them in 2015/16, the final season of their title sponsorship.”
The Premier League did not have a title sponsor in its inaugural 1992/93 season of before signing a four-year deal with brewers Carling – at the time the biggest in British sport.
Carling subsequently paid triple its initial amount to secure a four-year extension to their original deal, before Barclaycard took over in a three-year contract beginning in 2001.
Barclays agreed an initial three-year sponsorship deal in 2004 and subsequent extensions saw the value rise to a £120million paid for the existing three-year sponsorship in 2012.
However the bank indicated in March that they would not seek to renew the deal when it expires at the end of the 2015/16 season.