Manchester United's troubled season has taken an embarrassing turn off the pitch, with a high-profile £180 million sponsorship agreement backfiring spectacularly following the team's historic early exit from both domestic cup competitions.
A Sponsorship Strategy Unravels
The Red Devils entered the 2024/25 season with great fanfare, announcing a mega-money shirt sponsorship deal worth £180 million with US tech giant Snapdragon, a subsidiary of Qualcomm. However, a secondary, 'levelled up' element of this partnership has now left the club red-faced.
As part of a promotion for Microsoft's new Copilot+PC range, United agreed to feature the brand's logo on the back of the men's first-team shirts for all domestic cup matches. This was intended to provide global exposure throughout the FA Cup and Carabao Cup campaigns.
Don McGuire, Qualcomm's Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, stated enthusiastically in July: "What better way to celebrate than once again with Manchester United? And of course, we leveled it up this time. The Copilot+ PC logo will be prominently featured on the back of the men’s kit... for all domestic cup matches in the 2025/26 season."
A Historic Sporting Failure
Unfortunately for the commercial team, the men's first team's involvement in those cup competitions was brutally short-lived. Their campaign began with a humiliating Carabao Cup first-round exit at the hands of Grimsby Town in August. Ruben Amorim's side drew 2-2 before losing a nail-biting penalty shootout 12-11.
The misery was compounded in the FA Cup third round, where interim head coach Darren Fletcher saw his team suffer a 2-1 home defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion. The decisive goal was scored by former United player Danny Welbeck, adding insult to injury.
This double failure marks the first time since the 1981-82 season that Manchester United have been eliminated in their opening match of both major domestic cups.
The Costly Commercial Consequences
The direct result of this sporting failure is a significant commercial shortfall. The Copilot+PC logo, which was slated to appear on the kit for a potential 13 cup matches, was only displayed twice. While the women's and academy teams will continue to wear the branding throughout their seasons, the men's team's early exits have drastically reduced the promised exposure for Microsoft's product.
Further compounding the club's financial headaches, the Snapdragon sponsorship does not extend to the training kit, which remains without a sponsor, representing a loss of millions in potential revenue.
In other commercial news, the club is reportedly exploring a stadium naming rights deal, which could see Old Trafford officially renamed as Old Trafford@Snapdragon. However, the planned £2 billion stadium redevelopment itself has faced delays and issues during its development phase.
Manchester United have been approached for comment regarding the sponsorship shortfall.
