E-Malt.com News article: 2889

Thailand, Bangkok: A Thai brewer is set to sign a shirt sponsorship deal with premier league side Everton in Bangkok, a company official said on July 6. Thanit Thamsukati, an adviser at Thai Beverages, producer of Thailand's best selling Beer Chang, declined to confirm media reports the deal was worth 1.5 million pounds for three years from the start of the new season in August. "The figures came from their dreams," Thanit told Reuters. "Details of the deal will be disclosed tomorrow at the signing."

Thawatchai Satchakul, one of the negotiators of the agreement, told Reuters last month Thai Beverages would pay $900,000 per year to Everton, whose shirts were previously emblazoned with the logo of Chinese mobile phone company Kejian. Everton would not comment on the deal on Tuesday.

Striker Wayne Rooney, if he is not sold to another club, and his team mates will be wearing the shirt with a new logo showing Beer Chang's label of two elephants facing each other with a fountain in the middle. Chang means elephant in Thai. The firm, led by one of Thailand's richest men, Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, also produces several top selling brands of whisky such as Mekong and Saeng Som. The company makes a profit of more than $250 million a year.

Thanit said Beer Chang remained interested in also becoming the shirt sponsor for Everton's neighbours and rivals Liverpool, whose kit bears the logo of its rival Danish brewer Carlsberg. "We are still interested in sponsoring the Liverpool shirt, no matter whether Thais successfully become shareholders in the team," Thanit said. "The only thing we care about is at what price."

A group of Thai investors are talking to Liverpool about taking a stake in the club after Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra dropped his plan to do so as opposition mounted to the use of public money.


07 July, 2004