I saw a bit of a mixed reaction to the news this evening that AFC Bournemouth would have a new shirt sponsor for the 2015-16 season. The Mansion Group is a bold and slightly controversial choice of sponsor for this club that tries to be family-orientated, but it is well known that online gaming companies are big investors in sport and the funds will be welcome in what is a competitive market.
The Mansion Group will be sponsoring all three kits for AFCB as well as the training wear. So no matter who follows AFCB they are going to see Mansion Group very visibly whenever they see the team play or visit the club shop. I'm not sure if the club's trips to Las Vegas had something to do with their thinking but having been promoted from the SkyBet Championship it seems that football has a very close link with gambling whether we like it or not.
What I did like about the training wear on show was a deep red which could well appear on next season's shirts if the club has continuity in its clothing lies and has to be careful about how it matches other colours against the Mansion Group logo colours.
The new deal brings to an end the previous deal of Energy Consulting which has been on the club shirts for the last three seasons. It is perhaps a sign that the Russian owners want to maximise the commercial prospects for the club by taking Energy Consulting off of the shirts and bringing in a new investor. There were no details about how much the sponsorship was worth but offsetting the costs involved of being in Premier League with larger wages and bigger transfer fees, I think we can see where the club is coming from.
Time will tell if the new partnership is a winner for the Cherries.
Meanwhile, the Daily Mirror is again pushing its view on who AFCB are chasing with Crystal Palace striker Glenn Murray touted as the latest transfer target for the Cherries. Meanwhile, the odds are shortening on Charlie Austin to come to AFCB. Josh McQuoid who was released by the Cherries in May is said to have joined Luton Town, according to Clarets Mad.
This is a fan’s personal view of AFC Bournemouth from the outside looking in. It reports on the daily official activities reported by the club and comments made by individual fans on social media and fanbase websites. Life as an AFCB fan is never dull. As a life-long supporter of the Cherries, it is the friendliness of the staff, fans and my enthusiasm for the club that inspired me to write this blog.
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