Football Manager takes up new position at Waford FC

20 August 2012 | Posted in Sponsorship, Soccer, Europe | By Tom Love

Watford Football Club has announced a new sponsorship agreement with Sega and Sports Interactive, the publisher and studio behind award-winning video game Football Manager.

The new sponsorship sees the Football Manager logo featured on the front of the Championship side's home shirts for the duration of the 2012/13 European soccer season. Watford's away shirts will feature the logo of Football Manager Handheld.

In June 2012 Watford agreed terms with The Happy Egg Company to serve as the club's main sponsor, however, following a takeover by the Pozzo family - owners of Serie A club Udinese and La Liga side Granada - The Happy Egg Company agreed to downgrade its sponsorship to an official partnership status.

According to an official press release, 'The new agreement [with Football Manager] is an extension of an ongoing partnership which previously saw Sports Interactive sponsor the club's youth academy.'

“I’m very pleased with the partnership we’ve agreed with Sega and Sports Interactive," said Watford chief executive Scott Duxbury. "It really is a perfect fit in many ways. Football Manager and Sega's success in its field is unparalleled. Their global success is in no small part down to their attention to detail and expertise in their area – and that’s something the club is delighted to be partnering with.”

Sega Europe marketing director Amanda Farr added, "We’re delighted to join forces with Watford FC at such a pivotal moment in the club’s history."

Sports Interactive managing director Miles Jacobson said, "The Pozzo family have shown at Granada and Udinese that success can be achieved by strong financial management and a dedication to talent development – a strategy which, coincidentally, also pays dividends in Football Manager. We’re very much looking forward to achieving great things together."