Celtic & Magners deal triggers Old Firm sponsorship split

Sponsorship deal breaks with Old Firm commercial tradition with Rangers’ omission 

Word: Ronan Shields

Celtic has inked a three-year shirt sponsorship deal with Irish cider brand Magners in a deal that sees a cessation of the Old Firm tradition of dual sponsorship of both Rangers & Celtic.

The multi-million deal kicks off next season ending Celtic’s existing three-year shirt sponsorship deal with Tennent’s which is thought to be in negotiations with Rangers to renew its relationship with the blue half of the Old Firm.

Magners has a strong track record of engaging fans via successful and innovative sponsorships across rugby, football, comedy and music and is currently working with Celtic to develop a range of initiatives to support its partnership with the club according to a statement from both parties.

The enmity that exists between Glasgow Celtic and Rangers’ supporters has led to the dual-sponsorship strategy from brands sponsoring the Old Firm sides for the vast majority of the last 30 years.

Interestingly, it was local double-glazing firm CR Smith that first started the dual sponsorship in the early 1980s and bar a stretch in the1990s when Celtic had multiple sponsors (see pic, below right) and Rangers stuck with McEwan’s larger.

Observers of the game and history will notice that what the 1990s and the present have in common is that both were times of extreme contrast for the two clubs.

In the 1990s Rangers were in the ascendency – in 1992 they were at one goal away from reaching the UEFA Champion’s League final. Although now they languish in the bottom tier of Scottish professional football having been relegated multiple divisions last year for financial irregularities.

This is compared to Celtic who trailed Rangers both on and off the pitch for much of the 1990s but are now preparing to line up against Juventus in the first knock-out stage of Europe’s top club competition having scored a famous victory against Barcelona earlier stage in the tournament.

In a statement announcing the move, Peter Lawwell, Celtic CEO, said, “On behalf of everyone at Celtic, I am delighted to welcome Magners as the club’s new shirt sponsor.

“We are proud to be successfully leading Scottish football at home and in Europe. The desire of a brand with Magners’ stature to support the club is a measure of how much positivity there is around Celtic in our 125th year.”

UK business title Marketing Week cites industry sponsorship specialists speculating that Magners’ tie-up with Celtic could alienate some Rangers fans given the bitter rivalry between the two clubs.

However, given that Magners originally hails from Ireland the affiliation with Celtic is a natural one and one that is almost automatically going to prove a turn-off to Rangers fans – a move that earlier sponsors such as Rangers were eager to avoid.

Tom McCusker, Magners’ managing director, said in a statement, “Magners is a premium brand with huge ambition both at home and abroad, available in over 40 markets worldwide including key cider growth territories like the US, Australia, Canada and Asia.

Celtic's retro kit

“There is, therefore, a great fit with Celtic Football Club who also enjoy great success and popularity domestically and internationally.”

Last year, TDF covered how Celtic was reverting to its roots by modifying the logo on its away strip to mark its 125^th anniversary (see video below) in a bid to bolster its expansion overseas.