Welcome to Insider Sport’s latest edition of the Partnership Playbook, where we bring you details on the latest sports partnerships and sponsorships.
The Championship kicked off last weekend and we are days away from the Premier League opening match. Amid all the excitement on the pitch, several clubs have scrambled to announce front-of-shirt partners in time.
Burnley, which was probably more prepared than most, did have a deal for the new season and fans had already bought the kits, but it ended after 42 days. This left the club needing to act quickly to replace the sponsor, perhaps leaving fans wishing clubs moved just as fast when signing players.
Elsewhere, Formula 1 is racing into entertainment with Disney and Pixar’s Cars, while Liverpool is adding Google Gemini to a partnership that already produced one of the Premier League’s biggest social media moments.
Chelsea Women is also taking a different approach to partnerships, using its new deal with Fertility Plus to provide players with personalised fertility support.
Burnley resolves sponsorship chaos ahead of 2026/27 season
Burnley has had a busy few days after its front-of-shirt deal lasted just long enough to make it onto the club’s new kits.
Burnley announced that its agreement with online trading company Finotive had been terminated days before the Championship season kicked off, stating it had acted “decisively” to protect the club and its supporters.
The timing created a problem for Burnley fans, with supporters who had already bought the 2026/27 shirt owning a kit featuring a sponsor that was only a partner for 42 days.
For those who don’t see the kit as a rare collector item, Burnley has offered fans a full refund, an exchange for a shirt featuring the new sponsor or free application of the replacement branding.
Despite the chaos, Burnley didn’t take long to find a new sponsor. The club named Vertu, which has been a partner of the club since 2022/23 and featured on Burnley kits in other areas in the past, as the replacement
Under the agreement, branding of the automotive retailer will appear on Burnley’s men’s, women’s and academy kits, with additional activations planned.
“From our very first conversations, it was clear there was a shared vision for what this new partnership could achieve, and we look forward to working even more closely together and creating exciting new opportunities for our supporters throughout the season,” said Alan Pace, Chairman at Burnley.
F1 to turn Disney magic into the next generation of fans
Disney and Formula 1 have renewed their partnership through 2028, adding a full season to the original agreement and incorporating Disney and Pixar’s Cars franchise into the collaboration.
Launched in 2025 with Mickey and Friends, the partnership has united F1 with Disney’s characters through content, merchandise and fan experiences. The arrival of Cars gives the sport another route into younger audiences.
The new Cars collection will launch at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, before being showcased to Disney fans at D23.
The sport has really gone up a gear in appealing to a younger demographic in recent years, as seen in other deals such as F1’s multi-year agreement with Lego. It also builds on the organisation’s strategy of using popular culture and entertainment to grow.
“This merchandise collection is a natural next step and brings together the excitement of Formula 1 with Disney and Pixar’s Cars in a way that feels both authentic and nostalgic,” said Emily Prazer, Chief Commercial Officer at F1.
“For many fans, Cars was an early introduction to the thrill of racing, making this collaboration a fun way to celebrate the enduring appeal of the sport through characters that generations have come to know and love.”
Liverpool’s social media machine gets a new AI partner in Google Gemini
When Mohamed Salah lifted a Google Pixel phone above the Kop after Liverpool secured its 20th league title, the image became a commercial dream.
The selfie generated more than 10 million views on social media, making the moment one of the most memorable activations of Liverpool’s partnership with the tech giant, and Google is doubling down.
Liverpool has extended its global partnership with Google Pixel and added Google Gemini, the company’s AI app, as its official consumer AI partner.
The deal provides Google with access to one of football’s biggest social media audiences, with Liverpool generating 13 billion video views and 1.7 billion social engagements two seasons ago.
This reach could be particularly valuable as Gemini edges further into the sport, helping supporters plan away days, find places to watch matches and, according to the club’s release, settle arguments in group chats.
“Our partnership with Pixel has always been built on a shared commitment to innovation, creativity and bringing supporters closer to the club,” said Ben Latty, Chief Commercial Officer at Liverpool FC.
“The addition of Google Gemini marks an exciting new chapter and reflects our shared ambition to explore emerging technologies that can enhance how we create, connect and engage with our global fan base.
— Mohamed Salah (@MoSalah) April 27, 2025
Chelsea Women wants to change the conversation around fertility in sport
Chelsea Women has named Fertility Plus its official fertility partner, with the agreement introducing a fund providing every women’s team player with access to personalised fertility support.
The package includes fertility assessments, treatments, counselling and workshops, allowing players to make decisions about their health and careers.
The partnership also aims to tackle misconceptions around fertility, with Chelsea and Fertility Plus planning educational content, expert-led resources and “myth vs medicine” material for players and supporters.
‘Elite sport asks a lot of women during the very years when fertility matters most, yet it’s a conversation the game has rarely had,” said Dr Amit Shah and Dr Anil Gudi, Co-founders of Fertility Plus.
“Partnering with Chelsea FC Women allows us to help change that by giving players, staff and supporters access to trusted fertility expertise and compassionate, consultant-led care.”
While this exact deal isn’t seen in male sports for obvious reasons, the type of partnership is an area where women’s football has excelled in recent years.
Last year, Manchester City Women announced a deal with Evelyn Partners, with a focus on supporting players through injury and helping them prepare financially for life after football.
In other news:
- Nottingham Forest has signed Marex as its new front-of-shirt partner ahead of the Premier League season, with the financial services firm also becoming the club’s exclusive provider of foreign exchange and other financial services.
- Detroit Lions have named immersive live rights platform L1VE its official immersive partner, giving Michigan-based fans unable to attend games the chance to experience matchdays virtually.
- Manchester City has announced a deal with Turkish e-commerce platform Trendyol, giving the retailer branding at the Etihad Stadium and across digital channels.
- Arsenal has renewed its partnership with Cadbury for four years, focusing on community initiatives, supporter experiences and campaigns across both the men’s and women’s teams.
- Saracens has promoted PensionBee to lead partner in a three-year extension, with the retirement savings provider taking the prominent position on both the men’s and women’s shirts.
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