FxPro

[sipwell]

As I am eagerly awaiting my new Fulham shirt (and old one as well  :004: :004: :004:; thank you  :airfix: for being a logistical dream), I started wondering whether FxPro would be happy with the clubs they sponsored. We all know that Fulham is below par in the League table and that we have lost point due to bad luck or no good fortune. Nonetheless, I don't think the lads at FxPro would expect them to play for the top 5 anways, but just below that (and that is still manageable and we will get there).

But how would they feel about the way Aston Villa is performing? Wouldn't it negatively impact their position/"public face" as they started to sponsor a team which seems to be in a direct downfall. They end fifth and sixth in the two previous seasons and now they are competing to stay in the league. I wouldn't be too happy about this as a sponsor because it gives the impression "get sponsored by us and go down".

The same question actually can be asked about Fulham. FxPro sponsors and there seems to have been a spell on the team from September onwards (which we will break): Zamora, Dembélé, Salcido (below par, let's admit it) and all the others out with injuries as well.

What are your thoughts about it

[aFFCn_Fan]

I think FXPro will understand very well that teams can go up, as well as down

[sipwell]

I think FXPro will understand very well that teams can go up, as well as down

I agree with that, but it wasn't the point. As a company, you sponsor football teams firstly because you like the game and you want to invest too much money in it (lower division teams) and secondly because it is a good commercial for your company.
Most companies will pick a team with whose values/philosophy they agree. In the case of FxPro, Fulham makes a lot of sense: it is a team that is mostly playing quick attacking football in a very stylish manner. It is a team that insists on playing fair and doesn't tackle for the sake of the tackle. That must be an image a company wants for itself too: FxPro is a company that is aggressive but fair. It wants the best for its clients but won't go over the top to reach it.

Villa seemed like a team that was competing for a top position (last two seaons). In that sense, it made sense again to sponsor them. FxPro would be portrayed as a company which wasn't the biggest on the market yet but consistently knocking on the door of the big companies (in this case: clubs). Now, with Villa performing so poorly this season, my question was...

[aFFCn_Fan]

Sorry, obviously too cryptic a reference to the fact that FXPro is a company that operates in the currency exchange sector.... :007:

Anyway, realistically I think they will look at it from a global coverage perspective, rather than equating to onfield performance. Sponsoring us is not going to get them great screen time. As discussed elsewhere, when it comes to screen time, we're always last on Match of the day and generally fall somewhere in the later end of obscurity of international highlights shows. We might pull off a great result like drawing with Man U earlier in the season, in which case they'll get good brand association and greater coverage.

Now with Villa, I think they've actually got a good result there. The media are surprised Villa are doing so badly, they are getting more TV time to discuss them and the amount of times they are shown.

I think the more annoying thing if I was head of marketing at FXPro is why do our away shirts look so naff.

[epsomraver]

The price FX pro pay is reflected by the team they sponsor, they would pay millions more for Manure for example, so with the low price they have the risk of the teams struggling, all they want is for the players to be seen in the media as mobile advert hoardings , simple as that.

[finnster01]

As long as we don't have to ask the Samaritans for sponsorship (or help in surviving) I don't really care.

Although the ultimate Fulham shirt would of course be sporting "London Pride" at the front. I'd pay 50 quid for that, never mind who's on the back.

[Airfix]

We'll be getting some hefty coverage real soon...

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