EasyJet has joined the ranks of airlines sponsoring English football teams, and the difference between budget and full service carriers has perhaps never been so clear. So while Emirates and Etihad are supporting Arsenal and Man City's respective attempts for a seat at the English premier league's top table, EasyJet have opted to back its home-base club Luton Town in its attempts get back into the football league.
It has signed a two-year shirt sponsorship deal which the airline says enables to invest in the local community, help Luton in their campaign back in to the league and also enables the airline to reach tens of thousands of fans (this might be a bit optimistic for the visits of Barrow, Salisbury City and Forest Green Rovers!!!), and also judging by the colour of the kit, gives the team an added luminous advantage over the opposition during evening games.
As a follower of a similar once mighty football giant now suffering in the fifth division (as we like to call it), I have to applaud EasyJet's support of a smaller club.
And with the start of the new season less than a month away, I think its time to set up our own airline fantasy football league. By my reckoning there are now six English clubs sponsored by airlines (let me know if there are any I have missed!), so lets see which finishes highest in their respective leagues.
AIRLINE FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE (Last year's position included)
FlyBe (Exeter - 2nd)
Emirates (Arsenal - 4th)
Etihad (Man City -10th)
Gulf Air (QPR - 11th)
FlyBe (Southampton - 23rd)
EasyJet (Luton -24th)
on July 30, 2009 10:46 AM | Reply
For the sake of accuracy
Flybe also sponsor Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club