Manchester United signed a four-year, 56.5-million-pound (US$99.3 million; Ç80.6 million) shirt sponsorship deal - a record in British soccer - with New York-based global insurance company American International Group Inc.
AIG is among the world's largest insurance companies.
The deal, which goes into effect at the beginning of next season, extends the American influence on the storied club.
Manchester United is owned by American billionaire Malcolm Glazer, who took over the club last May for 790 million pounds (US$1.38 billion; Ç1.12 billion). Glazer also owns the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL.
United's playing uniforms are made by Nike Inc., based in Beaverton, Oregon.
AIG will be only the third company to grace United's shirts. Japanese electronics company Sharp was Man U's shirt sponsor for 18 years until telecommunications giant Vodafone took over in 2000.
Vodafone announced in November it was terminating its deal with United two years early, then signed a three-year agreement to sponsor the European Champions League. The Vodafone deal with United was worth 9 million pounds (US$15.5 million; Ç13.1 million) per year.
Thursday's announcement came three days after United broke off talks with betting company Mansion on a potential 70-million pound (US$121.6 million; Ç100.4 million), four-year sponsorship deal.
English club Chelsea signed a 50-million-pound (US$87.8 million; Ç71.3 million), five-year sponsorship with South Korean electronics firm Samsung in April 2005.
Last July, Italian club Juventus signed a five-year sponsorship deal worth 110 million euros (US$135.3 million) with Libyan oil company Tamoil.
In November, Spanish giant Real Madrid agreed to a five-year shirt deal worth 100 million euros (US$122.2 million) with Taiwanese cell phone company BenQ Mobile starting next season.
On the Net:
www.aig.com
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