SportBusiness.com

Sponsor may disown Keane

Ireland's football captain Roy Keane could lose the backing of his major sponsor 7UP after he was sacked from his country's World Cup team yesterday, according to press reports.

The soft drinks company signed a £500,000 ($727,000/EUR791,000), nine-month deal with Keane to promote the 7UP brand in the run-up to the World Cup.

But his recent outburst with the Irish coach which led to Keane's dismissal could persuade 7UP to sever its ties with the player altogether.

A spokesman for the company has told the media that it is currently in discussions with Keane's manager.

But Andy Milligan, director of sports branding at brand consultants Interbrand, has told sportbusiness.com