Indian I-League football club Minerva Punjab FC has agreed a title sponsorship deal with Indian tyre manufacturer Apollo Tyres.
The five-year deal will cover the 2017-18 to 2021-22 seasons. The 2017-18 I-League campaign got underway at the weekend.
The deal marks Apollo’s first partnership with an I-League team. The company’s branding will appear on the front of the team’s shirts as part of the agreement.
Satish Sharma, president of Apollo in Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, said: “It would be our pleasure to be associated with Minerva Punjab FC and contribute to Indian sports, especially at the grassroots level of football, where MPFC is already doing a fantastic job. This will also help us connect and engage with the fans of this club in the northern part of the country.”
The 2016-17 season was Minerva’s first in the top-tier I-League.
Apollo also holds partnerships with English Premier League clubs Manchester United and Crystal Palace, along with German Bundesliga team Borussia Mönchengladbach.
The company had entered the Indian football market earlier this month by becoming the principal sponsor of Indian Super League team Chennaiyin FC.