West Brom Makes History With Sponsorless Football Shirts

Let’s hope that West Bromwich Albion are better on the pitch than off it this season.Due to the club’s complete incompetence, the Baggies have not secured a club sponsor for the 2008/2009 season. This means that the fans and players will adorn their official football shirts without a sponsor’s name emblazoned across the chest.West Bromwich Albion’s commercial department was recently ranked as the most incompetent in the Premier League. The club still hasn’t officially unveiled what the new home and away kits look despite the fact that EPL Talk readers have seen leaked pictures since May 23.According to the club, “Should the discussions with potential shirt sponsors reach a successful conclusion, supporters who have purchased unsponsored shirts will be given the opportunity to have the new sponsors’ brand welded on at no charge at a later date.”Tell me, what mad football fan will want to make the effort to go back to the club shop and have the sponsor’s logo added to his or her shirt?Instead of dwelling on the negative, West Bromwich Albion has the opportunity to turn the story into a positive PR piece. They’ll be the only club in the Premier League without a sponsor’s logo on their shirt, which should help increase sales. In fact, the club could market the shirt as a collector’s item before a sponsor is selected. Think about it. When’s the next time that a club won’t have a sponsor on the front of their shirt for the beginning of the new season? Five years? Ten years? Never?