You may have already forgotten about these shirt sponsors · Voetbalblog

January 2023 • Football news

Who remembers TDK cassette tapes? What was the Yellow Pages? And are there other shirt sponsors besides Easy Toys that went a little further? Since advertising for companies through football shirts has been allowed, the most diverse companies have profiled themselves in football. Also Burger King and, yes: Shawarma Heiloo.

Timeless and iconic shirt sponsors
Bayer Leverkusen has been a club from the outset in which the sponsor’s name is incorporated. This sub-topper in the Bundesliga advertises through the shirts for the chemical company of the same name, whose products end up at pharmacies worldwide. If you’re looking for expert online advice for sports injuries, you’ll also come across the name. It could also just be that supporters indirectly boost their club by ordering a Covid self-test. In the Netherlands, Philips was PSV’s sugar daddy for a long time, now only the namesake. Other European clubs that you associate with iconic but disappeared sponsors are AC Milan (Mediolanum) and Real Madrid (Parmalat).

From sex toys to pole dance club
FC Emmen is not the first club that came into the news with its sponsor in a spicy-hilarious but also successful way. The KNVB reacted prudishly, but eventually tacked. But it can be even more fun! Greek Voukefalas FC was sponsored by the local brothel – a pole dance association, Gijp would say. With a win, the players had free entry.

Other times: cassette tapes and Yellow Pages
The red and white of the Feyenoord jersey was horribly interrupted in the 1980s by a bright yellow bar with the text Yellow Pages. For the younger reader: this was a kind of telephone directory for companies. Cassette tapes are also outdated, but still immensely popular in some circles. In the 1980s, the Ajax selection was the running advertising column for manufacturer TDK, which still exists today.

The stereo tower for Frank Rijkaard
Today, bookmakers are the trend when it comes to shirt sponsorship, in other times these were mostly electronics companies. We already mentioned Philips, which tried to help PSV recruit Frank Rijkaard by offering him a stereo, a classic football anecdote. Electrolux adorned the shirt of AZ, then AZ’67. Vitesse had its clothing and other matters paid for by AKAI.

Burger King
From garden furniture manufacturer (Hartman at FC Twente) to sausage turner (Kroon at SC Heerenveen) and from kitchen giant (Keuken Kampioen Divisie) to film company (Columbia Pictures at Atlético Madrid), we have seen just about every possible industry hobble across the field. Even the logo of burger chain Burger King could be seen on Getafe’s shirt.

Endearing company names at beer teams

In the All Starsseries and films, the sponsorship of lower teams is poignantly mocked. Harry’s Garden Center is the variant of the most endearing company names that we encounter in the basement of amateur football. Construction and installation technology, asbestos removal, butchers, dog walking service, fireplace wood, just about anything is possible. The most beautiful is perhaps the sponsor name of the tenth senior team of the North Holland HSV in the 1990s: Shoarma Heiloo.