Chelsea’s Champions League success to play ‘important role’ in shirt sponsor extension

The outcome of Saturday’s Champions League final this weekend will “play an important role” in whether Chelsea‘s shirt sponsor decides to extend its current deal, according to Samsung’s vice president.

The South Korean electronics brand has backed the west London outfit – who have recently partnered up with Formula One team Sauber – since 2005 and currently runs an annual £13 million contract with the club.

With Chelsea finishing a lowly sixth in the Premier League, they need to win Europe’s most prestigious club competition to be able to qualify for next season’s tournament, otherwise they will have to make do with a place in the Europa League.

Sunny Hwang – who is also head of sports marketing for Samsung – admits that to be coupled with a successful team is a much more profitable situation and confirms that Chelsea’s result in Germany on Saturday will affect their decision to renew the deal.

“Being associated with a winning team is much better than a failing team so it’s natural that Samsung should wish Chelsea could win,” Hwang told reporters.

“Of course that will play an important role when we decide whether or not we renew the contract.”

Owner Roman Abramovich has apparently looked for naming rights for the Blues’ Stamford Bridge ground for the last several years, but Hwang says that it is not as commercially viable to have the company’s name associated with the stadium as it is with the club’s shirts.

“Our experience is that, even though we put the Samsung name on that, no media mentions Samsung but just the stadium name, so that was the actual reason,” said the vice president.

“The exposition you have on shirt sponsorship is much higher.

“Wherever they play you have your name displayed. For the stadium the display is much lower.”