US Qualcomm Signs Sponsorship Deal with UK Man Utd to Promote Snapdragon

Logo on the Front of ManU Uniform
Contract Estimated at 104 Billion KRW Annually
Intel Aims to Expand Leading Position in PC Market

American semiconductor company Qualcomm has launched efforts to raise awareness of its self-developed chip brand, 'Snapdragon.'

On the 1st (local time), Qualcomm announced on its website that it had signed a sponsorship contract with Manchester United (hereinafter Man Utd), a professional football club in the English Premier League (EPL), stating, "We are proud to become part of the legacy of Manchester United, which boasts a 146-year history." From the 2024/2025 season, Qualcomm's chip brand 'Snapdragon' will be displayed on the front of Man Utd's uniforms.

England Premier League (EPL) professional football club Manchester United's 2024/2025 season uniform
[Photo by Manchester United official website]

The contract is structured for a basic term of three years with an additional two-year option. Although the exact contract amount has not been disclosed, Bloomberg estimates that Qualcomm will pay Man Utd approximately $75 million annually (about 104 billion KRW). This amount is about 30% higher than the current sponsor, German software company TeamViewer, which pays around 82 billion KRW annually.

Qualcomm also plans to improve the Wi-Fi service at Man Utd’s home stadium, Old Trafford, and support services that allow Man Utd fans to visit the stadium through augmented reality (AR).

Qualcomm, a leader in chips used in mobile devices such as smartphones, has recently expanded into the PC market, which has been dominated by Intel. Last month, Qualcomm equipped Microsoft (MS) Surface Laptop and Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Book4 Edge with its latest processor, the 'Snapdragon X Elite.' In the second half of this year, PC manufacturers such as Acer, ASUS, Dell, and HP are also expected to launch AI PCs equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite.

Bloomberg emphasized, "Despite Intel having gone through a long period without industry-leading products, it still holds 80% of the PC processor market," adding, "Just as Intel established a strong industry presence in the 1990s based on the 'Intel Inside' marketing campaign, it is important for Qualcomm to increase consumer awareness of its name for its efforts to shine."

Don McGuire, Qualcomm’s Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and former Intel executive, said, "We realized that simply releasing better products is not enough for success," adding, "This sponsorship is part of Qualcomm’s efforts to build and win its position in the laptop chip sector led by Intel."

Meanwhile, Qualcomm’s stock closed slightly higher at $200.03 on the New York Stock Exchange on the same day. It has risen 38% so far this year. Man Utd’s stock closed at $16.32, up 1.12% from the previous session, but has fallen about 20% this year.