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Young Lions snare S$4m sponsorship deal - biggest in S.League history

SINGAPORE – The Young Lions, an S.League club run by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS), clinched what it says is the biggest cash sponsorship deal ever for an S.League club when it unveiled e-gaming and e-commerce company Garena as its new sponsors at a press conference at Fusionopolis today (Feb 2).

Garena founder Forrest Li (grey tracktop) with FAS president Zainudin Nordin and FAS general secretary Winston Lee and Young Lions players. Photo: Koh Mui Fong

Garena founder Forrest Li (grey tracktop) with FAS president Zainudin Nordin and FAS general secretary Winston Lee and Young Lions players. Photo: Koh Mui Fong

SINGAPORE – The Young Lions, an S.League club run by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS), clinched what it says is the biggest cash sponsorship deal ever for an S.League club when it unveiled e-gaming and e-commerce company Garena as its new sponsors at a press conference at Fusionopolis today (Feb 2).

The club inked a two-year deal with the consumer Internet platform provider that is worth up to S$4 million. Garena will provide S$2 million in cash and a programme budget of up to S$2 million for the promotion and development of the team. 

In turn, the team will be known as the Garena Young Lions and will wear shirts bearing the Shopee brand, which is Garena’s social-first, mobile-centric, consumer-to-consumer marketplace.

According to the FAS, this is the biggest sponsorship deal for an S.League club in the 21-year history of the domestic professional football competition. 

Mr Forrest Li, founder and group chief executive of Garena, which is currently valued at S$2.5 billion, said: “We are delighted to be here with the FAS to announce this sponsorship. Everyone at Garena is passionate about football. 

“After two years, if we see all these players turn professional, grow as players and as people, and we feel that the dollar we put in is good money, we would love to continue. 

“We think this will be for the long term, and the current two-year sponsorship is just the starting point.” 

FAS president Zainudin Nordin said: “The S.League has been generating a lot of positive news so far in the run-up to the new season, and I hope that the buzz and excitement will continue. We are now pleased to announce a record sponsorship for an S.League team.

“Both Garena and the FAS are engaged in youth development, which is important for the future. The money will be spent wisely on the development of our most-promising young talents, and to build the next generation of national team players. 

“We will be looking to arrange overseas training trips, as well as matches with top-quality foreign teams for the team.”

Long-time S.League observers say Garena’s sponsorship deal significantly surpasses that of other S.League clubs. 

As it costs S$300,000 a year for an organisation to be the main sponsor of an S.League club, most clubs, if they are able to secure such a sponsor, usually get between S$300,000 and S$500,000 a year.

For example, Linco Investment’s S$2 million sponsorship of Home United is over three years, and includes a small in-kind component.

As former Tampines Rovers chairman Teo Hock Seng, who stepped down last November after 15 years at the helm told TODAY: “To get S$2 million in cash sponsorship is significant, and a tremendous boost for the S.League.”

For most clubs, however, their main source of funding is from the FAS and their clubhouse jackpot rooms. Clubs can receive up to S$1 million in subsidies from the S.League each season if they meet a number of performance targets along the way.

Prior to Garena, the Young Lions were sponsored by furniture giants Courts Asia for five years at about S$250,000 annually. 

Courts ended its sponsorship at the end of last year, but has promised to remain involved in local football.

The Young Lions squad for this season will be very different from previous campaigns. Formed by the FAS in 2003, it used to be the de facto national Under-23 team, and its participation in the S.League was used as preparations for the biennial South-east Asian Games and regional age-group championships.

This season, the club is made up predominantly of national U-21 players. National striker Khairul Amri, 30, was signed by the FAS to strengthen the team’s attack and mentor the younger players.
In the past three seasons, the Young Lions have finished in the bottom three of the league. It was last in 2013, 10th in 2014 and inched up one position last year.

The new S.League season will begin on Feb 13.

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