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S.League to lose Yeo’s as co-title sponsors?

SINGAPORE – The 22nd season of the S.League could kick-off this Sunday (Feb 26) with just one title sponsor instead of the usual two, with local food and beverage company Yeo Hiap Seng yet to renew their existing deal with Singapore’s only professional sports league.

Local food and beverage firm Yeo's has been a sponsor of the S.League for the past 13 years. Photo: S.League

Local food and beverage firm Yeo's has been a sponsor of the S.League for the past 13 years. Photo: S.League

SINGAPORE – The 22nd season of the S.League could kick-off this Sunday (Feb 26) with just one title sponsor instead of the usual two, with local food and beverage company Yeo Hiap Seng yet to renew their existing deal with Singapore’s only professional sports league.

TODAY understands that, with just five days to go to the opening league fixture between Albirex Niigata (S) and Tampines Rovers at the National Stadium, S.League officials are still in negotiations with Yeo’s over a possible renewal of their co-title sponsorship.

However, Yeo’s are understood to be reluctant to be the S.League’s co-title sponsors again this year. Instead, they are considering the options of either sponsoring the competition in a reduced capacity, or completely pull out as sponsors of the league.

The S.League did not respond to TODAY’s queries by press time on Tuesday (Feb 21) despite this newspaper emailing its queries to its communications department on Monday afternoon.

When contacted, Yeo’s vice-president May Ngiam declined to comment, although she revealed that Yeo’s and the S.League would be releasing a joint statement on this matter by this week.

The other title sponsor of the S.League is Great Eastern. Earlier this month, the homegrown life insurance company extended their deal with the league for another two years. The deal is expected to be worth close to S$1 million.

Yeo’s have been the co-title sponsors of the S.League for the past 13 seasons, making them the league’s longest-running corporate backers.

Last season, they renewed their sponsorship with the league in March for just one year. This was in contrast to previous extensions which were for three years.

Then, Ngiam was reported by football website FourFourTwo Singapore as having said that Yeo’s were waiting for the S.League to come up with a five-year plan before committing to a long-term deal.

“I think the S.League has a five-year plan that’s coming,” Ngiam said at the time. “It’s important to see what the area of focus is for any partnerships to happen. It’s important to see where the league is leading us as well. We look forward to that (the five-year plan)…let’s see how it works out.”

The S.League, however, is currently in a period of transition, with chief executive officer (CEO) Lim Chin set to step down next month after five years at the helm.

A new CEO will only be appointed after the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) conducts its first-ever elections of office bearers by May.

In the interim, S.League director of operations Kok Wai Leong will take over the running of the league.

This would mean that the formulation of any long-term plans for the league will have to wait till a new CEO is appointed.

TODAY understands that the uncertainty over Yeo’s involvement with the S.League this season has caused the printing of the co-title sponsors’ logos on the respective club jerseys to be delayed.

Typically, clubs would receive their attires from the S.League’s assigned jersey printer about a week or two before their first game.

But none of the clubs’ jerseys have been printed for the season so far, as the league has yet to confirm with the printing company if the Yeo’s logo should be included.

However, with an announcement over the future of Yeo’s sponsorship with the S.League imminent, Albirex and Tampines are expected to receive their jerseys in time for this Sunday’s Great Eastern Charity Shield match at the National Stadium, which also doubles up as the opening league game of the season.

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