Finance expert Kieran Maguire believes that Southampton’s shirt sales will likely increase following the club’s latest sponsorship deal.
The Saints recently announced that they have agreed to a partnership with renewable energy company EcoWatt.
It sees the firm become the club’s official training partner for the remainder of the campaign.
The sponsor will feature on the training kits for the men’s first and B teams, as well as the women’s side, and was seen in the warm-up prior to the Newcastle fixture.
Southampton’s main shirt partner is cryptocurrency-based betting site Sportsbet.io, but amid an ongoing backlash against such sponsorships, Maguire feels this new agreement will have a positive impact at St Mary’s.
He told Football Insider: “As far as the training kit deal with the green energy firm is concerned, it will help the club in terms of trying to broaden its appeal to different elements within the fan group.
“They might not be so keen to carry on the tradition of buying the home shirts, which are sponsored by an online crypto company.
“Therefore, by broadening the sponsor base, it will allow fans, if they so desire, to buy a replica training kit.
“This way, it can act as a substitute for those who would rather not have the traditional home kit with a crypto sponsor, but are keen to have some merchandise.”
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Sportsbet.io has been the south coast club’s partner since the 2020/21 campaign, but as Maguire pointed out, this new front-of-shirt arrangement could boost the club’s commercial revenue.
Sport Republic invested around £60m in the side in the summer with a focus on younger talent.
However, with that strategy seemingly backfiring as the club sit in the relegation zone and having just sacked Ralph Hasenhuttl, perhaps the owners may feel comfortable spending further in January knowing that their profits could be boosted.