Coca-Cola end Football League sponsorship deal

The Football LeagueFootball League is looking for a new title sponsor after announcing its partnership with Coca-Cola is to end after this season. The soft drinks company has been the main sponsor of the league since 2004, but will now reduce its involvement with the competition.

A spokesperson for Coca-ColaCoca-Cola refused to rule out the possibility of the company becoming an official partner of the Football Association, which is currently attempting to find a new title sponsor for the FA Cup.

"Both the FootballFootball League and Coca-Cola Great Britain have valued their six-year relationship and both parties are committed to continuing discussions about an ongoing commercial partnership," read a joint statement from the Football League and Coca-Cola Great Britain. "The Football League would like to thank Coca-Cola for their support and continued commitment.

"Coca-Cola Great Britain has invested heavily in the Football League since 2004 and created innovative, high-profile promotional campaigns to raise awareness of the Football League and its 72 clubs and generate excitement amongst its fans – such as the 'Win A Player' promotion and 'Club Colours' national TV advertising campaign.

"Coca-Cola Great Britain has played an important role in the recent growth of the world's original league football competition. Crowds for League matches are at their highest levels for 50 years and the three divisions enjoy a higher media profile than at any point previously thanks to the comprehensive coverage they receive on Sky SportSports, BBC Sport and across the sports media.

"Coca-Cola Great Britain continues to invest in football at all levels and is one of the game's biggest supporters on both a domestic and international level. Current sponsorships include Wayne Rooney, Wembley Stadium, the Fifa World Cup, the Uefa European ChampionshipChampionships and supply deals with several British club sides."

The Football League added that it is "presently in discussions with a number of companies about the title sponsorship opportunity".

E.ON is ending its sponsorship deal with the FA Cup at the end of the season. E.ON's four-year deal was understood to be worth £32m, a level of income that English football's governing body will be keen to secure elsewhere.

The betting firm bwin has been linked with the FA Cup title sponsorship and the Austrian company has made it known to the FA that it would consider a bid to replace E.ON.