Everton to go the wai way
BANGKOK: Fans of the English Premier League club Everton may soon be greeted by more than just the twin-elephant logo of Thailand’s largest beer company on the team’s shirts in new sponsorship deal.
Players may end up bowing to audiences with their palms together in a traditional Thai greeting called a wai, The Nation newspaper reported yesterday.
Everton director Paul Gregg floated the idea during a visit to the Thai capital, Bangkok, this week to sign a one year, £1.5mil sponsorship deal with Thai Beverages Marketing Co. Ltd., Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi, the daily said.
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TRADITIONAL WAY: Thailand's tennis star Paradorn Srichaphan performs the wai regardless of whether he wins or loses. Now, Everton players may use the Thai greeting in the English Premier League. |
Somchai Suthikulpanit, deputy managing director of Thai Beverages, was quoted as saying that Gregg still had to discuss the wai idea with Everton’s manager, David Moyes.
“And if they want to do it, it’ll be because they are willing,” Somchai said, referring to rumours that the Thai firm would pay the club an additional amount to perform the traditional greeting.
As the team’s main sponsor, Thai Beverages will have its logo displayed on the club’s shirts and also have a range of international marketing rights for Everton products, a company statement said earlier.
Thai Beverages is best known for its flagship product Chang Beer. It has a dominant position in the local alcohol market, with several brands of whisky including Mekong and Saeng Som.
Chang means elephant in Thai. The Chang Beer logo of two elephants facing each other in profile will replace the logo of a Chinese cellular phone company on Everton shirts. It will be the first Thai brand on a Premier League team shirt.
As part of the deal, three young Thai soccer players will be selected to spend the whole of next season training at the Everton Academy. – AP
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