We support... Southampton City!

Friday, August 4, 2006

A pretty basic blunder from Saint's new sponsor, the airline Flybe, this morning.

The company issued a press release pointing out that it now sponsors three times in the same division - Saints, Norwich and Birmingham, as well as conference side Exeter. The airline flies from all four airports and is keen to promote its routes.

To that end, a spokeswoman pointed out that Saints fans can fly from their local airport to away games. However, she perhaps she should also have checked the teams names....

"Popular football routes include Southampton (Southampton City) to Leeds (Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday)!"

It's one thing renaming a stadium. Quite another for a sponsor to rename our team....

That press release in full:

FOOTBALL FANS FLOCK TO WATCH THEIR TEAMS

- Flybe prepares for football frenzy-

Flybe, one of Europe’s leading low cost airlines is preparing for one of its busiest weekends of the year with the start of the Coca Cola Championship season this weekend.

This season Flybe finds itself in a unique position as it becomes the only company to ever sponsor three teams in the same division in English league Football. In the 06/07 season, Flybe will be sponsoring the Championship teams of Norwich City FC, Birmingham City FC and Southampton FC as well as conference side Exeter City FC.

This weekend Flybe will see 20% of its passengers using the low cost airline to travel to fixtures around the country. As big supporters of football, the airline prides itself on connecting the communities it serves through these links and has noticed a significant increase in super football fliers choosing to use Flybe’s comprehensive route network to get to the games.

Operating a wide range of domestic services, Flybe links football communities and fans across the UK by providing the premier air network for football fans with many supporters choosing to travel by air rather than by road on match day.

Popular football routes include:

· Exeter (Plymouth Argyle) to Leeds (Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday)
· Exeter (Plymouth Argyle) to Newcastle (Sunderland)
· Southampton (Southampton City) to Leeds (Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday)
· Southampton (Southampton City) to Newcastle (Sunderland)
· Edinburgh to Birmingham (Birmingham City)

Mike Rutter, Chief Operating Officer, Flybe, comments: “The start of the Coca Cola Championship is an exciting time for Flybe as we are the only company to sponsor three teams competing the division this season and so we are looking forward to some exciting games ahead. We are also seeing an increasing number of supporters choosing to fly with us to the games and we have high hopes this season for their success.

“We are noticing a growing preference amongst fans to fly to the games and we are happy to be able to offer a comprehensive domestic route network that provides passionate football supporters with an easy and economic way to follow their teams.”

ENDS

For further press information