Man United signs deal with Indian Telecom firm

The English soccer giant Manchester United has signed a 10m pound ($15m) sponsorship deal with India's mobile phone operator Bharti Airtel. Under the deal, Airtel's 92 million subscribers in India, Sri Lanka and the Seychelles will be able to view the club's content on their phones, including matches and interviews. "We are very proud to have Bharti Airtel as the first Indian company to partner with Manchester United Club. This major partnership will bring the action and passion of Manchester United directly to the millions of fans of Manchester United across India and other Asian countries," said Manchester United chief executive David Gill in a formal statement on Friday. "This is a very exciting development because India is an area of commercial potential," he added. Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson also commented on the deal saying that interest in football in India is now 'accelerating fast' behind cricket. "If you give an opportunity to young people they surprise you," Ferguson said. "Football is accelerating fast behind cricket and one day I hope to see a young Indian boy wearing the red strip of United." Meanwhile, the Red Devils are looking for a new shirt sponsor to replace the US insurance company AIG from the 2010-11 season. The insurer AIG was forced to end its shirt sponsorship deal with the club after asking for a multi-billion dollar bailout from the US government.