Payday loan firm Wonga has announced it will not be renewing its sponsorship of Blackpool FC when the deal finishes at the end of the season.
The controversial short-term lender began sponsoring the club in 2010 in a two-year deal, and announced that it was renewing the arrangement in 2011.
The deal did not attract as much protest as a similar sponsorship of Newcastle FC, which led to player Papiss Cissé refusing to wear the club shirt, but did upset some supporters when it was originally signed.
The lender, which in 2014 was forced to write off £220m worth of loans given to customers who were not able to afford to repay them, said the decision was part of a review of its marketing activities. A spokesperson said: “With our existing deal coming to an end, it’s the right time to conclude our relationship. We wish Blackpool FC and its supporters the very best for the future.”
In 2014, Wonga’s incoming chairman Andy Haste announced immediate changes to the firm’s advertising strategy, killing off the Wonga puppets that had appeared regularly on prime time TV. In November, Wonga announced it would be removing its name from children’s replica kit sold by Newcastle United but not until the 2016-17 season.
