Manchester United dumps AIG; The British soccer team inks deal with Aon, severing ties with its long-time sponsor.

Manchester United dumps AIG; The British soccer team inks deal with Aon, severing ties with its long-time sponsor.
Manchester United will soon shed AIG logo, the British soccer team announced, officially ending its assn. with the fallen insurance giant in '10. The team, which has one of the most recognizable sports brands in the world, said it reached a new sponsorship agreement with global risk management company Aon. Aon will replace American International Group, the massive insurance group that was taken over by the government last year, as the team's sponsor. Under terms of the deal, which goes into effect in 2010, the Manchester United shirt will feature the Aon brand for the following four years. AIG still owns the rights to the shirt for the coming 2009 season. "We are delighted our brand will be showcased to the over 330M fans of Manchester United as well as countless followers of football worldwide," said Greg Case, President & CEO of Aon. It lost to Barcelona in the European Champions League last week. But the team took the Barclay's Premier League Championship title last month for a 3rd year in a row. AIG reached a deal to sell 2 NY buildings, including its downtown Manhattan headquarters, according to published reports. It's in the process of selling off bulk of its assets to repay billions of dollars in fed loans. AIG, once one of the biggest companies in the world, was brought to the brink of collapse last year as the financial crisis unfolded.