Nottingham Forest news: Ex-PL CEO suggests radical plan to attract ‘big players’

Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness has urged clubs like Nottingham Forest to attract “big players” in crypto, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence to sponsor the club’s shirts in 2025.

Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the 66-year-old – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – suggested Forest could include an “escalator clause” which would offer a low initial fee and help the club build relationships, as gambling sponsors are set to be banned in 2026.

Asian sportsbook Kaiyun Sports has been the front-of-shirt sponsor at Nottingham Forest since last year, with that deal set to expire in less than 12 months.

Betting sponsors have long been controversial in the Premier League and they are set to be banned in time for the 2026-27 campaign.

Forest are one of 11 English top-flight clubs to have a sportsbook on the front of their shirt heading into the new season.

Nottingham Forest should strike innovative deal in 2025, says Wyness

Wyness suggested there will be a rush for “fore-sighted clubs” to “grab a company” in emerging markets next year.

He told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “Every club will be looking for a non-gambling sponsor now if they can find one. However, those areas aren’t at the right stage of maturity just yet.

“The likes of crypto, cyber-security and AI just can’t quite compete with gambling companies just yet.

“But there’s no doubt that clubs won’t want a sponsor which is going to disappear.

“They’ll want to build a good relationship they can use after gambling is banned.

“It could be that some fore-sighted clubs, perhaps Forest, grab a company in new sectors and give them an escalator clause.

“That would see the sponsorship fee go up every year as the club and company both grow.