United's Sponsors in Trouble

As a football fan you don't always turn to the financial pages. But after Northern Rock (sponsors of Newcastle United), Lehman Brothers, Bears Stern, and Merril Lynch couldn't help but notice that AIG who have three big letters on the Manchester United shirt have a bit of difficulty. Losses of a mere 18 billion USD in 9 months, and looking for a trifling 40 billion USD bridge loan from the US Federal Reserve.

UPDATE: "The U.S. negotiators drove a hard bargain. Under terms hammered out Tuesday night, the Fed will lend up to $85 billion to AIG, and the U.S. government will effectively get a 79.9% equity stake in the insurer".
Close, virtually nationalised in all but name, but not bankrupt.

Meanwhile West Ham United have lots of shirts with their bankrupt sponsor XL airlines to dispose of.