Conference chairman Brian Lee expects to find a new sponsor for the competition.
Marketing agency Sports360 are again handling discussions for the Conference, having secured both the BlueSq and Skrill sponsorship deals. Skrill's ability to pull out, one year into a three year term, was a clause in their contract agreed late last summer.
Lee told the Non-League Paper that they were in a better position than last year: “We’ve got a bit more time than we did in the summer, but we can’t rest on our laurels. People are working as I’m talking – it’s too easy to say if anything is in the pipeline, but we are getting some calls and the point is that people still see the Conference as a big brand.
“Somebody out there will sponsor the league next year, there’s no doubt about that. It’s a shame it didn’t work out with Skrill of course. But it is there prerogative to withdraw, that is what was in the contract so we respect their decision.
“We are looking for a sponsor who can interact with the clubs. It’s very much an image thing – we want somebody who will engage with the league, who you can identify with at club and national level.
“The viewing figures for BT Sport have been highly encouraging. Remember, we did the Skrill deal before they confirmed their coverage so the television success will be another strong case for a good deal. We’re confident there won’t be a repeat of last season, and time is certainly on our side.”
The BBC Non-League Show reported at the weekend that commercial revenues from sponsors were up 20% in the Conference this term.