of the Premier League ends next season

Premier League clubs, awash with billions of pounds from TV rights, decided at their summer meeting that they can do without a title sponsor when the Barclays contract expires at the end of next season.

This follows the top flight turning down a £45million-a-year offer from drinks brand Diageo, having wanted £60m.

The new approach will see more secondary partnerships but allow the competition to be known as 'The Premier League', a major statement in this sponsorship-driven age.

The English top flight will be simply known as 'The Premier League' starting from the 2016-17 season

Barclays have been the Premier League's title sponsor since 2004 - replacing Barclaycard

The move is to mirror major American sports leagues like the NBA in presenting a 'clean' brand

In Barclays' first year as the Premier League's title sponsorship, Chelsea were crowned champions in 2004-05

It also makes it easier for the Premier League to communicate to their global audience.

The move reflects the organisation's desire to mirror major American sports leagues like the NBA and NFL in presenting a 'clean' brand.

Having been sponsored by Barclays since 2004, Premier League sources have stressed their new sponsorship strategy will not impinge on their clubs' ability to pursue their own individual commercial models.

A Premier League spokesman said: 'Barclays has been an excellent partner for the League throughout their sponsorship of the competition and we look forward to working with them in 2015-16, the final season of their title sponsorship.'

The Premier League did not have a title sponsor in its inaugural season of 1992-93 before signing a four-year, £12m deal with brewers Carling - at the time the biggest in British sport.

Carling subsequently paid triple that initial amount to secure a four-year extension to their original deal, before Barclaycard paid £48m for a three-year contract beginning in 2001.

Barclays paid £57m for a three-year sponsorship deal in 2004 and subsequent extensions saw the value rise to the £120million paid for the existing three-year sponsorship in 2012.

However the bank indicated in March that they would not seek to renew the deal when it expires at the end of the 2015-16 season.