You've answered your own question.
But that doesn't follow that American Express would automatically have been interested in sponsoring the Albion with the new stadium coming. It took an almighty amount of work to get them to sign up.
Your cynicism is stating that American Express is looking for some sort of return. American Express is a major global finance company, and is therefore unlikely to get much back by sponsoring the stadium name of a then-third division English club, or a football shirt. However, they do have an...
Well, that's just about as dismissive as you can get.
I, on the other hand, am 100% certain it won't be 'full of bitterness'. Maybe the odd sideswipe - who knows?
While it's true that American Express needed a vehicle for 'corporate responsibility', the money that American Express paid for the naming rights went towards AITC. Plus American Express (or rather, their employees) get themselves involved in various projects.
The shirt sponsorship deal went to...
I think it's bad wording on his part. What I think he means is, if it wasn't for AITC, American Express may not have got involved.
They were sold the 'dream' (I'll think of a better word later) on the back of the club's community programmes.