Shorts: Sheffield United, Fulham, Arsenal
Sheffield United has signed a front-of-shirt sponsorship deal with CFI Financial Group.
The one-year deal between the newly-promoted Premier League football club and the Dubai-headquartered global multi-asset broker will see CFI branding feature on the Blades’ first-team shirts for the 2023/24 season.
Paul Reeves, Head of Commercial at Sheffield United, said, “We have worked extremely hard to get CFI on board as we begin our journey back in the Premier League. Having an international sponsor as our principal partner shows the global attraction of the club both on and off the pitch. We extend our thanks to Hisham Mansour and his team at CFI for their commitment to secure this new partnership”.
Hisham Mansour, Co-Founder and Managing Director of CFI Financial Group, added, “We are honoured to have a relationship with a club that has such a rich tradition and history in the game of football. Sheffield is the birthplace of football, and we are excited to be at the beginning of another new chapter in the club’s story.
“Sheffield United and the Premier League offer worldwide exposure for our business, and that is something we are very keen to embrace. We are proud to be the Principal Partner and Official Financial Trading Partner and hope this collaboration will be mutually beneficial.”
Fulham FC has agreed a new deal with global online marketplace for the travel trade WebBeds.
The partnership will see the B2B accommodation distribution company become the Premier League football club’s official sleeve partner in a multi-year deal.
The agreement kicks off ahead of the 2023/24 campaign and will see the WebBeds logo adorn on the sleeves of the club’s men’s, women’s, and academy teams.
Daryl Lee, Chief Executive Officer at WebBeds, said, “Partnering with Fulham FC is a key milestone for WebBeds and demonstrates our dedication to building our global brand, accelerating growth plans and setting new standards of excellence in delivering value to our hotel and travel industry partners worldwide. This aligns perfectly with the passion and drive displayed by Fulham on the pitch in their quest for honours in the EPL. We look forward to providing fans and our partners with extraordinary moments in the upcoming season.”
Jon Don-Carolis, Commercial Director at Fulham FC, added, “We’re delighted to welcome WebBeds as the club’s official global accommodation marketplace partner, official sleeve partner, and principal partner for 2023/24. Both Fulham FC and WebBeds are propelled by innovation and service excellence, and we look forward to the impact we will make together both on and off the pitch.”
Arsenal FC has agreed a two-year global partnership with Unilever’s laundry brand, Dirt Is Good.
This new agreement, the first-of-its-kind for Unilever’s Dirt Is Good laundry brands (known as Persil in the UK), will look to ‘harness the global reach of Arsenal and Dirt Is Good to help younger generations see the value of playing sport, getting stuck in, and getting dirty.’
As part of the deal, the brand will collaborate with the Arsenal men’s and women’s first-team players, the Arsenal Foundation, and local community projects, on a number of initiatives.
Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka will also assume the role of Dirt Is Good global ambassador, which will see him share stories from his own pathway into professional football to encourage young people to ‘unleash their full potential.’
Tatiana Lindenberg, Vice-President of Marketing for Dirt is Good, said, “We recognise the importance of sports, getting stuck in and ‘getting dirty’ in the growth and development of children and young adults, as well as in improving personal attainment through greater self-esteem and confidence. We are partnering with Arsenal, one of the world’s biggest football clubs, to help amplify this message and the value of sport to fuel resilience, determination, and personal growth.
We’re proud to be working with a club that shares the same values around inclusivity and community, and we can’t wait to kick off our relationship with Bukayo Saka. We are keen to encourage kids to get outside, get stuck in and get dirty, seeing the benefits both on and off the pitch.”
Juliet Slot, Chief Commercial Officer at Arsenal FC, added, “We are delighted to be announcing Arsenal’s partnership with Unilever’s Dirt Is Good brands to spread the message that playing sport – and getting dirty while you do it – develops life-enhancing physical and emotional skills. This is the first time Arsenal has had a Fabric Care Partner and is a further sign of Arsenal’s commercial strength and global appeal.”
Bukayo Saka, Footballer at Arsenal, commented, “This partnership with Dirt is Good is close to my heart because I have been at Arsenal since I was eight years old, and I know just how important football and sport have been for my development as a person. I want more young people to have the chance to follow in my footsteps and experience the power and joy of sport with communities across the world.”
Divrse Media is hosting a sports day at Hackney Marshes with the help of Adidas.
Divrse Media, founded by Sports Industry NextGen Leader Subomi Odanye, will fill the day with ‘competitions, prizes and fun.’
The sports day takes place from 12pm-6pm at Hackney Marshes on 13th August.
There will be group challenges, live entertainment and more. Sign up here.
Creative agency MATTA has partnered with the European Tour Group to create a new visual identity for the Ryder Cup Game.
The deal will see the UK agency create a new visual identity and brand-world for online gaming platform Ryder Cup Game Zone, aiming to boost the fan experience and target the growing Gen-Z audience, leading up to the 2023 Ryder Cup this Autumn.
Guy Kinnings, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the European Tour and Ryder Cup Director, said, “Our goal with this campaign was to develop a brand world for the Game Zone master brand that appeals to a wide audience and can transcend the boundaries of traditional golf fandom. We approached MATTA due to their expertise in creating visually stunning and engaging designs that capture the essence of a brand.”
Matt Hunt, Executive Strategy Director at MATTA, added, “We are excited to have had the opportunity to collaborate with the European Tour group in creating the visual identity and brand world for the Ryder Cup Game Zone. Our aim was to bring a fresh and dynamic appeal to the gaming platform, expanding its reach beyond traditional golf fans. By infusing modernity and vibrancy into the design, we are confident that the Ryder Cup Game Zone will provide an exhilarating experience for both avid golf enthusiasts and a broader audience alike.”
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