October 27 – Starling Bank has signed on as the official principal partner for Southampton Women’s team for the 2022-2023 season.
The challenger bank that has headquarters in Southampton will have its logo on the front of the Saints’ women’s shirts. Southampton women are currently third placed in the second-tier Championship having won promotion to the division last season.
The sponsorship is a continuation of Starling’s football commitments, having been a national sponsorship of the Women’s EURO 2022, which saw it launch the first fantasy football game for women’s football in the UK and award £23,000 in grants to women’s grassroots teams.
Southampton hosted games at the Women’s Euros and the club has seen a 120% increase in season ticket sales compared to last season. All Southampton FC Women’s games are played at St Mary’s Stadium while the team trains at Staplewood Campus, the same facilities as the men’s side, and are now full-time professionals.
Rachel Kerrone, Brand & Marketing Director at Starling Bank said: “Sponsoring Southampton Women’s Football Club reinforces Starling’s commitment to supporting up-and-coming female football players as we try to level the playing field through equal training opportunities and dedicated resources.”
As part of the partnership, the partners will launch an initiative to develop grassroot coaches at local clubs throughout Hampshire to grow the pipeline of female footballing talent.\
No value was given for the deal.
Sarah Batters, Director of Marketing and Partnerships at Southampton FC said: “It was important for us to find a partner that was prepared to invest in the women’s game – going further than just putting a logo on a shirt.”
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