Eleven Sports Media will become Birmingham City’s official Academy Training Wear Partner as part of a new long-term partnership.
In addition to investment into the Academy, Eleven will also bring their award-winning Community Partner model to St Andrew’s that will offer small and medium-sized businesses across the region a platform for brand engagement, activation and growth in association with Birmingham City.
Eleven, global leaders in the development and execution of community-driven sports partnerships, will feature its logo on all Academy Training Wear as part of the partnership, furthering their commitment to supporting Academy development across the English Football League.
By being associated with Birmingham City and the EFL, local businesses in England’s second-largest city will enjoy opportunities usually reserved only for national and international brands.
Community Partners will experience matchday hospitality and a series of networking events with other local businesses, as well as benefiting from Eleven’s tailored partnership activation services that are a proven vehicle for growth for many local businesses across the U.K. In addition, Eleven will enhance the matchday fan experience at St Andrew’s by providing in-house content, social feeds, and real-time statistics through their proprietary StatTV and StadiumTV platforms. Community Partner branding will also be prominently displayed on the in-stadium big screen and LED boards during home games, providing businesses with unprecedented exposure to thousands of Blues fans every matchday.
Outside of matchday, Community Partners will benefit from branded digital content via Eleven’s StatZone fan engagement platform, delivering pre-game, in-game, and post-game statistical content into Birmingham City’s official social media channels. With almost a million engaged football fans following the Blues across Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, Community Partners will be able to leverage the significant audience to grow their online presence.
Ian Dutton, Managing Director at Birmingham City, says: “We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Eleven Sports Media, which will not only support the growth and development of our Academy, but also provide valuable opportunities for local businesses to thrive.
“As a club, we are intrinsically linked to our communities and are deeply committed to supporting local business. This partnership is a perfect example of that. We believe in giving back to the community that supports us, and this programme will do just that by providing regional businesses with the tools they need to prosper
“The support of our Academy is crucial to us, and we are excited to see the development of our young talent with the help of Eleven. This partnership is a win-win for everyone involved, and we are excited to see the positive impact it will have on our community and our Academy.”
Jordan Wilson, Commercial Director at Eleven, says: “Supporting Birmingham City’s Academy is a massive honour for us. We work with academies across the EFL, Premier League, and further afield, and we see the difference that successful academies can have in the local community.
“We are excited to be working closely with Birmingham City to elevate their fan engagement strategy, both in-stadium on matchdays and across social media throughout the season. This partnership is a fantastic opportunity for us to help local businesses leverage the power of sports by aligning themselves with the club and growing alongside them.”