Stoke City make use of sleeve sponsorship opportunities as Top Eleven broadens its marketing beyond YouTube teams
Top Eleven has become the latest brand to take up the new sleeve sponsorship opportunities in the Premier League after agreeing a deal with Stoke City.
Stoke City are the second Premier League club to take up the new sleeve sponsorship opportunities
The online football manager game has struck a multiyear deal with Stoke City to have its logo appear on the sleeve of the first team, under-23’s and ladies team for all league games from the beginning of the 2017/18 season.
It marks the first time that Top Eleven has aligned itself with a top tier club having previously focused on grassroot teams approaching football in a different way. This strategy led the brand to form a shirt sponsorship with YouTube star Spencer Owen’s football club Hashtag United.
With more than 481 million video views collectively, and each piece of content regularly receiving upwards of one million views, the partnership with Hashtag United has offered the brand access to a large and engaged audience.
The Nordeus-owned brand has been heavily focused on growing its reputation in the UK, leading it to agree a sponsorship deal with José Mourinho back in 2013. The most recent deal however signals a step up in its efforts to reach more UK football fans, ensuring it reaches a broader demographic beyond the younger audiences associated with Spencer FC.
“Top Eleven are at the forefront of the football mobile games industry and they recognise the global reach that entering into a multi-year agreement with Stoke City gives them,” said Stoke City chief executive Tony Scholes.
Stoke City are the second Premier League club to sell their sleeve sponsorship space following in the footsteps of Manchester City who agreed a deal with their existing sponsor, Korean tire giant Nexen Tire.
Earlier this year league officials announced clubs would be allowed to sell the rights to their left shirt sleeve from the start of the 2017/18 season onwards.