West Ham United announce the signing of new long-term agreements with SBOBET and Macron.'
Italian kitwear manufacturers Macron will be the club’s official technical partner for three years from the start of the 2010/11 season. Having recently joined forces with Serie A side SSC Napoli and working already with Portuguese league leaders SC Braga, Macron were keen to make West Ham United a major part of their growing portfolio of top-flight elite European clubs.
Principal partners SBOBET, the Isle of Man-licensed and regulated online sportsbook and casino operators, have extended their agreement with the club until the summer of 2013. The SBOBET brand will appear on all official replica kit and training wear used by Gianfranco Zola’s squad, as well as being represented on all club media platforms.
West Ham United CEO Scott Duxbury said both deals, the terms of which are undisclosed, would be of huge benefit to the club.
' In these challenging times, I am pleased we have secured our principal and technical partners on long-term contracts. These contracts ensure over the coming years that the club has secured significant revenue to assist in the continued improvement of Gianfranco’s playing squad.
Commercially the club is going from strength to strength and these partnerships provide a strong foundation for the club to continue to grow and achieve success. SBOBET and Macron are dynamic companies and they are very much part of our vision for the future.
SBOBET originally joined forces with West Ham United in December 2008, impressing the club with its understanding of the long-standing commitment to the Bobby Moore Fund, which reached a new level with the signing of a formal three-year partnership.
The Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK logo will continue to be carried on all kits worn by the club’s Academy sides as well as on child replica strips.
Founded in 1971, Macron is based in Crespellano, near the Italian city of Bologna. In recent years, the company has rapidly expanded its portfolio of high-profile clients, and as well as Napoli also provides kit for Serie A clubs Bologna FC 1909 and Cagliari Calcio 1920.
Macron also manufactures high-quality playing and training wear for basketball, handball, volleyball and rugby. It has links throughout Europe and operates under the message – work hard, play harder.
And in other news from the Premiership, the new Manchester City 09/10 third kit has been officially unveiled. Many City fans have been waiting for the full unveiling of the kit and they won’t be disappointed. The kit goes back to the Seventies and is probably best described as a ‘classic remastered’. The kit designer, David Blanch, definitely thinks so:
It was important that the sash did not distract from the crest but instead created a frame for the crest. If we did it the other way the diamond would dominate and this wasn’t something we wanted to do. Sure, we could have moved the crest over to its original position but we felt it was important to keep the crest where it belongs – above the heart. With the sponsor, we wanted to make sure that it wouldn’t interfere with the sash. For the last decade, or so, any shirt with a design across the front is compromised with a space where the sponsor sits. Well this is a pure football kit and the sponsor – whether it is a brand or a manufacturer – should look to compliment the kit. By placing the sponsor under the crest and not breaking the sash, we’ve blended contemporary with traditional design. This goes to show that innovation isn’t always about technology.
When I look at the final product, I’m really pleased because it makes such a statement. It stands out from the crowd – globally as well as domestically – in a way we haven’t seen for years. I’d like to think that this kit demonstrates that a sponsor can enhance a design rather than compromise it.”
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By James Bailey
