Fanatics inked a long-term deal with Sunderland AFC to be the Club’s new retail partner until 2034. The six-time champions of England and two-time FA Cup winners, Sunderland AFC is one of the most iconic and successful Clubs in English football (soccer).
Fanatics becomes the exclusive operator for the Club’s online and stadium store and includes a significant investment in a new retail store at the Stadium of Light, to be located at Black Cat House, forming part of the Club’s plans to “redefine the fan experience across its retail, servicing and ticketing operations.”
Fanatics has extensive experience operating retail sites, with a network of reportedly over 2,000 retail locations worldwide, including in-venue locations in the UK (FA Store at Wembley Stadium, England Rugby Store at Twickenham, Premier League and Championship stores). The new SAFC online store, which launches this June, will also be re-designed on Fanatics’ Cloud Commerce Platform (CCP). In addition, Fanatics will ensure SAFC fans have access to the broadest assortment of merchandise made available on the store’s site, including extensive product ranges for young supporters and women.
Supporters will also have access to a dedicated customer service team, including a phoneline from 9:30 am to 5 pm, seven days a week, as part of its retail offering.
Commenting on the new partnership, SAFC’s Chief Brand and Commercial Officer David Bruce said: “We are committed to raising the game for our fans and providing them with a best-in-class service, and that is why we are delighted to welcome Fanatics, a company that is renowned as the best at what they do in world sport. With Fanatics set to bring their exceptional and unrivaled levels of servicing to Wearside, we cannot wait for our fans to see the new store, both online and at the Stadium of Light, this summer.”
Fanatics, which has office and manufacturing facilities in over 80 locations worldwide, will primarily serve Sunderland fans from its new 185,000-square-foot distribution center in Manchester.
Fanatics has a global partner network of over 900 sports clubs, leagues, and properties, including The FA, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Everton, Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, Inter Milan, The International Olympic Committee, UEFA, WWE, NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and Formula 1.
Stephen Dowling, the president of Fanatics International, said: “Sunderland is one of the biggest Football Clubs in the UK and is renowned for its loyal and passionate fanbase, so we are honored and excited to partner with the Club over the next ten years. Sunderland fans deserve the best ,and we’re committed to bringing them great products, the highest standards of service, and the widest choice of merchandise they’ve ever had access to, providing them with a world-class retail experience no matter where they are based in the world.”
Anna Mitchell, senior director of business development, UK teams and sports, at Fanatics, added: ‘We’re looking forward to working with the Club to create the new retail store in such a prominent location next to the stadium and our learnings across football clubs and stadiums globally will help shape a space that all fans will be excited to visit. Our experience with football clubs across the world is that each one is unique, and with the Club we’ll help to create bespoke product ranges, making sure that there is good availability and choice for all fans. Having worked for a football club, I understand how important it is to provide every fan, who wears club colors with such pride with a great experience when they shop.”
Image courtesy Fanatics x Sunderland AFC
