Significant news for Championship outfit Birmingham City as they confirm the decision to rename their stadium with a mega sponsorship deal.
The Blues announced the news on Friday, claiming that it’s to be the biggest commercial deal in the club’s history, and could be worth in excess of £9million a year.
It will see the stadium rebranded as ‘St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park‘ as well as the Wast Hills training ground being renamed as the Knighthead Training and Academy Grounds.
The Club is pleased to announce it has entered into a multi-year naming rights agreement with Shelby Companies Limited, which is majority owned by Knighthead Annuity & Life Assurance Company.
This signifies the largest commercial agreement in the Club’s history.
— Birmingham City FC (@BCFC) January 26, 2024
CLUB STATEMENT:
Blues’ stadium to be re-named St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park
Birmingham City is pleased to announce it has entered into a multi-million pound, multi-year naming rights agreement with Shelby Companies Limited, which is majority owned by Knighthead Annuity & Life Assurance Company and certain other minority investors, including seven-time Super Bowl champion and entrepreneur, Tom Brady (collectively, “Knighthead”). It is the largest commercial agreement in the Club’s history.
Under the terms of the deal, the Club’s stadium will be re-named St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park. The Club’s Wast Hills training ground will be renamed The Knighthead Training and Academy Grounds. And a new fan ‘entertainment zone’ @ Knighthead Park, will be built, situated on Club-owned land close to the Tilton and Main Stand at the Stadium. The re-named stadium, training ground, and new fan zone will be launched before the end of the 2023/24 Sky Bet Championship Season.
The value of the agreement is based on an annual sponsorship fee, a Men’s First Team performance-related bonus and a Club wide social media performance-related bonus. For the remainder of the 2023/24 season, the value to the Club with incentives could reach £6,241,666.67*. In 2024/25, the first full year of the partnership, the value to Birmingham City, with incentives, could reach £9,450,000*.
Knighthead will also receive significant physical and digital branding rights across the stadium, training grounds and all Club-owned channels. Knighthead has also committed to donate £100,000/annum, beginning at the start of the 2024/25 season, to the Birmingham City Football Club Foundation.
Knighthead Park is the first step in the Club’s plan to build a ‘Sports Quarter’ in the heart of Birmingham. The ambition for the ‘Sports Quarter’ is to create a globally recognisable sporting and entertainment location. A beacon of excellence, providing the world’s greatest athletes and performers a platform to showcase their talents. Recreational, mixed-use and other space will be developed for the enjoyment and benefit of the local community.
Knighthead Park will play a central role in the company’s global marketing strategy as it looks to build its brand presence and expand its business interests in the UK, the US and across other global markets.
In July 2023, Knighthead acquired full ownership and control of St. Andrew’s and 45.96% ownership of Birmingham City Ltd. The investment in the Club was the first part of Knighthead’s plan to play a significant role in the ongoing transformation of Birmingham’s infrastructure and skyline.
Knighthead Park will provide consistent brand exposure to a global audience at a key time in Knighthead’s growth plans, as well as inject revenue into the Club.
Chairman of Knighthead and the Club, Tom Wagner, said: “St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park is step one in our plan to create a world-renowned ‘Sports Quarter’ in Birmingham. We invested in Blues because of the opportunity to not only transform a football club but to also be a catalyst for change in the city itself. Our ambition is bold. It is for the Club to become a beacon of excellence for Birmingham. We are at an early stage in the journey, but we have already started to capture the imagination of a global audience. It is only going to grow. That is why the timing of the multi-year naming rights partnership is perfect and why it is so important to Knighthead.”
He added: “We continue to invest heavily in the Stadium and training grounds to make them fit for purpose. The process will continue as we pursue the development of the broader Knighthead Park. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to enter into a partnership that will grow the brands of both Knighthead and BCFC, while remaining true to our goal of achieving excellence across both enterprises.”
Birmingham City Chief Executive Officer, Garry Cook, said: “Birmingham is now a global story and the Club is at its epicentre. A worldwide audience has tuned in to what is happening at Blues, they want to find out more, and we have only just scratched the surface of what is possible. St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park and the ambitious plan for a ‘Sports Quarter’ will become a proxy brand for Knighthead. It will be world class and a clear statement of intent.”
He added: “Knighthead has invested in Birmingham and is bringing a level of ambition that is going to improve the fortunes of both the Club and the city itself. New thinking and approaches are required for football clubs to grow and compete. Our partnership is an example of this. We look at the football world differently and we know that creating broader awareness and engagement across social and other media platforms will increase our commercial growth opportunities. For Blues, this means the prospect of significant investment, both on and off the pitch. This is the future and yet another massive vote of confidence from Knighthead in Birmingham and in the transformation that we are driving at the Club.”
*Further information is available by clicking here.
So how did fans react upon hearing the significant news for Birmingham as they rename their stadium with a mega sponsorship deal…
@LeeW1875: Oh wow… never thought I’d see this kind of thing happening at Blues. Huge.
@MattyBrennan: So the area the stadium sits on will be called Knighthead Park? (With extra sprinkles) Which means that the stadium retains its name and the club gets an influx or cash that won’t affect FFP? Sounds good to me! Up the Knighthead Park! #bcfc
@paulmcooper111: This is just the beginning. Foundations for bigger things to come, I’m sure.
@BCFCGAT9175: I fucking love Knighthead man. Heroes. KRO 🩵
@Zigiclegend19: You never cease to amaze me Blues and these days it’s in a good way. Warra deal this is.
@KDazman: We have credible owners – the first time in a generation!! 💙 Up the Blues. Up the Knighthead!!
@zdpj_: Best owners we’ve ever had man.
@Adamsbcfc: HMS piss the league next season with these funds coming in
@kiel0l: A year ago we just wanted new owners that’ll simply stabilise us and be transparent. Knighthead: “hold my beer”🍺. Haha up the Knighthead blues🔵
@Jack_Sharp10: To think where we are now in terms of ownership from last year is incredible. Never thought I’d see the day where blues will have a ‘globally recognised sports quarter.’ Tom Brady as an investor. Millions to spend in a MASSIVE summer coming up. Incredible, up the BLOOZ 💙 #BCFC
@MarkGarratt4865: My football club is now on a trajectory to becoming a major league player in the coming years. It will also support the continued economic growth of our great second city of Birmingham #excited KRO
@TheDonBCFC: I’m naming my first born son Thomas if we get to the premier league. #BCFC
@Imhavingthesoup: That’s massive. Next season we have additional revenue of almost £10 million, against a current turnover of £25 million.
@BluesAnalytics_: OVG partnership already reaping dividends. No issues with the name, I never called it “Trillion Trophy stadium” so that won’t make a difference to me. Transparency with the numbers & a bigger pot of money than I anticipated we’d get for it – even within fair market values. #bcfc
@blues_breakdown: They said from the very beginning they were “all in” & deadly serious about transforming the club but my word! Fantastically transparent (something fans have cried out for for years) If you weren’t excited for the summer/future beforehand, you best believe you are now! #bcfc
@Conal91: Good move from Blues. Went to Espanyol 5 years ago and they has a great fan zone. Hopefully they put it next to The George with kids activities food and beer stands etc. They’ll make a load and it’ll be a better experience #BCFC
@AccessiBlues: These owners are definitely nothing like we’ve seen before. The ambitions of Knighthead are amazing.
@paj130563: Lets be honest, Blues fans have had a long wait for the good times, let’s be thankful and enjoy it while we can #kro
@EthanBCFC_: Omfg we are huge
Disappointed it’s not the Knighthead Bazillion Trophy Stadium but I suppose the £9m will soften the blow.
Also, for the love of Walmart, proofread your drafts before you publish, what is going on with this percentage pic.twitter.com/VDQBHNAxNB
— Gil 🇺🇦🌍🏐 (@RailwayEnd) January 26, 2024
Blues fans “what does this mean”
What it means…. #KRO #BCFC https://t.co/oYOXIEODHE pic.twitter.com/x3vKxDAOX9
— Paul Delves (@delves1) January 26, 2024
Big statement of confidence in the club by owners Knighthead. Very encouraging that they have been transparent with the figures too. More positive momentum. Fair play, they are backing up their words with cold, hard cash. https://t.co/w4nSGjuNKq
— Neil Moxley (@Neil_Moxley) January 26, 2024
The wheels are a turnin’.
Another significant #bcfc development. It’s fair to say Tom Wagner and Knighthead continue to be ‘all in’, indeed. https://t.co/qybDPFi7pU— Colin Tattum (@colintattum) January 26, 2024
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