The partnership boasts the largest technical partner sponsorship fee in the club’s history and will see Castore manufacture all on-field playing kit and side-line apparel, while Wolves will manufacture and distribute a range of replica products under license from Castore.
As a result, the partnership will facilitate a far broader range of product than has previously been available to Wolves supporters, with all ranges now bespoke to Wolves, including women’s replica, training and travel wear.
Wolves X Castore.
— Wolves (@Wolves) May 21, 2021
👋 Welcome to the pack! pic.twitter.com/9ZIk6eHvPy
The new club-manufacturer model has seen success in the US but is a first for elite sport in the UK, and Wolves general manager for commercial operations, Vinny Clark, believes it marks a hugely exciting moment in the club’s journey.
“This is truly a ground-breaking deal in Premier League football, which challenges the established order of things, and we are delighted to have found a progressive and disruptive partner in Castore to embark on this journey with us,” he said.
“From our first meeting with Tom and Phil, co-founders of Castore, it became evident that we shared a passion to shake things up. We wanted to re-set how things worked from a kit partnership viewpoint to find a win-win-win scenario for our fans, the brand and the club respectively, and we believe this agreement achieves that.
“Our fans will get a great assortment of product that is unique to Wolves and has been carefully put together in response to the feedback we have received in recent years, and Castore will receive fantastic exposure to the Premier League’s multibillion global audience.
“In addition to that, the partnership model allows us to have greater flexibility and agility in getting replica product to market, making this a commercially attractive venture, significantly ahead of what we have achieved in the past.
“Range and assortment of product is vitally important to us. We know our fans get frustrated when other clubs have the same kit silhouette, goalkeeper kit or training product as us, or if we can’t offer ladies sizing on replica product to our many women fans.
“These are consistent themes we wanted to address moving forward, and this partnership with Castore enables us to make significant improvements in our offering.
“Like some of Europe’s top clubs, we also want to give people access to our authentic pro garments, and a range of kit and training products in the same specification that our players wear, manufactured by Castore, will be available, which further strengthens our offering.
“We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Castore into the pack and I see an exciting journey ahead for the partnership.”
As part of the deal, Castore will unveil a first-of-its-kind Pro Performance collection which will be worn by the first team in all competitions, and available to purchase by supporters.
The collection is made from a unique technical fabric developed exclusively by Castore, which the brand believes to be lighter, more flexible, and more durable than anything worn by a Wolves team before.
Founded by athlete-entrepreneur brothers Tom and Phil Beahon in 2015, Castore is one of the fastest-growing sports brands in the world, boasting a mission to create the lightest, highest performing technical sportswear in the market by using patented technology and advanced technical engineering.
With existing partnerships in place with Sir Andy Murray, Owen Farrell, Masters winning golfer Patrick Reed and Glasgow Rangers, Castore had a deep desire to partner with a Premier League club, and Wolves’ progressive and determined values appealed to the brothers.
Castore co-founder Tom Beahon, said: “As a brand deeply committed to the ethos of marginal gains and performance excellence, Castore is the perfect match for a football club like Wolves, who have proven over the last four years that nothing is impossible when you have commitment, courage and dedication.
“We are delighted to be partnering with such an ambitious organisation and look forward to supporting the team as they continue to progress and challenge the established elite of English football.
“We were very clear when we made the decision to enter the football market that we would only partner with clubs who had ambitions to compete at European level – it was clear from the very beginning that everyone at Wolves, from the ownership down, are wholly committed to that goal, which is perfectly aligned with Castore’s own ambitions of challenging the existing sportswear market incumbents.
“Both Castore and Wolves are extremely innovative, and this partnership represents that ethos. We are delighted to be part of the Wolves pack and look forward to developing world class products for the team and fans in the years ahead.”
The first new Wolves x Castore range to be launched will be the 2021/22 training wear in July, with the home kit being unveiled later that month.
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