Central Coast Mariners announce significant apparel deal with Cikers Australia

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Central Coast Mariners & Cikers Australia
Image credit: Central Coast Mariners

Central Coast Mariners have announced an agreement with apparel company Cikers Australia for at least the next two seasons and it represents the most valuable apparel deal in the Mariners’ history.

The Mariners and Cikers Australia will collaborate to create an increased amount of bespoke playing, training and casual wear for Mariners players, staff and the fan base.

The new Australia Cup kit features a coloured sash across the top of both kits, alongside new features that are unique to the Cikers Australia brand including a rubber club badge.

Cikers Sports are based in Beijing, and they operate as a football competition management platform. Their services include event service, social networking and sports equipment.

Ciker Sports Australia focus more on the sports equipment side of operations, offering to manufacture teamwear and accessories for sports teams, clubs, schools, universities and organisations. They currently have a partnership with NPL 1 NSW side Wollongong Wolves where they produced the home and away kits for the remainder of the 2023 season.

Mariners CEO Shaun Mielekamp expressed his excitement for the record breaking apparel partnership in a recent club statement.

“This partnership is the biggest apparel deal in the history of the club by a long way and see’s us partnered up for a minimum of two seasons but will likely be for the next five. From the moment that we first connected with Cikers Australia, it was clear that we have a shared set of values and passion for football that we collectively get to express together through apparel,” Mielekamp said.

“The team at Cikers were at the Grand Final and they are well and truly part of the Mariners family. This is more than just a kit supply deal; this is a business partnership where we will work together to create something special and new for Australian sports apparel.”

Cikers Australia also express their values further on their official website with an emphasis on their ambitions to grow grassroots sports through providing a quality product.

Shaun Mielekamp expressed delight at the product that Cikers offers.

“The product is phenomenal, and the technical materials being incorporated are some that we have never seen before. I know once everyone gets to see it in person, wear it and experience this new brand it will stand out in the market like you won’t believe.” he added via media release.

This partnership is an exciting and valuable deal for the Mariners that allows them to showcase a quality product for their Australia Cup run in 2023.

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Bordeaux face uncertain future after American investor withdrawal

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Image Credits: EuropeanBestDestinations.com

Girondins de Bordeaux face their biggest crisis yet after their exclusion from France’s national competitions was upheld and proposed investor Park Bench walked away from a takeover. The club is on the brink of liquidation after poor financial management and failed ownership takeovers. The Paris Administrative Court rejected Bordeaux’s appeal in August. The court backed the decision that prevents the club from playing in national competitions for the 2026-27 season. Bordeaux will therefore this season remain in Régional 1, the sixth tier of French football.

The ruling followed a financial dispute with French football’s financial regulator, the DNCG. Bordeaux had presented additional financial guarantees after its previous hearing. The court ruled that those commitments could not be considered as part of that procedure.

The decision has now had a major impact on the club’s ownership plans. Park Bench, the US investment group working with Sparta Capital, has withdrawn from its proposed takeover. The group said its offer depended on Bordeaux remaining in the national championships. With that condition no longer possible, Park Bench decided not to proceed.

The withdrawal leaves Bordeaux in a difficult position. The club had hoped new investment would provide financial stability and help rebuild its sporting operation. Instead, the failure of the takeover leaves the future of the six-time French champions uncertain. Bordeaux has already endured several years of financial problems. The club lost its professional status in 2024 after bankruptcy proceedings and a previous administrative relegation. It then rebuilt its senior team in the second and third tiers of French football.

The latest exclusion represents another major setback. Bordeaux now needs to find a way to keep the club operating outside the national leagues. That means securing funding, meeting its financial obligations and establishing a sustainable ownership structure. The threat of judicial liquidation now hangs over the club.

In a statement issued in late August, Bordeaux said it would explore every remaining legal option after the administrative court ruling. But with Park Bench no longer backing the proposed takeover, the club has fewer options available.

The next priority will be survival. Bordeaux must find new financial backing or another solution to protect the club from liquidation. For one of France’s most historic and successful clubs, the immediate target is no longer a return to Ligue 1. It is simply making sure there is a club left to climb back.

Liverpool announces Turkish Airlines as new main club partner

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Liverpool new stand

Liverpool FC has announced Turkish Airlines as its new Main Club Partner and front-of-shirt sponsor from the start of the 2027/28 season.

This announcement brings an end to the club’s 17-year relationship with Standard Chartered as its principal shirt sponsor.

The five-year agreement will see Turkish Airlines feature on the front of the men’s, women’s and academy team shirts from June 2027. Standard Chartered will still remain involved with the club as a Global Partner.

Financial terms have not been disclosed by Liverpool, although reports suggest the deal is worth more than $563 million across its duration, making it one of the most valuable shirt sponsorship agreements in Premier League history.

The partnership further strengthens Liverpool’s commercial portfolio at a time when leading clubs are continuing to secure record sponsorship revenues.

The agreement also reflects Turkish Airlines’ growing investment in world football, with the company already an official partner of the UEFA Champions League and sponsor of several clubs and the Turkish national team.

For Liverpool, the sponsorship represents more than a change of partners. It is only the third front-of-shirt sponsor the club has had in the Premier League era, following long-term partnerships with Carlsberg and Standard Chartered.

The move continues the club’s strategy of securing long-term commercial relationships with globally recognised brands while expanding its international reach.

The announcement comes as Liverpool continues to post record commercial revenues and reinforces the increasing value of elite football sponsorship.

With the front-of-shirt sponsor remaining one of the most sought-after assets in world sport, the agreement highlights the continued demand from multinational brands seeking exposure through football’s global audience.

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