Leeds United sign first-ever sleeve sponsorship deal

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Leeds United and JD have signed a sponsorship deal, with the sports fashion company to become the official sleeve sponsor of the club for the 2020/21 Premier League season.

The agreement marks the first time that Leeds has had a sleeve sponsorship. JD’s logo will be visible on the left arm of Leeds’ men’s and women’s kits.

“We are excited to partner with Leeds United ahead of their return to the Premier League. With the level of support and impact the Club has on the local community, as well as through its global fanbase, it’s great to see them back and for JD to be a part of the journey,” Chairman of JD Sports Fashion PLC, Peter Cowgill, said regarding the partnership.

Leeds United Executive Director Paul Bell said that he was looking forward to working with JD in what will be an important partnership for both organisations.

“JD are one of the most recognised names on the high street and we’re delighted to enter into this new strategic partnership with them. The sponsorship market in the Premier League is as intense and competitive as ever and we are excited to be working with JD on our return to the top flight,” Paul Bell said in a statement.

“We have successfully grown our retail operations over the last two years, increasing the number of official stores, upgrading our eCommerce platform and expanding our ranges of match and replica kit, training and leisure apparel. The JD Group now has over 2,300 stores across 19 International territories including key markets such as Asia, USA and Australia and this new agreement will help the Club gain increased global visibility.”

The deal was signed after the initial release of Leeds United’s replica kit for the 2020/21 season. Fans who bought the kit before the signing of new deal will be able to get the JD logo printed on their shirts at a number of JD stores or at a Leeds United official store.

The new sponsorship deal follows the announcement of a partnership with Adidas in which the sportswear company became the official kit partner of the club for the next five years.

Leeds United also signed their largest ever commercial deal with sports betting company SBOTOP earlier this month.

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Manchester City Begins Work on New Women’s Training Facility

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Image Credit: Manchester City website

Manchester City is in the development stage of building the Manchester City Women’s team a new purpose-built training facility at the City Football Academy, known as the club’s training centre.

The project, valued at up to $20.5 million, is set to open next season and marks the latest chapter in the club’s ongoing investment in top-tier facilities for the team.

Once completed, the facility will include a hydrotherapy area, a high-performance gym, and a circular dressing room designed to enhance player development.

In addition to their purpose-built facility, the Women’s First Team will continue to benefit from being an integral part of the $409 million City Football Academy, allowing them to utilise the organisation’s extensive resources and expertise.

To mark the beginning of construction, club captain Alex Greenwood was joined by Managing Director Charlotte O’Neill, Director of Football Therese Sjögran, and Director of Performance Services Emma Deakin for the official groundbreaking ceremony.

Club Captain Alex Greenwood reflects on the current facilities at the club and her excitement for the new development that is on the rise.

“Right from the start we’ve been involved quite a lot so we could discuss what’s going to be in there and what’s necessary. From what I know the facilities are going to be the best, which is nothing short of what I expect. I’m excited to see how it’s going to look,” she said via press release.

The facility has been specifically tailored to meet the needs of the team, with extensive consultation undertaken during the planning phase, including input from First Team Multi-Disciplinary experts and members of the playing squad.

The 17,000-square-foot building has also been designed with future expansion in mind as the team continues to grow.

Managing Director at Manchester City Women Charlotte O’Neill commented on the new facility and the beginning of its construction.

“Over the past decade, the team has benefited from being a part of the high-performance environment here, working with some of the very coaches, practitioners and support staff, as well as accessing some of the best facilities,” she said via press release.

“But the time feels right for the team to move into our own purpose-built home, and we think we’ve designed something really special that will help us in our efforts to consistently challenge for major titles.”

The new facility reaffirms Manchester City’s commitment to women’s football, aiming for success and growth through providing an environment to support the team’s future ambitions.

AFC Youth Panel discusses future of player development in Asia

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Image Credit: AFC

Representatives of the Asian Football Confederation met online on Thursday for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Youth Panel. Through the virtual event, Member Association’s (MAs) shared their experiences of their youth systems for the 2024-25 term.

The panel was hosted with a key focus on identifying how to improve the developmental programmes of the 16–19-year-old age group. The meeting discussed ways to not just improve technical skill but also strengthen the mental resilience of players and increase the number of competitive matches they are playing.

 AFC Technical Director Andy Roxburgh explained why the confederation was focusing on the 16-19 age group.
“This age group is a formative stage where we are dealing with players in national youth teams and it’s a crucial stepping stone for talented youngsters who are at the threshold of pursuing the sport professionally,” he said via press release.
“We must be able to help them master techniques under pressure and develop a winning mentality, so it is imperative to provide them with expert guidance.”
Through the panel representatives also explored conversations on the need to properly prepare coaches for training developing professional youth by providing them with the skills and knowledge required to excel.
Additionally, the meeting presented updates on several high-profile AFC developmental programmes for participants. In particular, the panel highlighted the Triple-A Project, a programme designed to provide tailored support to MAs via continual summits, and the AFC’s ongoing research partnership with the University of Tsukuba, which aims to study elite youth systems across Asia.
To finalise the session, participants were informed of the AFC’s other technical programmes, especially the recent publication of the AFC Elite Youth Bulletin. The Bulletin presents a major step forward for youth development within the Confederation, as it stands as a handbook for MAs to use, highlighting the best initiatives and programmes other MAs across Asia have used to great effect.

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