Manchester City has today announced baby gear brand, Joie as the Official Stadium Naming Partner of the Academy Stadium, making it the first club in the Women’s Super League to secure a commercial agreement for its stadium naming rights.
The whole Manchester City Women’s team, including captain Steph Houghton, Chloe Kelly and Demi Stokes, marked this huge milestone as they cut a giant orange Joie bow that wrapped the newly-named stadium. Gavin Makel, Managing Director of Manchester City Women, and David Welsh, Senior Managing Director of Joie, were also in attendance.
This marks the next phase of the multi-year partnership between, Joie and Manchester City as, together, they pledge to introduce and improve family friendly services at the stadium building on City’s commitment to delivering the best possible matchday experience for fans of all ages across all stadium facilities.
Opened in 2014 as part of the Club’s continued investment into East Manchester and the Etihad Campus, the 7,000 capacity stadium is the only purpose-built stadium in the Women’s Super League and is the home of Manchester City Women. In addition, many of City’s Elite Development Squad and youth team matches also take place in the stadium.
Gavin Makel, Managing Director, Manchester City Women, said: “Today is a really significant moment for Manchester City, as we welcome Joie as Official Stadium Naming Partner. Not only is this a huge moment for Manchester City Women but also for the wider club as the stadium changes name for the first time since its opening in 2014.
“A Women’s team partner since March this year, Joie shares our commitment to family values and high standards and we’re delighted the brand has chosen to extend its current relationship.
“It is a further reflection of the importance, growth and commercial appeal of Manchester City Women and the wider women’s game and we are excited to work together with Joie to maximise opportunities for families at our matches.”
David Welsh, Senior Managing Director, Joie, said: “Joie is a family-first brand committed to making childhood and family days out as joyful as possible.
“We believe that football offers an unforgettable experience for families and by partnering with Manchester City Women and becoming the Official Stadium Naming Partner, we aim to make it truly accessible for all – whether that’s families with babies or parents of older children who will love playing in the Fan Zone.
“We’re incredibly proud of the steps we are making to help provide an all-inclusive experience and are committed to further developing our offer and ensuring that the Joie Stadium is one of the most family-friendly in the Women’s Super League.”
Further internal and external branding featuring the Joie logo will appear across stadium assets, with Joie continuing to activate at every Women’s team fixture, offering exclusive prizes and experiences, and creating bespoke content with the Manchester City Women’s first team.
