Aston Villa extends “highly successful” partnership to deliver new merchandise for fans

Fanatics, a provider of licensed sports merchandise and global digital sports platform, has announced a long-term extension to their e-commerce, retail and manufacturing deal, with Aston Villa F.C.

The deal was agreed following “significant growth” in Villa merchandise sales through the club’s official online store, with sales growing by more than 450 per cent since 2017, when Fanatics and Aston Villa started working together.

It will see Fanatics retain global e-commerce, stadium retail and manufacturing rights for the Premier League club, ensuring that Villa fans will have access to “one of the largest ranges of merchandise in the world”.

Fanatics now partners with more than 900 sports clubs and organisations in the world and has worked with Aston Villa to grow visits to the online store by more than 300 per cent in the last four years, changing the way Villa fans purchase merchandise online through a tech-infused approach to making and selling fan gear.

Fanatics will also continue to operate the club retail store at Villa Park as part of the renewed deal. Fanatics’ global network, which is now based out of eleven countries worldwide, delivered merchandise to Aston Villa fans in 85 different countries in 2021.

Nicola Ibbetson, Aston Villa Football Club’s chief commercial officer, commented: “Our partnership with Fanatics has been highly successful and has experienced significant growth in recent years, so we are thrilled to have cemented this relationship through this extension of our partnership.

“We have seen sales grow significantly over the past few years and going forwards the focus will be on increasing the product offering for Aston Villa’s growing global fanbase and continuous improvement to the innovation and technology we can bring to the retail experience for our fans.”

Danny Downs, Fanatics UK general manager, added: “We are delighted that due to the phenomenal growth of the Aston Villa online business in recent years we are extending our relationship with this historic football club.”

Fanatics partners with several of the biggest football clubs across Europe and some of the largest sporting organisations in the world, including NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, International Olympic Committee and Formula One.

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