My initial reaction to the whufc.com announcement on ‘new sponsorship’ was a bit of a knee-jerk reaction of concern: After all, the sponsor in question does have history of overwhelming traditional sports teams, changing their names, kit colours – you name it. The experience of SV Austria Salzburg instantly sprang to mind.
They were not just sponsored, but bought completely, by West Ham United’s new energy drink brand sponsor Red Bull.
In 2005 the Austrian club was bought by Red Bull and had its name changed to Red Bull Salzburg, and changed the club from its traditional violet and white kit to – yuk – red and white. Their home ground was also renamed the Red Bull Arena.
‘Can’t happen Here’ – can it?
Part of the team’s fans deserted and formed their new club, SV Austria Salzburg in protest.
So excuse me for being a little bit hyper vigilant when a new Red Bull sponsorship deal is announced. The notion of our team becoming the ‘Red Bull Hammers’ flashes across my brain, even as I read the whufc.com press release before.. I take a breath and.. relax.
Before I go and mock up a ‘warning of a ‘crossed hammers and two red bulls‘ badge for publication, It would seem that the claret and blue is safe.
It is, after all, ‘just’ a drink sponsorship. Phew. Panic over. Our Claret and Blue is safe. (Until we next get to a European Cup Final and wear some dum*ss orange and white). But I’ll always be there, hyper vigilant, watching from the shadows, for one inkling of a red and white away kit appearing with new sponsor logo- just in case! I’m relieved we won’t become Red Bull Hammers Uniiiiiited or something equally awful- it’ll never fit on a scarf.
( For my usual critics, that was the tongue in cheek bit!)
According to the PR release on whufc:
“The multi-year partnership will see the Austrian drinks company become the Official Energy Drink Partner of the Club, helping to fuel elite performance across our men’s and women’s teams.
Red Bull will benefit from global exposure at Hammers fixtures, with highly visible in-stadia branding at London Stadium and the Chigwell Construction Stadium. Red Bull will also supply product to the men’s and women’s teams playing and coaching staff, with product also available for supporters to purchase from stadium concourse sales points on matchday.
Through the partnership, we will also create compelling content for fans, which showcases the intricate sports science that club nutritionists utilise to enhance on-pitch performance for select first team players through their matchday nutrition plans.”
Joking aside – it may be a step towards replacing our Betway shirt sponsor when the law prohibits betting companies from taking such a prominent position? Maybe next years shirts could be the ‘Red Bull’ ones?
Perhaps they can give Nic Fullkrug some wiings to try out this year first. Here’s hoping a can of Red Bull is cheaper than the beer on the concourse at LS.
I’d put up with a dumb ass orange and white kit for a night like that one every year
Red Bull did something similar with RB Leipzig. But the club was in the 5th tier at the time. (2009)
RB was already part of the clubs name but the badge rebranding was initially rejected and played a season without a badge.
For some reason, RB Leipzig are the most hated team in the Bundesliga. Maybe because Leipzig didn’t follow the “traditional” way of the all the other clubs.
Not a chance Red Bull changes our name. But I’d be more than happy if they ended up being a shirt and/or stadium sponsor (would prefer it stayed London Stadium, felt the same with Perth Stadium where I live).