Rangers retail partners Castore have claimed that their partnership with the Ibrox club helped to secure their first Premier League contract with Wolves.
The Liverpool-based sportswear brand signed a landmark kit deal with Rangers at the start of the season believed to be worth at least £25m – their first in football.
After years of tumultuous boardroom retail wranglings at Ibrox, disrupter brand Castore appeared a perfect fit for the club and the relationship has gone from strength to strength.
Whilst there have been some issues, over the piece Rangers are delighted with the success of the deal, something emphasised by director of communications James Bisgrove in a recent webinar.
Following the success of the Rangers deal, Castore have realised an ambition in signing a Premier League club like Wolves and co-founder Tom Beahon was speaking about the deal on BBC Radio Five Live.
Whilst the financial details haven’t been announced the deal is the “largest technical sponsorship deal” in Wolves history – which makes it more than the previous £3m per year Adidas deal [Sports Pro Media].
It’s a landmark moment for Castore and Wolves but Beahon told Wake up to Money [24/05/21] that the success of the Rangers deal has helped give credibility to the brand.
“We signed a partnership with Glasgow Rangers Football Club, a huge, huge football club, huge instituation with a global fanbase,” said Beahon.
“Fortunately for us they’ve had a phenomenally successful year in the first season we’ve been their kit and retail partner.
“Once people see the Rangers football team wearing your products it gives you that extra bit of authority which has been very helpful in our conversations with Premier League, La Liga, and Bundesliga teams.
“Again there’s that level of trust and faith that would not have been there without the Rangers partnership.”
Beahon would then go into a little more detail regarding the differences between the Rangers deal and that at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
“Each of our partnerships are different,” said Beahon.
“With Rangers, Castore is the operator of the Rangers website, the Rangers physical stores, we’ve opened additional stores in and outside of Scotland and we’ve put a big focus on internationalising the revenue generation that Rangers deliver.
“They have a lot of fans in the Middle East, in Australia, in the US and that was a historic feature of that football club.
“With the Wolves partnership, the focus is very much been on expanding the product range.”
Rangers fans have moved to snap up a range of Castore merchandise this season and are eagerly anticipating the release of next season’s kits.
Some even believe they caught an early glimpse of the shirt as Rangers promoted a monumental Ibrox project.
