Interview: Launching A Licensing Programme At Newcastle United
In collaboration with Brand Licensing Europe (BLE), Leigh Simpson, Head Of Licensing at Newcastle United Football Club tells us how the club are developing their licensing programme.
You’re launching a licensing programme for NUFC – why now?
Newcastle United is entering one of the most exciting chapters in its history. The launch of our in-house Retail & Licensing function ahead of the 2024/25 season is indicative of the ambitious, transformational change taking place at the club.
From a retail and licensing perspective, we are aligning Newcastle United with the world’s biggest football brands. Bolstered by a prestigious new partnership with adidas, we will use the power of brand licensing to give our global community enhanced access to quality, locally relevant products.
What product categories will it cover?
We are building a cross-category global licensing programme from the ground up. We are interested in meeting leading licensees to discuss opportunities in both traditional and non-traditional categories, domestic and international.
What benefits are you hoping to see from the programme?
Supporters are central to everything that we do at Newcastle United. Our global licensing programme will help us reach, engage, and better serve current and new supporters by extending the Newcastle United brand into new territories, product categories, and retail channels.
This ‘supporter-first’ approach informed Newcastle United’s retail and licensing activation during the recent pre-season tour to Japan. The club worked alongside Pro-Fitt Sporting, a leading licensee and retail partner, to give supporters localised access to our adidas kits, New Era headwear, and an exclusive Japan 2024 our range.
Why is exhibiting at BLE so important to the success of your programme and who are you hoping to meet there?
Brand Licensing Europe presents an effective platform to introduce Newcastle United and its global licensing programme to the industry for the very first time. We are looking forward to meeting current and prospective licensees, international agents, and service providers.
Apart from your own, which sports-related consumer products do you admire?
It must be the collaborations that bring together brands from vastly different worlds to reach and engage wider audiences. We have seen several brilliant examples in the football industry, such as Borussia Dortmund x SpongeBob (2020), AC Milan x Rolling Stones (2022) and Arsenal x Transport for London (2022). We plan to meet several brands interested in collaboration opportunities with Newcastle United during BLE.
Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) is the leading event in Europe for licensing and brand extension. It takes place 24-26 September at ExCeL in London. It’s free for sports professionals, retailers and manufacturers to attend. You can find out more or simply register here.
Image: Shola Ameobi meet and greet at Eurosport Retail Pop Up shop on July 30, 2024 in Ginza, Tokyo. (Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)
