Southampton Women extend partnership with Starling Bank
June 14, 2023
Starling shares our vision for the future of women’s football and we’re excited to continue working with them, following a remarkably successful first year in partnership.
The three-year deal will see us work with Starling to create more grassroots football opportunities for women and girls in Hampshire, where the bank has also created 500 roles in banking, engineering, and operations at its Southampton base.
The decision to extend the partnership comes following an extraordinary period for our Women’s side. Throughout the 2022/2023 season, the team has experienced unprecedented growth, with average attendances for each match increasing by 355% compared to the previous 2021/2022 season, highlighting the passion and loyalty you’ve shown for Saints Women.
Furthermore, we’ve seen an outstanding increase in Season Ticket sales, with a remarkable 180% growth between the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 campaigns.
The partnership renewal comes ahead of the team’s new kit launch, which will be Starling’s first sponsored shirt that’s available for fans to buy.
It’ll also be the first time in the club’s history that women’s team shirts will be on sale with a specific women’s team sponsor, catering to the growing demand and dedication of our fan base.
Charlie Boss, Chief Commercial Officer at Southampton FC said: “Our club is extremely proud of everything our women’s team has achieved on and off the pitch. Starling’s continued support and belief in our vision has been instrumental in the team’s remarkable growth and success. This renewed partnership is a testament to the unwavering commitment of both organisations to achieving greatness together.”
Rachel Kerrone, Brand and Marketing Director at Starling said: “There has been so much progress in women’s football in the last year. We want to help the tide rise for women and girls everywhere, both in technology and in sport, and I can’t wait to see what we can do with Southampton FC Women in the next three years and beyond.”
Since launching the partnership in 2022, we’ve made fantastic progress as we work together to bridge the gap between the matchday experience of the men’s and women’s teams and fuel the attendance of passionate fans. You may have also seen our ground-breaking new initiatives such as ‘Coaches of Tomorrow’ – a visionary programme that aims to empower and inspire a new generation of women and girls to conquer the realm of football coaching. In the last year, the initiative has trained 20 women in Hampshire into qualified grassroots football coaches.
The bank also funded a free ticket giveaway to the Conti Cup in 2022, resulting in a record number of ticket sales (just over 8,000) for our Women’s team at St Mary’s Stadium against Tottenham Hotspur Women.
