When it comes to sponsorships, teams in the Premier League and the EFL tend to earn the most money from sponsorship deals and usually have higher-profile sponsors.
Some more high-profile National League clubs can also negotiate decent sponsorship deals if they have the right connections, as Wrexham did when they were in the fifth tier a few years ago.
However, in August 2024, Redditch United of the Southern League Premier Division Central secured a sponsorship deal with the popular news and community website Reddit.
The website was reportedly interested in sponsoring a football club. The main reason for choosing Redditch United was the similarity between their name and that of the club (Reddit-ch).
Those running Reddit also claim that Redditch United’s community spirit enjoys a similarity with that of their site.
A big deal for the club
Considering that Redditch currently occupies a place in step three of the National League System, it is a big deal for the club that such a high-profile site is their main shirt sponsor for this season.
According to the club’s announcement, Reddit has an active membership of around 884,000 people who use the site. This gives the club a chance to expand its reach and Reddit an opportunity to expand its viewership.
Redditch United’s Managing Director, Iain Wain, was understandably happy with the partnership, saying: As a football club with deep roots in our community, we’re delighted to join forces with the r/football community on Reddit for a groundbreaking deal for non-league football. Welcoming a passionate and engaged community like r/football as our new principal sponsor is a game changer for our club and goes some way to strengthening the civic pride in our town. We’re absolutely thrilled to embark on this partnership and can’t wait to work alongside the mods of r/football and the team over at Reddit to achieve our aims in the coming months and years.”
Who are Redditch United?
As previously mentioned, Redditch United is very much a community club based in Worcestershire. It was founded all the way back in 1891 as Redditch Town. The club was known as Redditch before changing its name to its current moniker, Redditch United, in 1971.
They are believed to be the original ‘Reds’, as Redditch was born a year before Merseyside giants Liverpool.
United came close to promotion in season 2023/24, finishing fourth place in the Southern League Premier Division Central. They are only a few promotions away from the EFL.
In 2003/04, Redditch United won promotion to the Conference North (now the National North), the sixth tier of the English football pyramid. This was the highest league they had ever played in.
Redditch had a decent run in the sixth tier. However, in May 2011, United suffered relegation from the Conference North and returned to life in the Southern Premier League.
The closest call with promotion back to the sixth tier came in season 2015/16 when they finished second place in the table. However, they suffered a penalty kick defeat in the play-off semi-finals against Leamington.
Something of a coup
Redditch United has pulled off a coup by getting an organisation such as Reddit to sponsor the team’s shirts. The deal has brought the club a lot of attention, which it usually wouldn’t have. Like many non-league clubs, generally, the only people who are familiar with it are their local community and people associated with their opponents in the league.
The sponsorship will no doubt have brought in a substantial amount of money, which is always a concern for clubs in the non-league game, especially the further you go down the steps and tiers.
Many clubs will be jealous of Redditch United. However, in modern football, clubs must do what they have to do to keep the doors from shutting. In some ways, Redditch got lucky with its sponsorship.
Hopefully, the deal will be extended at the end of the season, and they will benefit from whatever extra finances the agreement with the website provides them for another year.
Other clubs at a similar level will undoubtedly be looking for similar ways to increase revenue from their shirt sponsors.
This is something some Evertonians are willing to move past.
Lots I’ve spoken to can’t forget this.
What are your thoughts Blues? https://t.co/QWjULPoLn4
— Joey Barton (@Joey7Barton) January 10, 2025
We may have Royston Drenthe, a former Real Madrid and Everton star, sponsor Royston Town or Joey Barton sponsor Barton Rovers. It’s unsure what the Rovers fans would think of that, though, as the former Manchester City star is somewhat controversial for his recent social media presence.
It’s hard to know what’s next in the wonderful and wacky world of English non-league football. That must be the reason it keeps us enthralled year after year.
nonleaguefanatic