Championship football club Leeds United has discovered a new partnership asset, after selling the rights to sponsor the iconic bucket on which manager Marcelo Bielsa sits during matches to US e-commerce platform Wish.
Wish will serve as an Official Presenting Partner of the club for the 2019-20 season, in a deal that marks the company’s first partnership with a football club.
As part of the agreement, Wish will benefit from in-stadium signage on pitch-side LED hoardings before and during matches at Elland Road. The company will also offer free gift giveaways for Leeds fans via the Wish shopping app.
Wish’s logo will be emblazoned on Bielsa’s bucket, which the Argentine believes gives him with a better view of the pitch during matches.
Paul Bell, executive director at Leeds, said: “Our innovative and dynamic approach to brand partnerships means that as a club we are able to engage with market disruptive brands to deliver real value for our partners.
“We have managed to secure this agreement ahead of many of the world’s biggest football teams and against strong competition from other major global sports organisations.
“As part of the deal, we have created an exclusive package of marketing rights for Wish to maximise their brand visibility at Elland Road and we look forward to working collaboratively with them over the season, introducing our global fanbase to the incredible range of products available on Wish.”
In 2017, San Francisco-based Wish agreed a multi-year deal to become the jersey sponsor of the Los Angeles Lakers NBA basketball team.