Salford City FC has officially revealed its new shirt sponsor for the coming seasons as globally-known North American whisky brand Fireball is set to be splashed on the front of their home and away kits.
While Salford City‘s home kit for the 2024/25 season is still yet to be revealed, the away have now been debuted in line with Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey being announced as the Ammies’ latest commercial collaboration, which is said to be a “first-of-its-kind deal” for both parties.
The multi-year agreement will see the spicy cinnamon-infused whisky liqueur feature as the main sponsor on Salford shirts for the next three seasons as part of a “360-degree partnership”.
Confirming the front-of-shirt deal on Friday, 5 July, the two brands will also team up on “various touchpoints including broadcast and news media, custom social and digital content, in-store, and on-field branding experiences” on and off the pitch.
Salford City is excited to announce a new multi-year sponsorship deal with Fireball Cinnamon Whisky that will see the USA's #1 shot brand become the men's first team front-of-shirt sponsor for the next three seasons 🤝
It’s the Canadian alcohol brand’s first foray into English football and a landmark moment for the Greater Manchester club which has been looking to expand its commercial portfolio and generate more revenue.
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This comes since the Class of 92 group and co-owner Peter Lim opened the club to the floor for new investors earlier this year, with the club’s progress having slowed somewhat after they were promoted four times in five seasons following their 2014 takeover.
Fireball will replace nationwide property development and funding company, Salboy – which many Mancs will likely recognise from various bits of construction across the city centre and beyond – who served as Salford’s shirt sponsor for just one season to kick off their first year with Adidas as manufacturers.
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The 40-year-old brand can be found in most alcohol aisles in the UK and is shipped all over the world, making the partnership a huge deal for the local outfit, not to mention just the latest in a series of global drinks companies sponsoring clubs – e.g. Ryan Reynolds’ Aviation Gin on Wrexham kits and Red Bull partnering with Leeds United earlier this month.
Commenting on the new kit deal, Salford City CEO and Manchester United legend Nicky Butt said: “We are excited to welcome Fireball as our men’s team front of shirt sponsor for the next three years, and we are really looking forward to working with them.
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“Salford has a rich history of being creative and doing things in our way, so when this opportunity to partner with Fireball came about and we saw how they have made an impression on their sector, it resonated with us and the journey we have been on since taking over a decade ago.”
Lorenzo Farronato, Fireball’s European Marketing Director added: “Football is a game all about shots – taking them and making them is what the game is all about. So, as the number one shot brand in the USA, Fireball was inspired to enter the game but knew we needed to do it right.
“Fireball’s partnership with SCFC is a match made in heaven – just like our brand, Salford believes in working hard, playing hard and having a ton of fun every step of the way. We share similarly dedicated fanbases, too, and can’t wait to deliver unexpected moments of mischief and celebration to them all season long.”
Featured Images — Salford City (via X)/m01229 (via Flickr)
Sport
Manchester City opens brand-new store at the Trafford Centre
Daisy Jackson
Manchester City has opened the doors to its new Trafford Centre store just in time for the Black Friday shopping frenzy.
The club has launched the brand-new store in collaboration with retail partner Stichd.
The Manchester City store offers fans a bespoke City shopping experience, including this season’s PUMA kits, the Christmas collection (with a £5 donation to City in the Community (CITC) with specific products), and shirt printing.
Shoppers will be able to browse a range of sky blue shirts, hats, scarves, and gloves, as well as soft toys, mugs, and other collectibles.
There’s already a City store in the Manchester Arndale, which opened a couple of years ago, but its arrival at the Trafford Centre is a new development.
Other existing stores include sites in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, New York City, Seoul and Shenzhen.
Serena Gosling, Director of Retail and Licensing at Manchester City, said: “We’re proud to reveal our latest City Store in the iconic Trafford Centre, Manchester – our third location within the city.
“It provides another touchpoint for fans to interact with the club – at a venue that is a shopping favourite within the North West.
“We know the Trafford Centre attracts huge numbers of local shoppers, and tourists, so we are sure our newest store will provide a convenient location for fans, and of course, at this festive time of year, for those buying presents.
Manchester City opens brand-new store at the Trafford Centre. Credit: The Manc Group
“We look forward to welcoming everyone to the store.”
Will Rodnight, Head of Physical Retail, stichd, said: “We are thrilled to strengthen our partnership with Manchester City through the opening of this third City store in Manchester at the Trafford Centre.
“Our goal is to create an exceptional retail experience that reflects the passion of City fans. This new location adds another fantastic opportunity to connect with supporters in one of the UK’s most iconic shopping destinations, and we can’t wait to welcome them.”
Kate Pearson, Portfolio Leasing Director at Pradera Lateral – Trafford Centre’s Asset Managers, added: “We look forward to welcoming the new City Store to Trafford Centre. This bespoke new retail offering complements our current sportswear retailers whilst also adding a personalised experience for their supporters. We are excited to see their success once the doors open.”
Oasis and adidas drop yet more new merch in the Live ’25 collection
Danny Jones
The Oasis and adidas love affair isn’t over just yet; it isn’t going anywhere, as the legendary Manc band group and global sports apparel franchise are releasing another batch of merch as part of the smash-hit Live ’25 collection.
After shirts, shoes, jackets and bucket hats galore sold out all over the world, adidas is now toasting not only the end of the reunion world tour but “the year that was Oasis” with a second drop in the already iconic crossover.
If you passed through Manchester at all during their Heaton Park homecoming run, you will have no doubt seen countless examples of the ‘adidas Originals x Oasis’ football shirt collaboration alone, not to mention several other bits of fashion in the official Live ’25 fashion line.
Now, just in time for Christmas, there’s a whole new set being introduced into the range of casual wear.
Simply titled ‘Oasis Live ‘25 Drop 2’, the latest additions to the adidas Originals collection are releasing next month and, obviously, will be sold in stores and online.
While the pop-up stores that opened up here in the city centre all over have now shut up shop, Greater Manchester’s adidas locations on Market Street – which turned into an Oasis fan paradise this past summer – and Pear Mill in Stockport will still be stocking the various bits of Britpop clobber.
Although the most recent items will be exclusively available domestically for now, they will be rolled out overseas in 2026.
Considering how quickly most of it sold out last time, you can guarantee most of the options to fly off the shelves just as fast here in the UK.
Honestly, we’ve only just managed to get our hands on the standard black ‘jacquard jersey’.
As you can see, a good chunk of the second drop is that same footy shirt in different colours and other tees in different lengths/variations.
Scheduled to launch on Friday, 12 December, the ‘Oasis x adidas Originals Live ‘25 Drop 2’ will go on sale at 9am sharpish, so you’d best get ready for a scrap in that digital queue.
Naturally, fans, fashionistas and collectors can expect virtually identical costs for the majority of pieces (and buying in-person will obviously help keep the cost down), though it does look like some price points have been adjusted.
As for the Live ’25 tour itself, now that the dust has settled on the ‘Oasis Mania‘ take two, Liam himself has taken to social media to express his gratitude in the most Gallagher way possible…
Danny Jones -
5th July 2024 
