Virgin Media and Southampton Football Club announce three-year partnership

• Virgin Media to become Saints’ main club sponsor from the 2016-17 season

• Three-year partnership to include creation of fan-oriented initiatives

Virgin Media has today announced a three-year partnership with Southampton Football Club.  It will see the UK’s award-winning TV and ultrafast broadband provider become the club’s official shirt partner from the start of the 2016-17 season, placing Virgin Media at the heart of English Football.

The partnership brings together one of the world’s fastest-growing football club brands with the UK’s only TV provider to offer all of the live footballing action from both BT Sport and Sky Sports in one package.

The two organisations will work together to develop a number of initiatives aimed at putting fans at the heart of football, with further details to be announced before the start of the Premier League season.

Tom Mockridge, Chief Executive Officer of Virgin Media, said:

“This is a knockout combination: one of the world’s fastest-growing football clubs joining forces with Virgin Media, the only place you can watch all the UK’s live footballing action on TV.

“Virgin and the Saints both like to do things a little bit differently; we’ll be working together to give fans the best experience in football whether they are at home, away or watching on TV. Together, We March On!”

Gareth Rogers, Chief Executive Officer of Southampton Football Club, commented:

“We are delighted to announce Virgin Media as our new main club sponsor and look forward to a successful relationship together. This partnership is another positive step in the club’s continued growth and development and an excellent opportunity to collaborate with a brand that shares our core values.

“Southampton Football Club and Virgin Media are both dynamic and progressive brands with a commitment to developing talent and doing things the right way and it is these common beliefs which make the two organisations ideally suited.  

“We will be working closely to implement creative and innovative projects that harness the passion of the club and connect with our fantastic fans around the world.”

About Southampton Football Club

Southampton Football Club is one of the world’s fastest-growing football club brands, having just achieved its highest-ever Premier League finish to secure European qualification for the second consecutive season. Proud of its 130-year heritage but constantly moving forward, it is renowned for doing things differently – ‘The Southampton Way’ – and using its strong set of guiding principles to turn potential into excellence, both on and off the pitch.

About Virgin Media

Virgin Media offers four multi award-winning services across the UK and Ireland: broadband, TV, mobile phone and landline.

The company’s dedicated, ultrafast network delivers the fastest widely available broadband speeds to homes and businesses. We’re expanding this through our £3bn Project Lightning programme, which will reach 17 million premises by the end of 2019.

Our interactive TV service brings live programmes, thousands of hours of on-demand programming and the best apps and games in a set-top box, as well as on-the-go for tablets and smartphones.

We launched the world’s first virtual mobile network, offering fantastic value and services. We are also one of the largest fixed-line home phone providers in the UK and Ireland.

Through Virgin Media Business, we support entrepreneurs, businesses and the public sector, delivering the fastest speeds and tailor-made services.

Virgin Media is part of Liberty Global, the world’s largest international cable company, with operations in more than 30 countries.