Suit Direct reveals milestone three-season partnership with Hartlepool United

Suit Direct has unveiled an exciting new three-season partnership with Hartlepool United Football Club (HUFC).

Not only is this a major milestone for Suit Direct, but the deal will have a major impact on HUFC as investment will go directly to the club, fans as well as the North East-based community of Hartlepool.

As of today (November 12), Hartlepool’s Victoria Park will be known as the ‘Suit Direct Stadium’. The stadium’s rebrand will be on display from today at the team’s home game against Newport County.

Suit Direct, part of the Baird Group based in Leeds, has been expanding rapidly for several years and is home to many iconic designers such as Ben Sherman, Marc Darcy and Limehaus.

Commenting on the successful new partnership, Suit Direct’s CFO Nick Scott said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Hartlepool United Football Club.

“Baird Group has had a presence in Hartlepool since 1945 and we are pleased that we can continue building relationships in this community. We are really looking forward to seeing the positive changes that this investment can make to the team and the club. Go Poolies!”

The partnership will form part of HUFC’s recently launched ‘Official Partnership Portfolio’, which entails Suit Direct having become the Official Stadium Naming Rights Partner.

The retailer has also agreed to be the Official Menswear Partner, which means Suit Direct will be sponsoring both the first teams’ training kit and the management team’s bench kit. As part of this major deal, HUFC’s corporate executive lounge will be fully refurbished and renamed as ‘Suit Direct Lounge’.

Discussing the importance of the deal, Stephen Hobin, Hartlepool United’s Chief Operating Officer, added: “Stadium naming rights in football have to be carefully considered and Victoria Park is and will always be the spiritual home of Hartlepool United. It is a real pleasure to announce this partnership following extensive negotiations and to finally welcome Suit Direct to the ‘Vic’.

“The town has been the home of Baird Group and Suit Direct since the start of the Second World War and this agreement, which will run through to the end of the 2023/24 season, is not only an exceptional financial partnership in terms of investment, it is also a partnership that sits right in the heart of our community with a company that employ local people who are committed to making a difference to the town.”

This is a huge milestone for Suit Direct, which plans to open 23 new retail stores across the UK and Ireland this year, and even more in 2022. Its parent company, Baird Group, has had significant ties with Hartlepool for several decades with its distribution warehouse being based in the North East town.