Stevenage FC has renamed its ground as part of a new partnership.
SPORTA, a firm ‘building the financial home for sport’ founded by ClearBank co-founder Andrew Smith, has announced the collaboration to mark the club’s 50th anniversary year.
The League One Club’s stadium will be known as SPORTA Arena.
The two organisations will share insight and expertise across operational, digital and commercial priorities, where Stevenage FC’s growth on and off the pitch ‘meets the ambition of a company building the financial future of sport’.
SPORTA has an application under way to become the UK’s first fully authorised bank dedicated to sporting communities, subject to Bank of England approval.
“Stevenage FC is exactly the kind of Club that shows why SPORTA exists. It is ambitious, innovative, community-led and built around people who care deeply about the Club and the town it represents,” said SPORTA co-founder and CEO Smith.
“This is a long-term partnership about working with Stevenage FC to understand the financial and operational needs of a modern football Club operating in an evolving and often fragmented ecosystem.
“To launch that partnership in the Club’s 50th anniversary year, and to see it come to life through SPORTA Arena, is a proud moment for us. Our role is to support the Club, including players, fans, and community and grassroots initiatives as Stevenage writes the next chapter of its story.”
Phil Wallace, Chairman of Stevenage FC, said: “We’re delighted to welcome SPORTA as a long-term partner of Stevenage FC and to announce the SPORTA Arena as the new home of our football club.
“This is far more than a naming rights agreement. From our very first conversations it was clear that SPORTA shared our vision, our ambition and our desire to make a positive impact beyond football. The naming of SPORTA Arena reflects the scale and ambition of our partnership.
“As our club continues to evolve, it is important that we work with partners who genuinely believe in what we are building. SPORTA is exactly that type of partner, and we look forward to developing an exciting relationship together over the coming years.”
Vicky Gosling OBE, SPORTA co-founder, said: “The strongest and most sustainable sports organisations are those that connect performance, people and long-term resilience. This partnership is about helping to create the conditions for a Club, its athletes and its community to perform at their best, financially and operationally in a complex changing environment.
“Stevenage has a powerful local story and a clear sense of identity. SPORTA’s ambition is to support that by bringing expertise, structure and long-term thinking to the financial and digital infrastructure around sport.”