Castore, the leading performance sportswear brand and global supplier of sports apparel, today announces it has partnered with Newcastle University in a landmark deal that represents a significant step for the brand in the higher education sector.
Under the terms of the deal, Castore will develop and supply a multi-sport playing kit for Newcastle University’s clubs and students, as well as training kits and accessories. Castore’s performance sportwear will be available to more than 5,000 students at the university.
This contract with Newcastle bolsters Castore’s commitment in supporting the performance of players on talent pathways to professional sport through working with one of the Top 10 Universities for student sport in the UK. Castore also develops their offer for those participating at grassroots level while at university, with provision of all playing and training kit to over 65 sport clubs. Castore has also created an end-to-end student design, order and completion process, simplifying the student purchasing process and creating unique direct connection between customers and central brand management teams.
Newcastle University selected Castore due to its proven track record and reputation for high-quality, high-performance sports clothing balanced against an accessible price point for students. The university was also eager to ensure that the sportswear worn by staff and students reflects their continued success and ambitions within sport, connecting the Team Newcastle brand with an international brand synonymous with performance and dynamism.
Further connections exist as, in 2016, Castore received support and mentorship through Newcastle University’s START UP Foundership programme, a pre-accelerator which supports early-stage business opportunities, playing a crucial role in the brand’s successful launch and early growth.
Tom Beahon, co-founder and co-CEO of Castore said: “This partnership is an incredibly exciting one for Castore. It represents a significant move building on the progress we have already made in disrupting this sector, which we feel has had very little innovation in decades. We are proud to be partnering with Newcastle University, continuing to kit out the professional athletes of the future and strengthening our support for grassroots sport. We are looking forward to disrupting the education market further, with this partnership being a major step in our journey to doing so.
“Newcastle University’s Performance Sport is incredibly impressive, regularly being ranked top ten in the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) and its BUCS Premier League teams compete at the highest level within the higher education sector. My brother and co-founder Phil is also a proud alumnus of the university, so it felt like the perfect fit for us to reinforce our support for the grassroots sporting community and the talent pipeline of professional players.”
Katy Storie, Newcastle University Director of Sport said: “We are thrilled to announce this partnership with Castore, reconnecting with a brand with roots at the University. We are extremely proud of our students’ achievements in sport and potential for further growth and success – and we feel Castore match this performance direction with their internationally recognised kit and strong brand identity.”
Castore partners with some of the world’s most impressive sports teams including McLaren F1; Oracle Red Bull Racing; the England Cricket Board, Everton FC, Glasgow Rangers and Bayer Leverkusen.
