Royal Oak FC, the Sunday league football club founded by sports personality Steve Bracknall, has signed an exclusive deal with leading global sports retailer Sports Direct, becoming the exclusive distributor of its football shirt and official merchandise.
This partnership sits at the heart of Sports Direct’s new multi-media campaign, TOGETHER AS ONE launching on 20 August, which celebrates the culture and stories that define grassroots football.
A spokesperson for Sports Direct said: “Grassroots football is the backbone of our national game. We’re delighted to partner with Steve Bracknall to launch the new Royal Oak shirt and merchandise, which we hope all football fans will want to wear with pride.”
Sports personality and Royal Oak FC founder Steve Bracknall will celebrate the launch with a national tour, visiting Sports Direct stores in Sheffield, his home city, as well as Manchester, Liverpool and London Oxford Street.
In addition to meeting Steve, fan favourite Bob the Bucket will also be at the Sports Direct store tours. Customers will be able to get 20% off the shirt and get free personalisation in each of the four stores.”
Steve Bracknall said: “A football shirt is never just a football shirt. It carries with it memories and represents what you stand for. The Royal Oak kit shines a light on a side of the game that’s easy to forget and often gets overlooked. It’s where we all came from. The muddy pitches, last minute winners on a sloped pitch and Sunday mornings dragging yourself out of bed, week in and week out.
“This shirt is a symbol of the grassroots game. It represents our community, commitment and belonging to something bigger than yourself. We’re proud of where we came from, we’re excited for where we are going and were ready to wear the Royal Oak colours with the same pride that has always defined us. It’s dedicated to every grassroots legend that’s ever given time to the beautiful game. Together as one. Steve.”
In collaboration with Under Armour, Royal Oak’s distinctive black and blue shirt champions the culture and character of grassroots football. The shirt and official merchandise will be available in multiple Sports Direct stores across the UK and Ireland, and online globally reflecting Sports Direct’s belief in the importance of grassroots football and the role it plays in communities across the country. The wider collection includes a bucket hat, beanie, cap, scarf and bag.
Steve, who in addition to ‘managing’ Royal Oak FC, hosts the BBC podcast Games Gone, has 1.7 million followers across social media.
