Sportscard Group plc (‘the Company’ or ‘Sportscard’), the UK rewards-based credit card company, today announces that it has signed a three year partnership agreement with Hull City Football Club (‘HCFC’) to develop and market a rewards-based loyalty credit card for supporters of the football club.
The Company, whose endorsed marketing campaigns have previously enjoyed success rates several times the industry average, sees today’s announcement as another step towards achieving its goal of signing up 500,000 active cardholders over the next five years.
The deal will see Sportscard gain access to HCFC’s loyal fan base of 10,000 supporters. The Company will also become the main sponsor of the club, who play in Division Three of the English Nationwide Football League.
Holders of the HCFC Sportscard will be able to pay for their season tickets at a reduced rate on the card, at the same time earning ‘Sports Points’. These points can be used in full or part-exchange for sports merchandise (including HCFC merchandise at discounted rates), ‘hard to find’ tickets for major sporting events as well as towards the cost of sports and health club memberships. Cardholders will also be able to attend exclusive HCFC events.
The second stage of the agreement signed today provides for a unique extension of the loyalty credit card offering which would see Sportscard develop a ‘community credit card’ for Kingston upon Hull, the seventh largest city in the UK (an immediate catchment population of 640,000 people). The Hull Sportscard will be marketed directly to the people of Hull via Hull City Council’s own database to be supported by a local retail discount programme, designed to encourage people to spend with their Sportscard in leading local shops, restaurants and entertainments.
As part of the agreement Sportscard will be marketed as the official credit card of sport for Hull in the run-up to and after the opening of the community’s new super-stadium in 2002. Visitors to the super-stadium will be encouraged to sign up for a Hull Sportscard and receive benefits on leisure activities offered within the stadium.
Hull City engaged The Affinity Company, specialist affinity marketing consultants, to initiate and broker the partnership with Sportscard.
David Banford, Chief Executive, Sportscard Group plc said:
‘Today’s announcement sees a unique development in the marketing of loyalty credit cards. Sportscard is tapping into the loyalty felt by the community for their local football team and actively rewarding cardholders for this loyalty, taking the concept of lifestyle credit cards on to a new level. No other football affinity credit card enables the supporter to earn Sports Points with free benefits focused on the needs of those that passionate about sport.
‘In the future, our aim of creating a credit card tailored specifically to a local community will see residents benefit as a direct result of supporting their local sports facilities together with local merchants. The Hull Sportscard holder will be able to support the community and receive rewards for doing so. Sportscard will become the credit card of choice for all supporters of sport in Hull. We are delighted to be at the forefront of this regeneration programme not only for sports in Hull, but for the whole city.
Adam Pearson, Chairman of Hull City Football Club commented:
‘I am delighted to announce that Sportscard will be seen not only as Hull City A.F.C’s official main sponsor, but also their credit card supplier from this season.
‘Sportscard is the type of service and product that Hull City wants to be associated with. The Club is at the beginning of a new era and I sincerely welcome Sportscard as a major part of the regeneration of the Club.’
For more details contact:
Sportscard Group plc
David Banford, Chief Executive
Tel: +44 (0)20 7925 2500
Bell Pottinger Financial
Rebecca Fox/Oliver Jones
Tel: +44 (0)20 7353 9203