10 Minutes With … Newcastle United Football Club on Building a Global Licensing Program from the Ground Up

License Global: Newcastle United is venturing into global licensing for the first time. What are your reasons for this strategic move and why have you chosen to make this move now?

Leigh Simpson: Newcastle United has a long history of working with kit partners and licensees to produce licensed products, but this is the first time that the club will operate a cross-category global licensing program that’s aligned with the world’s biggest football brands. 

The launch of the club’s in-house retail and licensing function ahead of the 2024/25 season, which coincided with the launch of our prestigious partnership with adidas, has given us the opportunity to build a global licensing program from the ground up, supported by best-in-class strategies, processes and resources.

From a commercial and brand development perspective, our core strategic ambition is to use the power of brand licensing to reach, engage and better serve Newcastle United supporters around the world.

We’re already seeing the benefits of working with leading licensees to extend the Newcastle United brand into new territories, product categories and retail channels, and there is much more on the horizon.

Leigh Simpson, Newcastle United Football Club

Have you found interest in the club has increased over the last 12 months, following its qualification for the Champions League for the first time in 20 years and how important is it to capitalize on that now, when trying to attract new global fans to the club, in a highly competitive space?

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Newcastle United is on an incredible journey, and that was typified by qualifying for the Champions League, reaching a domestic cup final and so many other stand-out moments, performances and results.

Those moments and milestones can’t help but inspire people, and there has been a tangible increase in engagement and interest from around the world in recent seasons.

The challenge for us is to capture and maintain that momentum off the pitch, and we have been working hard to build out our product ranges, services and the way we deliver them to ensure we enhance supporters’ connection with the club wherever they are.

We have experienced an upsurge in so many key engagement metrics, and that is key to ensuring we continue to reach, engage and grow our fanbase to support the club’s long-term objectives.

What are you looking for in a licensing partner, and how are you going about identifying those potential partners? 

We’re looking for licensees that can demonstrate the ability to support the club’s exciting journey, helping us to become one of the world’s leading licensed sports properties.

Prospective licensees are reviewed against a selection framework to assess program “fit,” which broadly covers commercial and brand development criterion. We also consider the impact on other business areas, such as the club’s owned-and-operated retail channels and our brand partnerships program.

All our licensees are category leaders and demonstrate this program fit in abundance.

Ex-Newcastle United Shola Ameobi player signing a fan's shirt

You are exhibiting at BLE for the first time this year. What will you be highlighting and showcasing at your stand, and who will you be looking to meet at the show?

We’re incredibly excited to be showcasing Newcastle United in this way for the first time at Brand Licensing Europe. It’s a unique opportunity for prospective licensees to experience the club’s global licensing program and the licensed products we have successfully launched to date.

We’re interested in meeting leading licensees and international agents to discuss opportunities in both traditional and non-traditional categories, and we welcome enquiries via the BLE Event Planner.

What can we expect from Newcastle United for the remainder of 2024 and into 2025? 

The 2024/25 season promises to be another hugely exciting one for our men’s and women’s teams, who both enjoy incredible support from a hugely passionate fanbase. From a licensing perspective, we plan to continue our exciting growth trajectory with the appointment of 50-plus licensees and multiple regional agents.

Our new holograms and trims offering is scheduled to go live ahead of Q4, supported by industry-leading licensing management software to take our business operations to the next level.

The team’s business development efforts will cover mono-brand, co-branded and digital product opportunities, as well as engaging international retail operators.

There’s lots to do, but it’s an exciting journey ahead!

Brand Licensing Europe takes place at ExCeL London Sept. 24-26. Visit Newcastle United Football Club at stand E247.

Register for your free ticket for Brand Licensing Europe 2024.