Sunderland have spent the last few years on an upward trajectory. They were promoted to the Championship in England two seasons ago and last season they reached the playoffs. In the years before that, they struggled in League One after spending considerable time in the Premier League.
However, they are still one of the biggest clubs in England and attract sponsorship from the biggest companies in the country. In this article, we’ll take a look at the industries that have appeared on the front of their shirt, from the glory days of the late 90s and early 2000s to the latest regeneration of the club.
1️⃣ month to go until the season starts!
— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) July 6, 2023
🆚 Ipswich Town
🏟️ Stadium of Light
⏱️ 5pm#SAFC pic.twitter.com/Yrjca6hP4u
Gambling
Much like many other clubs in the EFL, numerous companies from the gambling industry have sponsored Sunderland in recent years. They have partnered with sports betting firms, who offer odds on a range of sports, and bingo companies, who offer both online and physical bingo games.
These companies provide players the chance to sign up and play bingo games online. Players can choose between a number of different versions of bingo with various themes including fish, gold, and mythology. As Sunderland moves through the divisions, their sponsorship deals will increase in size and betting companies are one subset of companies that will be able to afford it.
Charity
Sunderland have also done their part for charity in recent years. They have had the name of two foundations on their shirts. Former striker Jermain Defoe was instrumental in one such deal with the Bradley Lowery Foundation as he had close ties with them.
This ended up helping the charity raise awareness for their cause of fundraising for the medical care of cancer patients. The other deal with Invest in Africa was the most lucrative in the club’s history at the time and promoted good causes in the continent which focused on the sustainable growth of small, local businesses.
Automotive
In total, Reg Vardy was emblazoned on the red and white stripes of Sunderland for eight years and this period covered their promotion attempts to the Premiership in the late 90s and their stay there in the early 2000s. Any fans with memories of Kevin Phillips and Niall Quinn, and their frightening little and large partnership, will remember the distinctive gold V on the front of the club’s shirts.
During this period the club managed to secure a seventh-place finish and moved into their Stadium of Light, which was newly built.
However, like all good things, the strike partnership came to an end, as did the sponsorship agreement. As it ended, so did the club’s upward trajectory and one of the most glorious periods in its history.
🚜 @SunderlandAFC away first up for @IpswichTown!
— Sky Bet Championship (@SkyBetChamp) June 22, 2023
🗣️ Here’s what manager Kieran McKenna had to say on their return to the #SkyBetChampionship…#EFL | #EFLFixtureReleaseDay pic.twitter.com/o7w4dmULvR
Sunderland is now a club on the up. The dark days of their Netflix documentary and the chaos that came with it are in the past. No sponsor could have seen the club as an attractive option as it fell into disrepair.
However, under new owners and Tony Mowbray’s guidance, the club is beginning to show signs of growth. For any companies looking to get their brand in front of a worldwide audience in the near future then Sunderland might be just the ticket to do so.