NFL UK signs up new partners ahead of Twickenham debut

The NFL UK division of the National Football League has agreed sponsorship deals with tyre manufacturer Bridgestone and bagel producer New York Bakery.

Bridgestone will serve as the official tyre of NFL UK, while New York Bakery has been appointed as the organisation’s official bagel sponsor. The length of the agreements were not disclosed.

The announcement comes as London’s Twickenham Stadium prepares to stage a regular-season game for the first time on October 23, when the Los Angeles Rams take on the New York Giants. Bridgestone will be the presenting sponsor of the game.

Phil Pasci, vice-president of sports and events marketing at Bridgestone Americas, said: “Bridgestone is working to become a major player in the global sports landscape, and the development of the NFL in the United Kingdom and the place the International Series now occupies on the sporting calendar in the UK represents an important piece of our overall marketing strategy.”

Meanwhile, New York Bakery commenced its partnership with NFL UK on October 1 when it participated in the ‘NFL on Regent Street’ initiative. The company operated a bagel stall to serve the estimated 600,000 people who gathered in London’s West End to meet players from the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Indianapolis Colts, who contested an International Series match at Wembley Stadium the following day.

New York Bakery will also launch on-pack NFL promotions in major supermarkets across the UK.