Bath Spa University has struck an historic partnership with Bath City FC as official sponsor of the club’s Twerton Park ground.
While the 4,000-capacity stadium, pictured, will keep the name Twerton Park, the official title will become ‘Twerton Park sponsored by Bath Spa University’.
The semi-professional club, whose men’s team plays in the National League South – the sixth tier of English football – and the university said the move signified the start of an “ambitious ongoing partnership” that will include work and volunteering opportunities for students and university staff, community engagement programmes, curriculum development and student experience initiatives.
The university will also co-sponsor Bath City Women’s teams for the 2023/24 season.
Bath Spa University business development manager Hannah Whiting said teaming up with the club was the latest in a long list of community and cultural partnerships for the university as it continued to embed itself in the local community.
“Not only will we have opportunities for our students to be able to come in and work within the club environment, but we also want local people to find ways to study at and work with the university,” she added.
“It's not just about football. A football club is so much more than that, it’s a business, and it’s an important community asset.
“It’s a time when everyone comes together on match day, to meet each other, to interact and that's so, so important. We hope our students and our staff will also be coming down so that they can all mix together and have a really great time.”
She said another benefit for students would be work experience opportunities at the club, which is mainly run by volunteers.
“Our students will offer support and those extra pairs of hands, both on match days and beyond,” she said.
“The partnership is also important for bringing an added dimension to our curriculum and there’s a wide range of different subjects that are going to be involved.
“We're really excited and we hope that we will be able to support the football club as it moves its next chapter in its history.”
Bath City FC manager Jerry Gill also described the partnership as not just about playing football, but embracing the local community.
“The club has been here since 1932 and will remain to be known as Twerton Park, but it’s also important for Bath Spa University’s name to be recognized,” he said.
“To have such a strong partnership with our sponsors such as Bath Spa is vitally important because it helps us grow as a club, on and off the pitch.
“We’re not fortunate enough to be a football club where we’ve got huge benefactors, so we must find ways to generate interest and finances to remain here as a football club.
“Bath is a very sporty city and, in recent years, we have seen a growth in interest of people supporting their local club.
“I’ve seen the crowds increase and the attendance has gone up. Everyone is welcome at the stadium; students, staff, fans and by joining forces with Bath Spa University, hopefully Bath City FC can go from strength to strength.”
Bath City FC, known as The Romans, was founded in 1889. Following a successful campaign in 2016 backed by many businesses in the city, it is now owned members of the local community through the Bath City Supporters Society.
The first match to be played under the new partnership is tomorrow when Bath City FC men’s first team face Maidstone United.
Pictured above, from left: Bath City FC director Peter Headington, Bath Spa University business development manager Hannah Whiting, Bath city FC mananger Jerry Gill and Tom Gardner, project manager, academic planning, Bath Spa University. Photo by Niklas Aarre, Bath Spa University
