August 10 – Payments brand Zilch has announced a new partnership with Cardiff City, becoming the club’s Official Way to Pay and shorts sponsor.
It follows the template Zilch set with Arsenal last season, its first move into football sponsorship. The idea then, and now, was to do more than just a logo sponsorship, and instead give supporters real, tangible value, from matchday discounts to exclusive player access and free merchandise.
The Bluebirds are on an upward trajectory after a bounce-back promotion to the Championship having last played in the Premier League in the 2018-19 season. The Welsh club are a proud one club city, with a fiercely loyal fanbase, a distinct identity and deep community roots.
For fans, the deal delivers 10% off all stadium and in store purchases, food and drink included, when paying with Zilch, alongside player access and season long giveaways.
Zilch chief marketing officer Kirsty Spickett said it is a chance to prove the model travels. “Arsenal showed us what’s possible when you put fans genuinely at the centre of a partnership,” she said. “Cardiff City gives us the chance to prove that the same approach works in another football environment.”
Cardiff CEO Ken Choo welcomed the tie up. “Our supporters are at the heart of everything we do, so partnering with a brand that shares our commitment to delivering real value to our fans was a natural choice.”
Supporters’ Trust chairman Mike Spear said: “The cost of going to football is an ongoing concern for supporters,” he said. “Any initiative that reduces what it costs City fans attending games has to be a good thing.”
Contact the writer of this story at nick.webster@insideworldfootball.com