Barclays serves up an ace with Wimbledon sponsorship

Barclays has today announced a new multi-year deal to be the Official Banking Partner to The Championships Wimbledon. In addition to sponsoring the event, Barclays bank has committed to making the largest ever donation to the Wimbledon Foundation by an Official Partner.

Group Head of Sponsorship and Media at Barclays, Tom Corbett, said: “The partnership unites two iconic British institutions. As well as partnering with the world-renowned tennis event, we will also work closely with the Wimbledon Foundation. This will translate into a joint commitment to deliver a lasting impact and create opportunities for all through sport.”

Writing on Linkedin, Corbett thanked the bank’s partners M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment, IMG Media and Megan Carver.

As part of the campaign, Barclay’s also announced that American tennis star Frances Tiafoe will be the bank’s new brand ambassador. Tiafoe commented, “Growing up, playing at Wimbledon was my dream, so to be an Ambassador for Barclays, the new banking partner for Wimbledon, is very special.”

From a sponsorship point of view, this partnership ticks all the right boxes. The Championships provide significant brand awareness for Barclay’s, with an estimated global audience of over 53 million streaming last year’s tournaments. The Wimbledon fanbase is substantial and highly aligned with Barclay’s target audience. IMG reported that 81% of fans are from the ABC1 demographic.

In terms of brand values, Barclay’s and The Championships are once again a good match. Respect, integrity, service, stewardship and excellence are not just the adjectives one might use to describe Wimbledon; they are also the core stated values of Barclay’s bank.

The final act that makes this partnership a triple threat is Barclay’s commitment to using its sponsorship to contribute to the sport in general positively. Such a significant donation to the Wimbledon Foundation at the commencement of this project is undoubtedly a sign of many excellent campaigns and activations to come. Two hundred twenty-two days to go until the first ball is served, but we are already excited for Wimbledon 2023!