SumUp becomes Newcastle United's training-kit partner and plans a co-branded fan card

SumUp signed a multi-year deal on 21 August as Newcastle United's official training-kit partner, covering the men's, women's and academy teams, and became presenting partner of the Newcastle United Business Club. Regional business press put the deal at around GBP 15m. The two will also launch a co-branded card giving supporters discounts at club outlets and participating businesses across the UK.

SumUp is buying distribution, not just visibility: the Business Club and the co-branded card are merchant-acquisition channels aimed at the North East SMEs it already serves, and a card programme is a second product to sell into that base. It is the kind of spend a company lines up before an IPO, and SumUp has had banks mandated for a London listing since April.

Whether the co-branded card is issued on SumUp's own banking stack, whether the Business Club converts into measurable merchant sign-ups, and what the marketing line looks like in the IPO prospectus.

• fintech.global
• European Sponsorship Association