Sunderland-Delaware to delight fans’ palates

Article posted by Coliseum, July 9^th, 2025

Image: Stadium of Light, Mrs Logic, CC BY 2.0

The Premier League team Sunderland A.F.C. has announced a landmark partnership with Delaware North, a global leader in hospitality and foodservice management, as the club’s new premium hospitality provider at their home arena – the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, England (UK) – marking a new era in matchday and event experiences for the supporters.

‘Delaware North’ stated that the Delaware North arrives on Wearside (Sunderland, UK) with an exceptional track record of delivering premium hospitality experiences at some of the world’s most iconic sporting venues. In the United Kingdom this includes the 60,704-capacity Emirates Stadium in Holloway, London, the 68,013-capacity London Stadium in Stratford, London, and the 90,000-capacity Wembley Stadium in Wembley, London.

The Sunderland A.F.C. is a professional football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England (UK). The team competes in the Premier League, the top tier of the English football league system.

The Stadium of Light is an all-seater football stadium in Sunderland, England (UK) and the residence of the Sunderland A.F.C. With space for 49,000 spectators the Stadium of Light is the 10^th-largest football stadium in England.

Buffalo (US)-based the Delaware North is a global leader in the hospitality and entertainment industry. The company annually serves more than a half-billion guests across three continents including at high-profile sports venues, airports, national and State parks, restaurants, resorts, hotels, and casinos. Building on more than a century of enduring partnerships and a commitment to the local communities and sustainability Delaware North’s vision is to delight the guests by creating the world’s best experiences today while reimagining tomorrow.

‘Delaware North’ further stated that globally the Delaware North operates hospitality and merchandise services at more than 50 major venues. These include the 1, 00,024-capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia, the 46,000-capacity Busch Stadium (home of the Major League Baseball [MLB] team St. Louis Cardinals) in St. Louis, Missouri, US, the 81,441-capacity Lambeau Field (abode of the National Football League [NFL] team Green Bay Packers) in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and the 82,500-capacity MetLife Stadium (home facility of the NFL teams New York Giants and the New York Jets) in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The company also owns and operates all aspects of the 19,580-capacity TD Garden in Boston, home of both the National Hockey League (NHL) team Boston Bruins and the National Basketball Association (NBA) team Boston Celtics.

The long-term agreement will see Delaware North collaborate with the Sunderland A.F.C. to produce exceptional food and beverage (F&B) offerings and elevated services across matchdays, concerts and events throughout the club’s general admission (GA) and premium spaces.

Building on last Summer’s stadium developments this will be led by a significant seven-figure investment in the club’s concourse spaces – the most in this area since the Stadium of Light opened in 1997 – to further reaffirm the Sunderland A.F.C.’s commitment to delivering the best matchday and event experiences for all the supporters.

Ahead of the 2025-2026 Premier League seasons this will feature refurbished concourse environments and enhancements to the food and beverage (F&B) offering including a wider selection of beers and collaborations with the local vendors underpinned by new technology to significantly increase the speed and quality of service.

From the concourses to the stadium’s most exclusive premium spaces including the Banks on the Wear (luxury dining experience) and the 76 Yards experiences (street food-style dining) which will see the Michelin star chef and Sunderland fan Tommy Banks take centre stage, the fan journey will be elevated across every touchpoint with the industry-leading servicing and innovation at the heart of a redefined operation.

Enthused David Bruce, Chief Business Officer (CBO), Sunderland A.F.C., “This is a hugely exciting development for the Sunderland A.F.C. and our supporters. Last Summer we reimagined our retail experience with a global leader and this partnership with the Delaware North will now take our General Admission and premium experiences to a new level. Partnering with the Delaware North will enable us to offer world-class experiences that are built around the fan with innovation and technology ensuring speed and service excellence. They place the supporters and the local culture at the heart of each of their bespoke offerings making them a natural partner for our club. We are truly thrilled to be collaborating with them and can’t wait for our fans to experience what is coming to the Stadium of Light.”

Added Doug Tetley, Managing Director (MD), Delaware North UK, “We are honored to partner with the Sunderland A.F.C. The Stadium of Light is a special place with a passionate fanbase and we are excited to bring our global experience and innovation to this iconic venue. Our goal is to deliver memorable moments for every supporter who walks through the gates.”

As the Sunderland A.F.C. continues its journey on and off the field this partnership with Delaware North will continue to elevate all experiences at the Stadium of Light as the Club continues to strive to place supporters at the heart of the action.

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