‘The Reds’-AXA go from strength to strength

Article posted by Coliseum, November 3^rd, 2020

Image: Liverpool FC

The English professional football club Liverpool FC and the French multinational insurance firm AXA have expanded their partnership to include the naming rights of ‘The Reds’ new training center in Kirkby (UK), designed by architects KSS.

Andy Simons, Founding Director, KSS, UK, is a Member of Coliseum – Global Sports Venue Alliance.

The swanky facility will be officially known as the AXA Training Centre and marks the club’s first training complex naming partner.

Liverpool Football Club is a professional football club in Liverpool, England, that competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. Domestically, the club has won 19 League titles, seven Football Association (FA) Cups, a record eight League Cups and 15 FA Community Shields. The 53,394-capacity Anfield Stadium is the home of Liverpool FC.

As part of the renewed deal, AXA will expand its original training kit relationship to one that will give more impetus on holistic training per se and become the club’s official training partner, incorporating all Liverpool Football Club training apparel.

Jürgen Klopp’s (Manager of the club) boys are readying to move into the club’s new training facility in mid-to-late November, with the finishing touches being made in preparation.

Perfect fit

The Reds will move to the facility after bidding a fond and warm farewell to Melwood, which has been the club’s training ground for the last 70 years, thus beginning a new chapter in the club’s illustrious history that will see the first team and youth football operations come together at a combined training facility for the first time.

The plush 9,200 sqm AXA Training Centre enjoys three full-size pitches, goalkeeping and warm-up areas, and indoor facilities including two gyms, a full-size sports hall, pool, hydrotherapy complex and specialist sports rehabilitation suites.

Stated Billy Hogan, Liverpool FC’s Chief Executive Officer, “The expansion of AXA’s partnership to include the naming rights of the club’s new training center makes perfect sense. We have already seen their emphasis on driving health, well-being, confidence and self-belief, and so deepening their relationship in the field of training makes this partnership a great fit.”

Added Hogan, “We’re pleased to have AXA on board as we start this new chapter at the club and are proud to expand our relationship with a brand that shares our common values and aspirations both on and off the pitch.”

Watershed moment

Thomas Buberl, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), AXA, exulted, “We are extremely excited and proud by this landmark step in our partnership with Liverpool Football Club. The AXA Training Centre is a world-class facility that will forge a pathway of improvement, progress and success throughout the club’s first team and development squads. This culture and belief truly complement our values of helping people to go further through our tagline: ‘Know You Can’.”

A planning application for the addition of sponsor signage to the building has already been submitted to Knowsley Council and, subject to getting the nod, the same will be set up later this year.

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