Northampton Saints today announced that it will be the first European rugby club to wear kit made by Burrda.
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The Saints and Burrda have signed a six-year deal. As well as providing the Saints team kit, Burrda have also secured naming rights for the South Stand at Franklin's Gardens, which will now be known as the Burrda Stand.
Swiss brand Burrda is a well established sportswear supplier in the Middle East and is now expanding worldwide. The company has signed kit deals for the coming football season with Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers, Leicester City and Watford and is the official supplier to the British Handball Association and several national football associations.
Burrda has selected Northampton Saints as launch partner for the company's introduction of a brand new rugby union kit range.
The brand new home and away kit for 2010/11 will be unveiled in full in August. However the club can reveal that the design for the home kit is a return to the black, green and gold hoops that were first worn by the team in 1923 and became famous with such playing luminaries as Dickie Jeeps, Jeff Butterfield, Gary Pearce and Tim Rodber all pulling on the shirt.
"Burrda has recognised the value of the Saints as a springboard into rugby union," said Saints chief executive Allan Robson. "They have ambitions to become one of the most recognised brands in the manufacture of sports kit worldwide, which match our own goal of becoming the leading club in European rugby.
"They see their sponsorship as an investment in the club and its future, hence the long-term kit deal and naming of the Burrda Stand. Naturally we are very pleased that they wanted the Saints to be their flagship team as they look to expand into rugby union.
"Both ourselves and Burrda are very excited by the new partnership. We have already established an excellent working relationship and believe that we can both achieve consistent growth through offering quality products and outstanding design.
"We are certainly very pleased with our new shirt design and think that Saints supporters will be too. The black, green and gold hoops have a long and proud history and our new playing shirt brings that into the 21st century."
Charles Diab, Burrda's General Manager, added: "Coming onboard with Northampton Saints is another significant milestone in our strategic plan for entering the UK sports market. The club's profile, prestige and fan base is an exact fit as our perfect partner, which is why we we're so happy to sign a significant six-year deal.
"The club has enjoyed increased success in recent seasons, particularly in their run last season to the Premiership semi-finals and LV= Cup ***le and being the only English club to reach the Heineken Cup quarter finals, and we are looking forward to helping play a part in maintaining this momentum and to see them challenging at the very top.
"This is the third sport we have entered in the UK now which has quickly shown how serious we are about meeting our own challenge of becoming a leading sportswear brand here in the UK and globally within ten years."
The Saints kit for 2010/11 will be revealed in full in early August.
http://www.northamptonsaints.co.uk/news/6762.php
Hooped shirts, Yay! Looks like Rhino are in serious financial trouble though, that's several clubs who they've lost now.
