Birmingham City announce UNDEFEATED as new principal partner and club sponsor

NEW YORK, July 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Birmingham City Football Club has announced global streetwear brand UNDEFEATED as the club's new principal partner and sponsor. UNDEFEATED will be creative director on all future strategic merchandise and other marketing projects between the brand and the club, creating unique experiences for Birmingham City fans.

UNDEFEATED, founded in 2002, will be stepping into the football partnership world for the first time, with its iconic five-strike logo featuring on the Men's and Women's home and away shirts, as well as across the club's training range for the 2023/24 season. It will be the first time in the club's history that the same brand appears on the Men's and Women's jerseys simultaneously.  

The partnership is the first since Knighthead Capital Management LLC ("Knighthead"), as the sponsor of Shelby Companies Ltd, assumed responsibilities for all operations of the club. The collaboration between Knighthead, UNDEFEATED and Birmingham City is an example of what fans can expect from the club moving forward.

Opening their first chapter store on the West Coast of the United States more than 20 years ago, UNDEFEATED has made its reputation as a worldwide name in sportswear through collaborations with the likes of Nike, Air Jordan, Converse, Disney, Moncler, NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, MLS, UFC, Apple, Adidas, Burton Snowboards, EA Sports, Tudor, H. Moser & Cie, McLaren and other prestigious brands across various adjacent industries. 

UNDEFEATED also runs a private gym facility 'UACTP' (Undefeated Action Capabilities Training Program) in Los Angeles, CA founded on jiu-jitsu and technical training and is home to world renowned trainers and athletes. UACTP offers a lifestyle, training and accessories line with additional focus on community programming, holistic wellness and recovery.

Additionally, The UNDEFEATED Foundation was established in 2018 with a commitment to honour the brand's 20 years of philanthropic work in the community, empowering young athletes through access to sport, education, and nutrition – an element that aligns closely with the fan engagement strategy at Birmingham City going forward.

UNDEFEATED now operates in 23 retail chapter stores across the globe, including Las Vegas, San Francisco, Phoenix and New York in the United States in addition to Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo, Osaka and Hong Kong in Asia. UNDEFEATED has plans to open additional Chapter door locations in tier 1 cities in Asia in the coming months and will expand to European cities in the future.

James Bond, co-founder and co-owner of UNDEFEATED, said: "The exciting part about this unique partnership is the way we are able to join our brand, authentically through a deep association, with a leading professional sports organisation. It allows us to evolve beyond the streetwear category and grow authentically through sport. Since day one, UNDEFEATED has been a brand athletes wear in action, to and from the facility, so being on the jerseys and the pitch is authentic to our brand DNA".

Garry Cook, Chief Executive Officer at Birmingham City, said: "We are proud to call UNDEFEATED our partner. Our strategy is to work with brands who help us create unbelievable experiences for our fans. UNDEFEATED delivers this. It is a brand from the street, with an incredible following, driven by its focus on inspiring young people through creativity and attention to detail. Through this collaboration we will offer Birmingham City fans something unexpected and exciting. Birmingham on the rise again."

UNDEFEATED co-owner and CEO, Eric Cheng, said: "Birmingham City has such a rich history as a well-respected football club. Birmingham and UNDEFEATED share a similar brand ethos with the underdog mentality. We look forward to the opportunity to infuse a football club of such heritage and traditions with our sensibility and style through our creative inspiration. We are proud to have UNDEFEATED across the chest of the Birmingham City Football Club as its sponsor".

Birmingham City will be unveiling its first UNDEFEATED sponsored kits in the coming days.

About Knighthead Capital Management LLC
Knighthead Capital Management, LLC ("Knighthead") was co-founded in 2008 by Ara Cohen and Tom Wagner and currently has approximately $9.5 billion of assets under management. Knighthead is an event driven and deep value focused SEC registered investment advisor that specializes in investing in companies that need financial and operational restructuring. Knighthead has worked to create a diversified credit platform with an experienced team of investment professionals, specializing in credit analysis, sourcing, trading, and restructuring. Knighthead's long-term objective is to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns for its clients while emphasizing the preservation of capital. Knighthead manages assets across a variety of investment vehicles including a long/short Evergreen Hedge Fund, a number of Closed-End Credit Vehicles, a dedicated Real Estate Lending business and a sizable Insurance Asset Management business.

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SOURCE Knighthead Capital Management, LLC