Auckland FC – Your New Home Team! Powered by Benefitz printing and signage solutions
Benefitz are thrilled to be working with Auckland’s exciting new football club as their printing and signage partner.
If there was a blueprint for setting up a new professional sports club then Auckland FC looks to be about perfect. The world’s biggest game, wealthy and successful owners with proven track records, topped off with an enthusiastic and experienced management team. Tick, tick, tick!
That proved to be the case when Auckland FC kicked off with a 2-0 win against Brisbane in their debut A-League match held at Go Media (Mt Smart) Stadium on Saturday 19 October, with a full stadium of fans.
Benefitz has played a significant part during the establishment phase of the new club. This has included producing a wide range of signage and printing.
“What we have done for Auckland FC really does show the wide capability of our offering,” said Benefitz Senior Account Manager Dan Ellensohn, following the first match in October. “We looked after all the signage and rebranding at Go Media Mt Smart Stadium and a whole lot more.”
In the set-up phase, signage that Benefitz has provided for Auckland FC has included: stadium sponsor signage at Go Media Stadium; billboards at Go Media Stadium; merchandise container branding and merchandise menus/price lists; team van vehicle branding; ticketing signage; media walls and inflatable tents for events and matchday; DJ booth branding; Auckland FC Supporters Club TIFO banner and coloured cards; flags and signage for Auckland FC city offices and signage at Auckland FC training base (North Harbour Stadium).
There has also been a lot of printed items produced by Benefitz. These have included: business cards, flyers, posters for clubs, 15,000 matchday posters, accreditation and member passes, stickers and postcards. Other branded items produced have included gym bags, pennants and table cloths.
“Being involved with helping to launch this completely new start-up professional club has been lots of fun for our team,” adds Dan Ellensohn, himself a former All White and professional footballer. “Everything is totally new which allows for creativity and a little bit of chaos. As you can see by the full stadium and success of that first match, and the popularity of the merchandise, the Auckland FC crew have done a wonderful job in bringing the new entity to life. I reckon the Benefitz team have played a solid part as well. The print and signage looks great!”
Auckland FC is one of many sporting investments for the club’s lead investor Bill Foley who was in Auckland for the debut match. He is the lead investor, chairman and CEO of Black Knight Sports and Entertainment, a consortium that owns the ice hockey club Vegas Golden Knights. He is managing general partner of Black Knight Football and Entertainment, which owns English Premier League club AFC Bournemouth, and has a stake in French Ligue One club FC Lorient. Earlier this year the Black Knight organisation also became a significant minority shareholder in Scottish football club Hibernian FC. Bill Foley has has other investments in New Zealand, including Foley Wines (five wineries in Martinborough, Marlborough and Central Otago), a restaurant group with venues in Auckland, Wellington and Queenstown (including the iconic Soul Bar in Auckland), and luxury lodge Wharekauhau on the South Wairarapa Coast. Husband and wife duo of Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams are also key investors in the club.
Auckland FC is known at the ‘Black Knights’, and their aim is for the whole of the Auckland region to embrace them as their new home team. They have made a great start.
“Being part of the community is very important to us and is something that Bill (Foley) does wherever he invests,” explained Auckland FC CEO Nick Becker, at the launch earlier in the year. “Ambition is hugely important as well; we will fight on and off the pitch. The Foley way is to always advance and never retreat. We will also be focused on creating pathways for our talent, with the added opportunity for players to play for other Foley owned Black Knight teams in the UK (AFC Bournemouth), France (FC Lorient) and Scotland (Hibernian FC) being a bonus. We believe the final value of being here for all of Auckland is very important, ensuring we are weaving together the many cultures that will help us grow and be successful.”
