Castore signs deal to market Umbro in the UK and parts of Europe

British sportswear brand Castore has completed a deal with Umbro licensee, GL Dameck, for an exclusive Umbro Professional Team Sports sub-license.

The deal will allow Castore to market the Umbro brand in the UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark.

In a company statement, Castore said: "As a brand with a rich history at the heart of sport and a deep and storied life in elite football, having created some of the most iconic strips of all time, Umbro has an exceptional legacy.

"Our digital expertise and highly agile global supply chain provides a model that has allowed us to disrupt the traditional dominance of Nike and Adidas. The ability to now market and supply the Umbro brand for team sports will elevate both Umbro and Castore to new levels.

"The agreement also signifies our first step towards a brand segmentation strategy, enabling us to take a significant position in the UK and European elite sports markets."

The new deal comes in the wake of Castore securing a £145 million investment in November 2023. It was said then that the investment would help support Castore’s efforts to "continue to disrupt the premium sportswear market and global team sports landscape".

Since its inception in 2015, Castore has rapidly grown to partner with over 50 leading sports teams worldwide through its digital first business model.

The brand currently supplies first team kits and fan merchandise for Premiership teams Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers, as well as the likes of Republic of Ireland, Sevilla FC and Athletic Club (Bilbao) in La Liga, and Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga.

The company will now apply its digital expertise to the marketing of Umbro’s "exceptional brand heritage and authenticity" and further expand the Umbro partnership portfolio, with fans remaining at the core of its strategy.

From the start of the 2024/25 season, Castore will have the exclusive right to seek to work with Umbro’s existing English Premier League team partners, including West Ham, AFC Bournemouth, Brentford and Luton Town, as well as English Football League clubs Ipswich Town, Huddersfield Town and Forest Green Rovers.

It will also supply, under the Umbro brand, to Heart of Midlothian in the Scottish Premiership, where Castore is already the global kit partner for Glasgow Rangers FC, and England Rugby men’s and women’s teams "at a time of heightened interest in the sport during the Guinness Six Nations".

Co-founder of Castore, Tom Beahon, said: "We are delighted to bring together Castore’s innovative digital platform, and investments in supply and distribution, with one of football’s great heritage brands, in Umbro, to reach a new generation of fans. Umbro is a global brand which is woven into the heart and soul of football culture, and this deal represents the first step in the next chapter of Castore’s continued progress."

Ewan Scott, CEO and Co-Founder of GL Dameck, added: "We are delighted to partner with Tom, Phil, and their team in this groundbreaking elite sports relationship. Castore’s technology-led approach combined with Umbro’s century of authenticity in sports enables both partners to increase visibility on the field of play, whilst providing consumers with first class kit design and innovation."