University confident sponsorship deal adds up

Chartered Accountants Haines Watts will be Superleague netball side Team Bath’s Principal Sponsor for the next three years.

Haines Watts will now look to play an active part in supporting not just the elite side but also Team Bath’s academy sites in Truro, Bristol, Bath, Exeter, Hartpury, Glastonbury, Salisbury and Blandford Forum.

Geoffrey Fairclough, on behalf of Haines Watts, said: “We have both staff and clients who are already netball fans and this felt like a way of showing support for them, too.

“We have watched the growth of netball in our region and the strength, determination and professionalism of the women behind Team Bath netball who are making this a true South West success story on the national stage. We hope to help them continue to flourish on this journey.”

Team Bath netball franchise manager, Alicia John said: “At a time when women’s sport is feeling the impact of Covid cutbacks more significantly than men’s sport, we are delighted to make such an exciting announcement of funding and support.

“We will be able to form a true partnership with Haines Watts which will include an exchange of skills and expertise between business and sport at all levels.”

Stuart Doughty, Chair of the Team Bath Netball franchise, welcomed the partnership: “Haines Watts join us at a time of opportunity within the women’s sports landscape. We will work with energy to maximise their involvement with us at all levels and they join our existing partners, Centurion and Rengen, at a time when we are on the cusp of announcing an extremely eye-catching line-up for the 2020-21 season and have ambitious plans for the future.”

Stephen Baddeley, Director of Sport at the University of Bath, who introduced Haines Watts to the franchise, said: “The three-year basis of this deal give us the opportunity to learn from and promote each other.”

Team Bath netball are five-times Superleague champions and were topping the table when the 2020 season was cut short. More than 150 players, nurtured and developed by Team Bath, have gone on to play for England or other nations at varying levels.

The club is based at the University of Bath’s Sports Training Village, which is home to the 2,000-seat Team Bath Arena. The Haines Watts logo will appear on the team’s famous matchday Blue and Gold dresses.

The announcement of the 2020-21 season line-up will begin this week with, say the university, “the reveal of a leading England player who will wear the Blue and Gold of Team Bath this season”.

More announcements are anticipated throughout October and the 2020-21 season fixture dates are due to be published soon.