The Nike Partner Club Programme was established in conjunction with the FA in November 2013 with the aim of providing a range of benefits to aid with the development of sustainability of Charter Standard Clubs.  Open to Charter Standard Community and Development clubs, each Club will hold this status for three seasons and commit to wearing exclusively Nike match kit starting from season 2015/16.

The list of benefits includes but is not limited to:

• Coaching bursaries to the value of £80 per team in your club in the first year and £20 per team in the 3rd year of the agreement, bursaries can be redeemed against any FA or County FA accredited course or conference.
• The creation of a dedicated online Club web shop for members and supporters to view and purchase club branded Nike products
• Coaching and Club Workshops held at St. Georges Park & Wembley
• Entitlement to promote the club as one of an elite group of Nike Partner Clubs using the Nike Partner Club trade mark
• Chances to win match Tickets, Nike Product, Invites to Nike Events and Player Appearances.

• A dedicated online Club web shop for members and supporters to view and buy club branded Nike product.

Feedback from clubs that were selected for the programme in year one has been extremely positive with all clubs prospering from the ability to send more members on Coaching Courses and learning some valuable practices in coaching and club management during their days at St. Georges Park. In addition to the direct benefits a number of case studies have emerged of clubs finding it easier to attract new sponsorship as a result of their Nike Partner Club Status.

Steve Anderson, Joint Chairman at Royston Town Youth FC said: “Becoming one of the first Nike Partner Clubs has been great for us.  We’ve found it much easier to attract new sponsorship when we highlight our partnership with Nike and have raised enough sponsorship to kit out all 23 teams with new home kits.  We’re a growing club, with increasing player numbers, and we look and feel more professional, while parents and managers seem more willing to give up their time.  They see that as a club we are moving forward in a right direction to develop a good standard of youth football.”

To find more details or to register an interest in applying visit http://www.facharterstandard.co.uk/nikepartnerclub/ or email nikepartnerclub@nike.com