Hays, the world’s leading recruiting experts in qualified, professional and skilled people, is expanding its already strong relationship with City Football Group by partnering with the double title winning side.
Manchester City Women were crowned Women’s Super League and Continental Cup champions in 2016. The team has won more domestic trophies than any other WSL team since the League’s expansion to two leagues in 2014 and plays at the 7,000 seater stadium in the City Football Academy, where they will go head to head with Olympique Lyonnais this weekend in their first UEFA Women’s Champions League semi-final. Manchester City Women qualified for their historic semi-final place last month following a triumphant win over Danish side Fortuna Hjorring.
Interest in the WSL is growing fast; Manchester City Women reported a 48% increase in WSL game attendances in 2016 and has also achieved the League’s record attendance for the last two seasons. With football now the top participation sport for women and girls in England, and the fastest-growing participation sport in the UK, attendances are expected to continue to grow over the next few years.
Hays is currently the Official Recruitment Partner of Manchester City Football Club and New York City Football Club. Expanding this relationship with the City Football Group to now include the Manchester City Women’s team is a first for Hays as it represents their first foray into women’s sports. Hays plans to activate its partnership with one of the UK’s most exciting women’s sports teams using the club’s crest, player imagery and powerful brand messaging with a focus on producing content for digital and social media platforms, as well as match-day LED advertising and advertising in multiple domestic programmes each season.
Sholto Douglas Home, Hays Chief Marketing Officer, said: “This is a great opportunity to make our mark in elite level women’s football, a sport that is on the cusp of mainstream prominence and global recognition. It also enables us to further strengthen our relationship with City Football Group and support their vision and ambition in making the Club one of the world’s top women’s sports teams. We very much look forward to helping them accomplish their goals on and off the pitch, and are excited to be coming up with innovative ways of activating the partnership globally.”
Gavin Makel, Head of Women’s Football at Manchester City, added: “Hays is a world-leading organisation and we are delighted to welcome them on board as an official partner of Manchester City Women’s Football Club. As the women’s game continues to grow across the globe, we are always looking for unique and exciting ways to engage with our growing fan base. Working together, we look forward to providing even more people with an opportunity to get involved in one of the world’s most exciting sports.”
