The home stadium of English Championship football club Hull City and Super League rugby league team Hull FC has seen its first change in naming rights partner since opening after MKM Building Supplies upgraded its association with the venue.
The builders’ merchant, which was founded in the East Riding of Yorkshire city, has agreed a five-year deal which will see the facility change from the KCOM Stadium to MKM Stadium.
The contract has been reached with the venue’s operator, Superstadium Management Company (SMC). MKM has been a long-standing supporter of the 25,000-seat stadium, most notably from its previous sponsorship of the South Stand.
MKM founder and Hull City honorary president, David Kilburn, said: “MKM are proud to have been associated with our local stadium ever since it opened in 2002 and we are delighted to take what we feel is this natural next step in our partnership.
“We were very conscious that the stadium is home to two clubs, so it is important that the signage we install reflects their identities, whilst also promoting the MKM brand. With that in mind we will step away from our traditional yellow and blue colours in some parts of the stadium, the inner bowl particularly, and hopefully give both clubs and sets of fans a stadium that they can be proud of.
“One of the visions for the stadium when it was built was for it to be the catalyst for sporting success in this city, which it has for both Hull City and Hull FC. It has also provided so much more than that and has developed a reputation for hosting top international sporting events and some of the biggest names in world music. We look forward to working with the Superstadium Management Company at a facility that remains at the heart of Hull.”
— Hull City (@HullCity) June 25, 2021
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The facility first opened as the KC Stadium in October 2002, before a rebrand from the telecommunications company that has held the naming rights saw it become the KCOM Stadium in 2016. SMC said it would continue to work closely with KCOM in the future.
Joe Clutterbrook, head of commercial and marketing for Hull City and SMC, added: “MKM have been great supporters of the stadium ever since it opened and their continued development as a company over the last couple of decades has mirrored the success that has been enjoyed by the stadium during that time.
“MKM have a strong community ethos and we very much look forward to working together in the coming years at a venue that is at the heart of the local community.”
Image: MKM
