The Premier League (PL) team, Liverpool FC (LFC) have announced a multi-year partnership extension with one of the largest publishing houses in Japan, Kodansha.
Kodansha, LFC’s official publishing partner, began working with the team in 2021 and has consented to an early renewal, demonstrating its commitment to the club’s future and willingness to establish a legacy with LFC.
The new agreement sees Kodansha expand its association with Liverpool FC to include both the men’s and women’s teams, which will aid in the future expansion of Liverpool FC Women. This occurs at a thrilling time as the team prepares to relocate to Melwood later this year.
The association attempts to ‘Inspire Impossible Stories’ by motivating future generations via its community work, and the ‘Creative Works’ programme, run in collaboration with the LFC Foundation, allows children and young adults to convey themselves through creativity and storytelling.
With this new deal, the programme will be expanded into the United States, and Kodansha and the LFC Foundation are going to capitalise on the effect they have already made in the United Kingdom.
Through this collaboration, LFC has assisted Kodansha in increasing brand exposure abroad and reaching untapped people, all while inspiring a younger generation. During this time, LFC and Kodansha have linked with over 850 school children in Liverpool, while also assisting nearly 40 young people to graduate through the LFC Foundation’s Creative Works project.
Most recently, Kodansha, LFC and LFC Foundation exhibited within the famous Tate Liverpool, providing a chance for local children, artists and visitors to be inspired, creative and enjoy art.
Ben Latty, Commercial Director, Liverpool FC, said, “We are delighted to announce the extension of our partnership with Kodansha, even more so following on from the incredible displays in Tate Liverpool a few weeks ago. Our activations with Kodansha over the last two years truly embody the term ‘partnership’. There is a true alignment in values between LFC and Kodansha, which we are excited to build upon.
“This extension will see significant support and focus on the brilliant work of LFC Foundation and see us expand that work into the USA. It’s also pleasing to see Kodansha extend their support of the club to both the men’s and women’s teams.”
Tokuo Kanemaru, Senior Vice President and COO, Kodansha, said, “We take great pride in the extension of this agreement, which allows us to be a part of Liverpool FC’s illustrious history and to leave our legacy. Let’s continue to join hands and inspire people all over the world together. Furthermore, our partnership with the women’s team is profoundly meaningful to us. We hope that this partnership will serve as a catalyst for their further achievements and will continue to captivate audiences with its creativity.”