The oldest club in Wales and the third-oldest professional association football team in the world, Wrexham AFC have announced a partnership with one of the largest and fastest-growing cold brew coffee brands in the U.S., STōK Cold Brew Coffee.
Following the partnership, STōK has been named the official sponsor of Wrexham AFC’s home stadium, The Racecourse Ground.
This sponsorship’s already a smashing success. Welcome to the @Wrexham_AFC team, official stadium sponsor @stokcoldbrew.
— Wrexham AFC (@Wrexham_AFC) May 25, 2023
🔴⚪️ #WxmAFC pic.twitter.com/4Ps95MIVtd
The oldest international football stadium in the world will receive a sponsor for the first time starting on July 1, 2023. By retaining the ancient “Cae Ras” or “Racecourse” as a part of the official stadium name, STōK is devoted to celebrating and honouring the heritage of the club and valued stadium: STK Cae Ras | STK Racecourse.
Wrexham AFC, Co-Chairmen Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, said, “We wanted a stadium sponsor that captured the vitality and energy of Wrexham Association Football Club while also, like Welsh, being a bit of a learning experience to say. STōK Cold Brew Coffee fit the bill perfectly. We’re incredibly excited and a little over-caffeinated.”
The club advisory board, which is made up of supporter representatives, was consulted about and approved the idea of adding a stadium sponsor name to the Cae Ras/Racecourse.
Despite not selling cold brew in the UK, STōK is just as much invested in the success of Wrexham as it does in cold brew coffee. Wrexham and STōK are fundamentally similar to one another as they are both regional favourites that are acquiring recognition internationally.
Brittney Polka, Vice President of Ready-to-Drink Beverages at Danone North America, commented, “Some may wonder why a U.S.-based cold brew brand would sponsor a tea-drinking Welsh football team. The answer: STōK is all about bold moves. We were captivated by the story of Wrexham—the team, the fans, and the community—and we’re honored to be welcomed into the Wrexham family. We’ll be cheering on the Red Dragons and raising our cold brews from afar.”
Humphrey Ker, Executive Director of Wrexham AFC, said, “We are delighted to welcome STōK to the Wrexham family. Having secured the support of the Club Advisory Board and understanding that the majority of fans were happy for the stadium to be sponsored, we were delighted to partner with one of the fastest growing cold brew coffee brands in the U.S., as their ambitions and upward trajectory matches our own.”
For the first time in the club’s history, the first team squad will visit the United States with STōK serving as the official sponsor for the much-awaited Wrexham AFC American tour.