freshbaked enter the Devils' lair as title sponsor

The Cardiff Devils are skating into the 09/10 Elite League Season with a new title sponsor.

Cardiff-based freshbaked, the business services group, become the principal corporate sponsors for the new season taking over from CommsDirect, as the Devils embark on a campaign to work their way up the league table.

As headline sponsors of the Cardiff Devils, fast-growing freshbaked is looking to build its own brand alongside the team’s success, while also working in partnership with the team to help it achieve its vision of becoming a true force within British Ice Hockey.

As well as extensive branding opportunities in and around the ice rink and on the players shirts and vehicles, the freshbaked Group will benefit from ten HSBC Business Club Season Tickets which it can use to entertain clients and involvement in the Devil’s Community Foundation which ensures the Devils engage, cultivate and develop strong relationships within the community of south Wales.

In return, the Devils have selected the marketing and public relations services of freshbaked PR in order to improve the awareness of the club, the brand and the fixtures over the forthcoming season.

freshbaked has experienced tremendous growth within the services sector since being established by husband and wife team, Richard and Kate Matthews, in 2004 and the group now comprises freshbaked Training, freshbaked Corporate, freshbaked Business, freshbaked Communications, freshbaked PR, limegreentangerine and most recently recruitment division freshbaked People.

Managing director of the freshbaked Group, Richard Matthews says: “We are very proud of our Welsh roots and therefore see it as being very apt to support Wales’s only professional ice hockey team. It also fits in with our brand, in terms of being something a bit unique. “Like us the Devils are entering a very exciting era and it is a great time for us to get involved. As we enter new markets, particularly recruitment, the sponsorship will allow us to raise greater awareness of our product offering to a wider audience as they have such a great following.

“Matt and the team have made great strides into revolutionizing the club and laying solid foundations for the future. We are looking forward to working with the team, promoting its offering through freshbaked PR, and winning plenty of silverware over the coming season.”

The new generation Cardiff Devils was launched last year after Matt Burge, CEO of CommsDirect bought out the club. Since then a number of improvements have been made to the management and the team and there has been investment into improving the match night experience, rebranding the cardiffdevils.com website and introducing Devils TV for the very first time.

Owner and chairman of the club, Matt Burge says: “Last year was a very busy year for the team. We enjoyed some great successes and as we move into our second year, the challenge was always to better ourselves. We have worked hard in building some great on- and off-ice products that we believe will increase enjoyment and attendance. We are also increasing our marketing efforts with our new website, Devils TV and the appointment of freshbaked PR who will work with us to drive greater awareness of the Devils, particularly in the larger business community.

“While this is only the start of our journey, with organisations like freshbaked on board, we are looking forward to a successful future for the team.”

freshbaked join a whole host of other corporate sponsors for the new season including HSBC, Spire Healthcare, Comms Direct, Acorn, Cardiff Business School and Principality.

Devils director of hockey Shannon Hope, says: “The 09/10 season is going to be the most exciting yet for the Cardiff Devils and it is great to have freshbaked on board as the title sponsor for the year. It is extremely important for us to have the right companies working with us as we see it as more of a partnership rather than a sponsorship that has mutually beneficial opportunities for both parties involved. freshbaked will get the spin off from being associated with one of Wales’s top sporting teams, while the Devils will benefit from having the support of the group, access to its extensive client base for further sponsorship opportunities that exist, and the expertise of freshbaked PR in helping us to gain wider awareness of the fantastic offering we have here.”

The new look Devils team will take to the ice at the Cardiff Bay Arena for the first time this season with a ‘friendly’ against Coventry on 29th August.