BSE Global news: Barclays (with no retail branches) becomes New York Liberty's official banking partner; new VP of Communications named.

Barclays To Become the Official Banking Partner of WNBA’s New York Liberty, BSE Global announced March 27:

NEW YORK – Barclays and New York Liberty today announced a new multi-year partnership in which Barclays will become the team’s Official Banking Partner, in a deal that includes marquee jersey patch placement beginning with the 2024 WNBA season. This partnership, one of the largest injections of sponsorship capital in Liberty history, underscores a mutual commitment to advancing gender equity on and off the court.

Barclays’ investment in the New York Liberty adds to the existing strong partnership with BSE Global and accompanies the bank’s existing Barclays Center naming rights and Brooklyn Nets team sponsorship. This deal reinforces Barclays’ commitment to women’s sports, a commitment underpinned by the title sponsorships of the Barclays Women’s Super League and Barclays Women’s Championship, the top two leagues of professional women’s soccer in the UK, which remains the largest investment by a brand into Women’s Sport in the UK.

Representatives of both organizations will be ringing the New York Stock Exchange Opening Bell this morning to celebrate the new partnership and unveil the patch now featured on the team’s jerseys.

Of course, the total "injection of sponsorship capital" wasn't mentioned. (The WeBull patch on the Brooklyn Nets uniforms was reported by CNBC in September 2021, without solid sourcing, as an enormous $30 million a year, though, without superstars, the renewal likely will deflate.)

Also unmentioned: the irony that, given that Barclays has no retail branches or ATMs, the partnership supports only online banking for individuals as well as credit cards and commercial banking.

Giving back

From the press release:

At the core of this new partnership is also a commitment to give back to the community in Brooklyn. In connection with this sponsorship, Barclays will also expand their relationship with the nonprofit Good Shepherd Services’ Rebound Program which uses basketball to help combat youth un- and underemployment by teaching vital employability and life skills.

“We are thrilled to welcome Barclays as the Liberty’s Official Banking Partner,” said Keia Clarke, New York Liberty CEO. “This investment is another example of how women’s sports are capturing the hearts and minds of sports fans around the world. The commitment of Barclays allows the Liberty to continually grow our business and the broaden our impact. Our community is the ultimate beneficiary here, and we look forward working alongside Barclays to provide young New Yorkers with the opportunities to develop life skills, a shared sense of community, and self-confidence through basketball.”

“New York is our home and the center of the financial world, and our sponsorship of the New York Liberty reiterates our pride in powering the people and communities that are the heartbeat of New York,” said Meghan Graper, Co-Head of Debt Capital Markets at Barclays. “In addition, our sponsorship is an evolution of our footprint that for decades has been supporting female athletes, youth athletes, and disadvantaged youth and we’re incredibly proud and excited of the value it will bring to the city, to our colleagues, and to our clients.”

What "expand their relationship" means is unclear--a 30% increase in (unspecified?) financial support? More outreach to Barclays' employees to volunteer? A Barclays brand on a (well-promoted) Liberty effort?

A new spokesperson

PR Week reported April 9 that Sheerin Salimi would become VP of communications for BSE Global, reporting to chief external affairs officer Marissa Shorenstein. 

Salimi told PR Week that the role is new, overseeing communications for BSE Global and the New York Liberty. (The Brooklyn Nets have their own staff.) Salimi had previous positions at Nike and Visa.