Bears Women have signed a landmark partnership with automotive retailer Vertu to become the team’s first front-of-shirt sponsor.
Vertu – which has more than 200 dealerships across England and Scotland – has agreed a contract to front Bears Women’s Vitality Blast and Metro Bank One Day Cup shirts in their debut 2025 season.
The company is no stranger to cricket having partnered with Somerset, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire but it’s their first foray into prime position shirt sponsorship.
Vertu owns nearby Bristol Street Motors – which will soon be rebranded under the Vertu banner – and chief executive Robert Forrester said he’s excited by the opportunities the partnership promises.
“We are delighted to embark on a new partnership with Edgbaston and the Bears ahead of what promises to be another hugely exciting season in English cricket. To join forces with such an iconic venue is something we are extremely excited about, particularly given our own historic links to the Midlands area through the Bristol Street Motors brand.
“As we now head into a new era as Vertu, we are also proud to throw our support behind the Bears Women as they embark on their maiden season in Tier 1 and wish them plenty of success during the year ahead.”
Bears Women are making their debut this summer as one of eight new Tier 1 teams in a revamped national women’s cricket structure.
Edgbaston head of partnerships Ben Seifas said: “We are incredibly excited to announce our first-ever front of shirt partnership with Vertu for Bears Women. It marks a significant milestone in our journey."
The partnership with Edgbaston and Bears Women is the latest for Vertu in the West Midlands, with similar agreements already in place with Birmingham City Football Club and the Droitwich-based EXCELR8 British Touring Car Championship team.
Bears Women will compete for trophies on three fronts in 2025: Vitality Blast, Metro Bank One Day Cup, and for the first time a knockout competition, the Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup, featuring sides from all three tiers of the national system.
