David Hopkinson called Newcastle United’s sponsorship agreement with KNOX Hydration as “game-changing”.
The South African sports drink business has struck a three-year agreement with the Magpies, which will see them rename the club’s Benton training field to ‘The KNOX’ and serve as sleeve sponsor for the men’s, women’s, and academy training wear.
According to The Athletic, the collaboration is worth a total of £18 million and will formally begin on July 1. It will provide a substantial boost to United’s commercial revenue, which has already increased by 44% between June 2024 and June 2025.
With the Premier League’s Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) rules taking effect this summer, and the ongoing danger of UEFA financial rules, Hopkinson believes that agreements such as KNOX provide the team with room to expand Eddie Howe’s first-team roster.
Newcastle United secure a ‘game-changing’ sponsorship agreement.
“KNOX is the kind of organization with which we want to collaborate, one that shares our values, ambition, and dedication to quality products,” says Hopkinson. “The collaboration between two firms is never just about two brands; it is about the people who work at those brands.
“At KNOX, we find individuals who share our values, are high energy, high dedication, and high conviction, and want to win on a global scale. We’re excited to support them, and they’re eager to support us. “
“They know what Newcastle United means to Newcastle. Having interacted with these individuals at KNOX, they are aware of how much we value this community. I have every reason to think that this will be a partnership that everyone will be proud of.
“We live in a world where our ability to invest in our team is determined by the amount of revenue we can generate. Those are the regulations that everyone of us follows, and we appreciate them; as a result, deals like this are game changers.
“This does provide us the opportunity to improve our squad, as does the maximization of all of our commercial possibilities. We’re excited about it; more will come. “
Reflecting on the relationship, KNOX Hydration CEO John Schaefer remarked: “The training ground will be known as The KNOX, which is ideal because we think about training and performance, and that is where we come into play.
We want to have a good influence on the fans, the team, and the club, not just be a name on the wall.
