Flybe, Europe’s largest regional airline, has extended its long-established shirt sponsorship with Exeter City Football Club to 2020 which, taking it through to a 17th consecutive season, makes it one of the longest standing ever for a current Football League club.
The Exeter-based airline has been the Grecians’ proud shirt sponsor since 2003, supporting them through the intervening years of highs and lows; promotions, relegations, Wembley finals and historic cup games. Many players and managers have come and gone in that time (including a father and son) and Exeter’s players’ player-of-the-season and current no 1, Christy Pym, was just eight years’ old when the first Flybe sponsored shirts first debuted.
This year’s anniversary of a 16thseason also reflects the length of time the football club has been owned by theExeter City Supporters' Trust and the close relationship with the fans over this time reflects Flybe’s own commitment to connecting and being close to the regional communities it serves. In 2016, the airline made special arrangements to fly the Exeter City players and management to their FA Cup replay with Liverpool.
Roy Kinnear, Flybe’s Chief Commercial Officer, comments: “The team and its fans have been extremely supportive of Flybe over the years and we are proud our shirt sponsorship is extending through to the 2019-20 season and into an almost unrivalled 17th year.
"Our partnerships with regional sporting activities form a core part of Flybe’s continued commitment to championing the communities in which we operate and so we are pleased to play this small part in supporting Exeter City’s ambitions. On behalf of everyone at Flybe, I would like to wish the club every success for the upcoming season.”
Julian Tagg, Chairman of Exeter City Football Club, said the club was extremely proud of its long-term association with Flybe.
He said: “Flybe has been an important sponsor of our club since 2003 and has proudly stood beside us through all the ups and downs of the last 15 seasons - through good times and bad. But, we don’t view this as a purely commercial relationship – to us Flybe is a partner in the truest sense of the word and should be applauded for its ongoing loyalty not only to Exeter City and its fans, but for its contribution to the local economy and community participation to the city as a whole.
The importance of Flybe’s sponsorship cannot be underestimated, playing a key role in enabling our community-owned club to become stable and grow over the years – a relationship we hope will continue for many years to come.”