While the Premier League enjoyed a somewhat subdued return to our screens last night, one Welshpool company was preparing for a unique way of ‘bringing the fans back’ to the stands.
Covid-19 has meant that games are being played behind closed doors, but Welshpool Printing Group (WPG) has teamed up with Brighton & Hove Albion to fill their stands for Saturday’s match against Arsenal and their following game against Manchester United.
The company, which has been forced to furlough 75% of its staff and explore new avenues for income, is delivering for the club’s ‘Fan in the Stand’ initiative which will see cut-out fans printed in Welshpool and positioned in their upper tier of the East Stand, providing the team with some visual support.
Fans have been paying the club £20 to have pictures of themselves in the club colours feature, with a percentage of profits being donated to the Albion as One Fund.
“We’ve just delivered the first batch of 1,200 cut-outs to the club and they are really pleased with the end product,” said Andy Bebb, WPG Sales Director.
Andy explained that the company has had to diversify after the pandemic “devastated our traditional market”, and is currently in the process of delivering personalised player face masks for two further Premier League clubs.
You can catch a glimpse of the initiative taking shape in Welshpool on the club’s Twitter account here