Wed 25th Jan 2023
One of the world’s leading healthcare companies B. Braun Medical Ltd has announced a major new partnership with the Sheffield Hatters women’s basketball club after signing a three-year sponsorship deal.
The Hatters have been pioneers in women’s sport since their formation in 1961 to become England’s first women’s basketball team.
Since then, they have become the most successful basketball team in the United Kingdom with over 65 national titles across 60 years, with both players and coaches going on to represent Great Britain and England on the international stage.
The Women’s British Basketball League (WBBL) team will be known as the B. Braun Sheffield Hatters under the milestone deal, and the players’ vests will also carry the B. Braun branding.
The move extends a long-running partnership and collaboration between the award-winning healthcare company and the Sheffield Sharks – the men’s BBL team.
B. Braun Medical Ltd also support the Junior Sharks and Sharks Physio as part of the latest three-year sponsorship deal and run a number of joint community health and wellbeing projects with the Sharks.
The B. Healthy – B. Braun programme, which aims to improve the health and well-being of children across South Yorkshire, recently returned to being face-to-face after virtual sessions ran through last season due to the pandemic. B. Braun, together with the Sheffield Sharks, visit schools to educate 7–11-year-olds about the importance of good nutrition and being active, with pupils offered professional tuition in either dance or basketball as part of the scheme.
David Oates, Group Managing Director of the UK B. Braun Group, said: “We recently signed a renewed, three-year package with the Sheffield Sharks and, as a company, we wanted to extend the inclusivity of our sponsorship and B. Healthy – B.Braun programme to embrace the values of good health, sport and body positivity across the gender spectrum.”
A new community basketball arena is currently under construction at the Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park in Attercliffe, which will become the club’s new home when completed.
Sarah Backovic, Sheffield Hatters General Manager, said: “The inclusion of the Sheffield Hatters in B. Braun’s sponsorship portfolio is a significant step for women’s sport.
“We have seen a tremendous amount of increased participation in women’s basketball and the Sheffield Hatters, in partnership with B. Braun, will be inspirational role models to those young women who participate in the B. Healthy B. Braun initiative.”
“We are delighted to unite with B. Braun and develop a unique offering to young woman in the Sheffield City region,” added Hatters Head Coach Vanessa Ellis. “As a team, we are proud to have the support of such a prestigious company which reflects the quality of both our organisations.”