The Football League have today confirmed that Final Third Sport Media have signed a new twelve month extension to their sponsorship deal for the Central League, which sees Football League times field their reserve sides.
The competition will continue to be known as the Final Third Development League for the 2015/16 season, a name it has carried since the partnership began in January 2014.
Final Third specialise in delivering engagement through captivating content and prolific PR in the sport and leisure industry, working with national governing bodies, organisations, sponsors, sports businesses, stadiums, professional clubs, individual elite sports stars and charities, from their offices in the UK, North America and Australia.
The Final Third Development League expanded to incorporate a national structure last season, and with additional clubs expressing an interest in joining for the 2015/16 season, the competition continues to grow at pace.
Ernest Barron, Central League President, commented: “The work Final Third have done to raise the profile of the Central League since joining as title sponsors 18 months ago has been invaluable to our growth, and as a result I’m delighted to extend our partnership with them for a further season.
“In order to be successful you need to partner with the right people and Final Third have demonstrated during their sponsorship that they are ideally placed to support our continued development and promote the league in a positive manner.
“For the last five years, approximately two thirds of all players who competed in the Final Third Development League have been under the age of 21, and we are committed to helping develop the players of the future.
“An increasing number progressed through the Final Third Development League squads last season and into their respective senior teams. We hope to see many more follow in their footsteps as the competition grows.”
Chris Rivett, Managing Director at Final Third Sports Media, added: “We have been very pleased with how the partnership has progressed during our association, and we are more than happy to extend the agreement to include the 2015/16 season.
“Our expertise as a company has allowed us to activate the sponsorship to reach new audiences while supporting an area we are passionate about – developing new sporting talent.
“We’re excited about working with the management committee for a further season, and look forward to helping the competition go from strength-to-strength.”