West Ham shirt deal gives Athletes Elevated global launchpad

West Ham United have appointed Athletes Elevated as their men’s first-team back-of-shirt partner for the 2026-27 season, giving the athlete-commerce platform prominent exposure during its market launch.The company’s logo will also appear on the front of West Ham’s male Academy shirts. Financial terms were not disclosed.Roland Weedon of Essex Mortgage and Weedon Ranch said: “As a lifelong Hammer, I knew I wanted to partner with West Ham United for the unveiling of Athletes Elevated. What has kept me coming back is what this club takes seriously beyond the 90 minutes.“The West Ham United Foundation puts real work into the community every day. Athletes Elevated is built on the same principle: help athletes give back to the people and causes that shaped them.”Athletes Elevated describes itself as an athlete-first network and product marketplace connecting supporters with athletes, teams and brands.Its platform will allow users to purchase athlete-endorsed products, access exclusive offerings and earn rewards, while supporting causes selected by participating athletes.The sponsorship package includes matchday and digital rights across West Ham’s social media, website and wider online channels. Athletes Elevated will also support the West Ham United Foundation during the partnership.West Ham interim chief executive Karim Virani said: “We are proud to welcome Athletes Elevated to the West Ham United family with a partnership that has our loyal and passionate fanbase at its heart.“This unique and exciting new partnership will provide our supporters with a new way to shop athlete-endorsed products and earn unique rewards.”The agreement extends West Ham’s relationship with Weedon, whose Essex Mortgage and Weedon Ranch businesses have previously held US regional partnerships with the club.That existing relationship gives Athletes Elevated an established route into West Ham’s commercial platform, rather than beginning with a conventional brand-awareness sponsorship.The back-of-shirt position provides television and digital visibility while leaving West Ham’s principal front-of-shirt and sleeve categories available to separate partners.Athletes Elevated plans to offer West Ham supporters priority access, additional rewards and direct connections with athletes, brands and charitable causes when the platform launches.The partnership also reflects the growing use of football sponsorships to acquire users for commerce and membership platforms, with rights extending beyond logo exposure into data, rewards and direct-to-consumer activity.West Ham have continued to restructure their shirt sponsorship portfolio ahead of 2026-27, with Lilley Plummer Risks moving into the sleeve position and BOYLE Sports taking the front-of-shirt inventory.Athletes Elevated will use the new season to test whether West Ham’s global supporter base can be converted into active marketplace users, with the Foundation providing a community element to the commercial proposition.