The Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre is new stand sponsor at Crown Oil Arena

The Mayor of Rochdale; Debbie Hernon, The Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre Manager; Frances Fielding, Rochdale AFC’s Sales and Marketing Manager; Russ Green, Rochdale AFC’s Chief Executive; The Mayoress of Rochdale

The Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre new away stand sponsor at Rochdale Football Club.

The shopping centre was drawn as the winner of Dale’s stand sponsorship business raffle at an event held at the Town Hall on Monday afternoon.

13 businesses, including The Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre, The Flying Horse Hotel, Options Travel and Expert Industrial Services, entered the unique draw.

As part of the sponsorship package, the away stand will now be re-named as the Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre Stand, with new branding set to be installed in the coming weeks.

Rochdale AFC Chief Executive, Russ Green, commented: “I would like to congratulate The Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre on winning this unique prize and thank everyone who entered.

“In addition to bringing important revenue into the club, this initiative has provided a fantastic opportunity for us to forge good partnerships with local businesses.

“We recognise that football stadia advertising is beyond many small businesses financial budgets and with that in mind, we introduced this sponsorship opportunity.

“Whilst The Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre will have its name displayed across the stand, every business who purchased a raffle ticket will benefit from brand exposure thanks to a commercial package worth the cost of their £1,000 raffle ticket, encompassing advertising, hospitality and community involvement through Rochdale AFC.”

Frances Fielding, Dale’s Sales and Marketing Manager, said: “This has been a well-received and worthwhile initiative, and it’s one we will look to run again next season.

“The response we’ve had has been fantastic and we, as a club, have been able to build and strengthen relationships with local businesses.

“I am really pleased to welcome The Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre on-board as stand sponsor, and I am looking forward to building a long-lasting relationship with them.”

The Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre Manager, Debbie Hernon, added: “I am absolutely delighted that The Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre will be the proud new sponsors of the Crown Oil Arena’s away stand.

“We will receive a great deal of brand exposure from this exciting sponsorship package, which can only be a positive.

“It’s really important that local businesses support one another and the town, and this provides us with a fantastic opportunity to work closely with the football club. I hope it’s the start of a long-term relationship.”