The start of August, weeks ahead of the 2023/24 premier League season kickoff, saw Avery Denison team up with Wolverhampton Wanderers FC on an apparel-led project to engage the club’s UK and US fanbase based around a historic event jersey celebrating the club’s 1967 LA Wolves team.
Wolves branding partner Avery Dennison, a materials science and digital identifications solutions company, created a limited edition, digitally-connected jersey – enabling fans/wearers to scan the official smart embellishments on their jersey to reveal a unique Wolves experience – commemorating the English team’s historic relationship with US Soccer.
#Embelex special project with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Mundial: this retro 1967 Los Angeles Wolves shirt accompanies a feature documentary about the Wolverhampton team imported to Los Angeles who won the first ever professional soccer league in the US. https://t.co/0tkxCfk3ks pic.twitter.com/RULdYr0F6Q
— Avery Dennison (@AveryDennison) August 1, 2023
Back in 1967, the Midland’s club played a key role in the growth of soccer in the USA and to mark the 56th anniversary of the United Soccer Association’s championship final at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum the club and its partner created a commemorative shirt linked to a club-created documentary titled ‘1967: When LA Wolves Conquered the USA’ and a bespoke LA Wolves microsite.
In 1967, the United Soccer Association provided the country with its first taste of elite professional soccer when it invited 12 teams – one of which was Wolverhampton Wanderers – to the States for a tournament it hoped would kickstart the game in the US. This tournament culminating in what the club describe as ‘one of greatest soccer games ever seen’.
The jersey debuted at premiere events in both Los Angeles (California) and Wolverhampton (England) to launch a documentary produced by Wolves celebrating the club’s history.
The docu-film, which tells the story of Wolves’ role in introducing football/soccer to the USA, was created by the club’s internal production house Wolves Studio alongside football media company Footballco and its football magazine MUNDIAL.
The documentary trailer was released on 14 July 2023, marking the 56-year anniversary of the game, and can be watched on social channels and on the club’s new ‘LA Wolves’ microsite.
The ‘1967: When LA Wolves Conquered The USA’ trailer debuted online on 14 July with the full film released in partnership with FootballCo and Mundial.
To personally engage the fan base, Avery Dennison supported Wolves by offering application and personalisation of names and numbers on the limited edition shirts at the twin launch events. This specialized service was run through Avery Dennison’s signature ‘Embelex’ suite of solutions for on-garment branding used by sports teams globally.
“Wolverhampton Wanderers have a rich history that Avery Dennison is now a part of. Sports apparel is a conduit for team spirit, and this is not only a moment to celebrate history, but to make it, supporting the Wolves story using our expertise in team sports apparel and digital embellishment technology,” Avery Dennison EU Aftermarket Commercial Director Simon Allen. “We’re excited about creating a new breed of jersey, designed to open new innovative ways to engage with fans.”
Wolverhampton Wanderers FC General Manager, Marketing & Commercial Growth Russell Jones added: “Identity is at the heart of the fan experience, and this collaboration adds yet another level to an already rich history for Wolves. We are pleased to be working with Avery Dennison to bring a glorious journey that ended with one of the greatest finals ever seen on American soil.”
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Avery Dennison has established itself in the core of world sport and, as well as its tie-up with Wolves, it is also the official embellishment provider for the Premier League, plus the NBA’s Sacramento Kings, Cleveland Cavaliers, as well as the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers.
Previous notable Avery Dennison football initiatives have included its 2023 limited edition ‘Premier League Live – Orlando’ shirts and its 2021 tech-enabled ‘Premier League & Budweiser Hall OF Fame Shirt’.
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