Swindon Storm American Football Club is preparing for the new season with new game-day footballs after long-standing supporter Hickory’s Smokehouse helped fund equipment for its adult and youth teams.
The support continues a partnership which has grown over several seasons, with Hickory’s Swindon becoming a regular meeting place for Storm players as well as supporting the club financially.
Angela Bartram, Club Secretary of Swindon Storm, said the backing had helped the club invest in both its senior and youth teams.
“At Swindon Storm American Football Club, we are proud to have Hickory’s as a valued sponsor,” she said.
“Their support this year allowed us to invest in new game-day footballs for both our adult and youth teams, but it means more to us than the financial assistance alone.
“Hickory’s has become a favourite meeting place for our players and the club. Whether it’s for a meal – and our players have some big appetites! – or for a post-game catch-up, it’s somewhere that helps bring the team together off the field.”
Bartram said the relationship demonstrated a commitment to grassroots sport and would help the club attract new players and strengthen its presence in the community.
Andy Barron, General Manager of Hickory’s Swindon, said the partnership was about supporting the people involved with the club rather than simply providing sponsorship.
“There’s a real sense of team spirit around Swindon Storm and that’s what makes this partnership so special,” he said.
“It’s about much more than our name on a shirt or footballs on the pitch – it’s about being part of the club and supporting the people behind it.”
Hickory’s says its support for Swindon Storm forms part of a wider commitment to grassroots American football across the UK, with clubs relying heavily on players, coaches and volunteers to keep the sport running.
Interest in American football has also continued to grow in Britain, helped by the increasing profile of the NFL and its regular broadcasts.
The new NFL season gets under way with Hickory’s returning to its NFL Sundays programme from 13 September. Its Swindon restaurant in Middleleaze Drive will show games throughout the season, alongside its Southern-style barbecue and game-day food.
The menu includes the Bucket of Wings, served with a choice of Kansas BBQ or Louisiana hot sauce, skin-on fries, celery and blue cheese dip, while the Dirty Wing Tray offers 12 wings across three flavours.
For Swindon Storm, however, the focus is on the local game as another season gets under way – and the club’s relationship with a neighbourhood business continues to provide support both on and off the field.
More information about NFL Sundays and Hickory’s offers is available from the restaurant’s website.
