Newcastle Eagles And Vertu Bounce Into A Decade Of Community Basketball
Newcastle Eagles and Vertu have agreed to continue a decade-long partnership, which has supported community initiatives, introduced thousands of young people to basketball and helped drive the Eagles to become the most successful British Basketball team of all time.
Over the last ten years, Vertu has expanded its sponsorship from providing a small number of vehicles to support players to travel to and from training and games, through to a stadium sponsorship that saw the Eagles’ home court – on Scotswood Road in Newcastle - renamed the Vertu Motors Arena and become a hub for the local community and businesses.
Through the Eagles Community Foundation, Vertu has supported programmes like Science of Basketball, Hoops 4 Health, and the Eagles Central Venue League, helping to grow basketball participation in the region to record levels.
Vertu has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the team both on and off the court. As part of this ongoing partnership, Vertu is supplying a fleet of eight brand-new Honda HR-Vs to the Eagles, replacing the previous Honda Civics.
Vertu is also maintaining its naming rights to the stadium, which can seat nearly 3,000 basketball fans and 3,500 visitors for other events such as business conferences and boxing bouts.
Since 2022, the Vertu Motors Arena has averaged 300,000 visitors a year.
Paul Blake, Managing Director of the Newcastle Eagles, said: "We are delighted to continue our fantastic partnership with Vertu, one of the region’s largest employers and most successful businesses.
“It is a relationship that has grown and prospered over the years - as have both organisations, which are both at the very top of their game. The support from Vertu has been invaluable in helping us achieve our goals and we look forward to many more successful years together."
Chris Taylor, Group Operations Director at Vertu stated: “The Eagles relationship we have is truly special. The club aligns perfectly with our values and stands proudly as a positive influence and part of the community in the North-East.
"Our aim is to create outstanding customer motoring experiences, complimenting the Eagles success in creating raving fans of basketball in the area. It’s great that the team will enjoy their journeys in the Honda HR-Vs we are providing.”
Robert Forrester, Chief Executive of Vertu, said: "We have a long-standing relationship with the Eagles, and I am delighted that we have extended this partnership into its tenth year.
“We are proud to support one of the region's most successful sports teams and to have our name on the Vertu Motors Arena, which is a standout landmark in the city. The new fleet of Honda HR-Vs will ensure the team remains on the move and ready for success, as they continue to dominate the British Basketball scene.”
Over the past decade, the Newcastle Eagles has achieved remarkable success, including ten British basketball title wins. Most recently, the Eagles won the 2024/25 Super League Basketball Trophy, and have qualified for a first European championship semi-final.
Vertu, based in Gateshead, has grown to be the country’s largest plc motor retailer, and the fourth largest business of its type in the UK.