Liverpool FC Retail announced it was opening stores in South Africa as part of its launch on the African continent. This picture is from its Instagram @lfcretail announcement. Liverpool Football Club has announced it will launch its first official standalone store in Africa in South Africa, LFC Retail said this week.
This means that fans will soon be able to get authentic Liverpool FC merchandise locally. Local fans – estimated at 12.5 million – welcomed the move: “”Can’t wait to get authentic LFC gear” wrote @Princedon5763 on LFC Retail’s instagram account. Another wrote, “Hugeeeeeee!!!!”.
There were pleas for the stores to not only to be opened in Joburg but also Cape Town. As yet LFC has not said where the stores will be located. The Club said it has entered into a new long-term retail partnership with Old School, one of South Africa’s leading supporter and leisurewear brands, as it launches on the continent.
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Aspart of the five-year agreement, Old School will deliver the official LFC Retail experience through online and offline channels, launching e-commerce and multiple shop-in-shops across South Africa in the first year, Liverpool FC said on its website. Plans are also in place to open multiple official standalone LFC Retail stores in the country, bringing the club even closer to its passionate local fan base, says the LFC website. With 12.5 millionLFC supportersin South Africa – more than any other Premier League club – alongside 8.9 million social followers and 37 million cumulative TV viewers last season, the partnership “marks a significant step in establishing a new physical retail footprint for the club to meet growing fan demand across the region”.
This new partnership follows a record-breaking year for LFC Retail globally, which has seen unprecedented demand for kit and merchandise, and the launch of new stores across a number of major international markets, according to LFC Retail.. LFC has opened 22 standalone stores worldwide, more than any other team in world sport – including top European football clubs and major US franchises. the LFC website reports.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Old School to the LFC Retail family. Old School’s expertise in supporter merchandise and their understanding of South African sporting culture make them the right partner to bring LFC standalone stores and shop-in-shop locations to Africa for the first time,” said Lee Dwerryhouse, senior vice-president of merchandising at LFC, in an LFC statement.
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