The claret and blue shirts of West Ham are a sight to behold. Yet sponsorship on these jerseys only began in 1985, when financial investment firm Avco held the spot until 1989. Since then, sponsors have been on the shirts for prolonged periods, unlike the seasonal changes found at other clubs. We discuss the most iconic sponsors and their shirts in the article below.
Betway
Betway has had a longstanding partnership with West Ham. They have been with the club since 2015, serving as the main shirt sponsor in a ten-year period. There were only some possibilities this may end when changes to legislation may have led gambling companies to be prohibited from shirt sponsorship. This was under the last government, and the idea has not been revived, so the partnership continues. Apart from this, they are only missing from shirts in international fixtures where some countries have passed this law.
The company itself is a British gambling company. Founded in 2006, it now has offices all around the world and operates in places as far-flung as Argentina and the US. Originally, it was primarily a sports betting operation. However, it now has a very healthy and well-respected casino that is used across the world. You will often find it listed by the top operators that rate and rank casinos. These are based on a range of different factors, such as safety, security, customer service, game selections, and the slots welcome bonus for new players. Bonusfinder also ranks it in the top 20 low wagering casino examples. This means that you can play games with a relatively low deposit by taking advantage of its bonus offers.
Dr. Martens
Few brands are as iconically British as Dr. Martens. This footwear company, famous for its boots, is based in Wollaston, Northamptonshire. However, their design studio is bang in the centre of the fashionable Camden Town. They have been making these items since the early fifties, primarily as workwear. However, they seeped into popular culture fashion in the sixties when subcultures like mods and later punks began to wear them.
Oddly enough, Dr Martens was not invented by a British person at all, but a German. Klaus Märtens was actually injured in the Second World War when he worked as a doctor. He believed his boots were uncomfortable on his injured ankle and began to design a new boot. He purchased leather and tyres after the war to build the famous air-cushioned soles.
When it comes to West Ham, Dr Martens had the shirt between 1998 and 2003. They used their famous curved logo for this, first on the shirt made by the Pony brand. After this, they shifted to Fila-designed shirts, where the bold colour blocks seemed somewhat at odds with the classic logo design.
Dagenham Motors
Dagenham Motors is a Ford Motor subsidiary and has long been associated with employment in West Ham’s north London area. The plant began in the twenties and began creating Fordson tractors in the thirties. Opening properly in 1931, it continues to this day despite vehicle assembly being ceased there. Around 1.4 million engines are built there every year. Its last car was the Ford Fiesta, which ceased in 2001. However, it is now the home of Dagenham Wind Turbines.
The company itself had a simple text-based logo and ran it over six seasons between 1992 and 1998. This meant that for some time, they graced the iconic shirts made by Bukta. They were also worn in the promotion year, meaning they have been revived as classics since. After this, they were placed on Pony-produced kits where the blue Pony logo seemed to dominate just as much as the shirt sponsor did.
BAC Windows
From 1989 to 1992, the spot was occupied by BAC Windows. They are famous not for any particular shirt or affiliation, but because the outfits from this period are renowned as some of the worst West Ham kits in existence. The large, red utilitarian logo was clunky and awkward, and even the thoughtful designs of the Bukta brand could not help. Part of this comes from the logo itself. A concertina red pattern, the BAC initials are plastered in white over it with windows written underneath. The best of the bunch was the 1991 third shirt. A white design, it had blue and claret squares across the chest, tastefully enhancing the brash design choice.
The claret and blue colour scheme is iconic. In terms of design, it is hard to match with many things. Yet this contrast between the shirt and logo sums up West Ham itself. It is a club of dual identities; whoever sponsors the team in the future will be proud to adorn the front of this historic garment.