Partnership kicks off new era for Glasgow City

A football club is leading the way in showing how women’s sport can build a more sustainable future through collaboration and purpose-driven partnerships.

Glasgow City FC has teamed up with creative campaigns agency ALT in a new sponsorship deal that could serve as a blueprint for funding women’s football. 

The partnership sits within the club’s City Collective model, launched earlier this season to unite female-led and values-driven businesses in a mutually supportive network.

Founded in 1998 by Laura Montgomery and Carol Ann Stewart, Glasgow City has transformed the women’s game in Scotland, winning 16 league titles and becoming the only Scottish club – men’s or women’s – to reach the Champions League quarter-finals, twice, in the 2014-15 and 2019-20 seasons. 

With the ALT partnership, the club hopes to extend its influence beyond the pitch, promoting equality and empowerment across sport, business and culture.

Stef McLoughlin, head of commercial at Glasgow City FC, said: “‘Well behaved women seldom make history’ is an ethos we carry into everything we do. 

“In the words of our co-founder, Laura Montgomery, it honours the many women who have defied expectations to make change and speaks to our players, our supporters and our community who continue to do the same.”

Glasgow-based ALT, established in 2018 and spearheaded by the agency’s co-founder Laura Haggerty, has a strong track record in women’s sport, having delivered major campaigns across national and international competitions, including the World Boxing Championships.

Laura added: “When I heard about the club’s desire to combine Glasgow’s female business, cultural and sports leaders under one network, I knew instantly we shared values. 

“I am convinced the City Collective can mature, not only being of great mutual benefit to the club and its supporters, but become a brilliant template for all women’s football teams to follow that will help galvanise and grow its support base and advocates. 

“I’m so proud ALT will be working in partnership with the club to improve its standing in the city, and create lasting, tangible opportunities for powerful women to connect with each other across the city.”

Stef added: “Laura and ALT are the types of individuals and businesses we dreamed of attracting to the City Collective, and we’re thrilled they’ve seen the potential to partner with us in such a meaningful way. 

“As a football operation, we deliberately don't operate under the umbrella of a major men's club. 

“We are brave and bold in the way we do things, and this has been the Glasgow City way since inception.

“We can see how this approach to corralling a network that covers business, sport and culture carries the potential to meaningfully place a women’s football club at the centre of its communities. 

“We’d love to see our model adopted by other clubs to help strengthen their commercial and cultural ties with like-minds in their respective communities.”

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