Sports Illustrated Tickets Signs 12-Year Partnership With Aston Villa

Here is a publish-ready article for the Sports category, based on verified reporting:

Aston Villa has announced a landmark 12-year partnership with Sports Illustrated Tickets (SIT), naming the ticketing operator as the club’s official fan experience partner starting with the 2026-27 Premier League season. The agreement marks a significant expansion of SIT’s presence in the UK soccer market and positions Villa Park as a year-round destination for fans, entertainment and hospitality.

The deal includes the naming rights to the Sports Illustrated Warehouse, a newly constructed 3,500-capacity multi-use venue at Villa Park. The warehouse will host pre- and post-match programming, live entertainment, premium hospitality, and year-round events, including concerts and other shows. Fans will have their first look at the space on Sunday, May 4, 2026.

Beyond the warehouse, the partnership introduces two additional branded destinations: Club SI, an editorially driven hospitality pavilion blending Sports Illustrated content with food, beverage, and social experiences; and the Sports Illustrated Tickets Plaza, a matchday fan hub featuring live entertainment, screens, food and beverage options, and supporter-engagement programming.

Sports Illustrated Tickets CEO David Lane emphasized the partnership’s alignment with Aston Villa’s vision to transform Villa Park into a broader entertainment and hospitality destination. “What you’re seeing there in them just doing expansion and development is what you see in the headlines from all the professional stadiums,” Lane said. “So Villa is just, again, committing this capital, improving their infrastructure, creating new opportunities for fans 365 days a year—not just on match dates.”

The agreement also includes innovative technology-enabled fan experiences, such as “Faces in the Crowd,” which will convert real-time supporter reactions into personalized Sports Illustrated-style fan covers or commemorative match tickets. Another feature, “SI Defining Moments,” will combine Sports Illustrated photography, reporting, and original content with Aston Villa history in an interactive editorial installation.

Sports Illustrated Tickets will also integrate into Aston Villa’s broader fan-rewards program, with planned stadium branding, digital and social integrations, and exclusive supporter benefits. The partnership aligns with Aston Villa’s strategy to enhance fan engagement beyond matchdays, positioning Villa Park as a premier destination for sports, entertainment, and community events.

This deal follows Aston Villa’s recent infrastructure investments, including the construction of the Sports Illustrated Warehouse. The club joins fellow Premier League clubs Tottenham Hotspur and Birmingham City FC as partners of Sports Illustrated Tickets, further solidifying the brand’s presence in English football.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed by either party.

Negotiations for the deal were led by Sports Illustrated Tickets CEO David Lane and Aston Villa Chief Commercial Officer Adrian Filby, with assistance from SIT CMO Joe Flores, Aston Villa COO Ben Hatton, and external agency MSM.

For Aston Villa, the partnership underscores the club’s commitment to delivering world-class fan experiences. “We are delighted to be partnering with such an iconic, world-renowned brand in Sports Illustrated Tickets,” said Francesco Calvo, President of Business Operations at Aston Villa. “Their desire to create fan-first experiences aligns with our vision to make Villa Park a go-to venue not just on matchdays but throughout the year.”

SeatGeek remains Aston Villa’s primary ticketing provider, a relationship that was extended in 2024.