More Than Just A Logo On A Shirt
“More than just a logo on a shirt” Our CMO Sam Shrager explores how BCB Group’s four-season partnership with Spencer Hockey Club demonstrates how values-driven sponsorship builds authentic brand trust while advancing women’s sport and inclusion in fintech
At BCB Group, we recognise that in a financial industry often seen as complex, intangible, and at times exclusionary, building authentic relationships within local communities is vital to earning trust and fostering brand credibility. Our ongoing partnership with Spencer Hockey Club, now entering its fourth consecutive season, exemplifies this ethos. Far more than a logo placement or marketing exercise, this initiative is a meaningful expression of our commitment to inclusivity, local engagement, and brand leadership in the fast-evolving digital finance space.
From the outset, our partnership has focused on creating real-world impact, both on and off the pitch. By sponsoring Spencer Hockey Club, we not only alleviate financial pressures for the players, enabling broader access to the sport, but also amplify the visibility of women’s sport, an area historically overlooked in corporate sponsorship, particularly within the crypto and tech sectors. As Ross, Spencer’s Sponsorship Manager, puts it: “Sponsorship is crucial for us; every pound counts. Companies such as BCB are essential in showcasing and elevating our club.”
This initiative has played a strategic role in elevating BCB Group’s brand in a landscape where trust, inclusion, and relevance are key differentiators. The BCB logo is now proudly featured on players’ shirts across the club, including the women’s and youth teams. It’s a tangible expression of our presence in the community, helping people connect with who we are and what we do. In a sector where the barriers to entry, especially for women and underrepresented groups, can be steep, our support for inclusive sport becomes a metaphor for our broader mission: opening digital finance to everyone.
Spencer Hockey Club’s inclusive ethos, welcoming players of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds, mirrors our internal values at BCB. As Rachel Ramsay, our Head of People, explains, “Local partnerships are crucial for us. They help us build relationships based on trust and mutual understanding, which are essential in an industry that’s often misunderstood.” This sponsorship reinforces our internal and external commitment to championing diversity, not just in principle, but in practice.
Importantly, our partnership isn’t limited to financial support. It’s an active and evolving collaboration that includes outreach, education, and visibility-building initiatives. By using this sponsorship as a platform for driving crypto literacy, we’ve introduced new audiences, many of whom might never have considered engaging with digital assets, to the possibilities of decentralised finance. As our CEO Oliver Tonkin states: “Don’t be scared of crypto. It’s an equal opportunity platform that welcomes everyone. The key is education.” Our involvement with Spencer enables us to deliver that message at ground level, where trust begins.
Our sponsorship has also served as a vehicle to spotlight the importance of gender diversity in crypto and finance. As Rachel Ramsay has noted, “For us, it’s about diversity as a whole, showing that women and other minority groups have opportunities available to them.” Alongside the hockey sponsorship, BCB has invested in initiatives such as funding women’s entry into tech boot camps, offering them permanent roles, and working with specialist recruitment partners to reach those who might otherwise never consider a career in crypto. These actions are deeply interconnected: our support for women in sport reflects our vision for women in tech, visible, supported, and empowered.
We’ve also seen the ripple effects of this sponsorship initiative through testimonials from within the club itself. The under-18s coach and junior committee member at Spencer, shares: “This partnership is transformative. It’s about more than funding; it’s recognition that women’s sport is valuable and deserves support. It gives us a platform to showcase talent and inspire girls to pursue sport.” This echoes our own goals, to create visible pathways into traditionally underrepresented spaces, be it on the pitch or in the workplace.
Crucially, this partnership has enhanced BCB Group’s brand perception, positioning us not only as a forward-thinking financial technology provider but also as a values-led organisation that actively champions inclusion, education, and innovation. In a sector often associated with volatility and scepticism, our grounded community initiatives have helped build trust, widen awareness, and generate positive sentiment around the BCB name.
As we head into our fourth season with Spencer Hockey Club, we remain deeply committed to this partnership and the broader values it represents. As Sam Shrager, our CMO, puts it: “By supporting women in sports, we can help change perceptions and encourage young girls to dream big. This partnership is about empowering the next generation of athletes and leaders.”
In summary, our partnership with Spencer Hockey Club is a best-in-class example of how sponsorship can elevate a financial brand while driving meaningful societal change. It delivers commercial visibility, strengthens our community ties, and advances our mission to build a more inclusive future, across sport, finance, and technology.
