Barclaycard to release football-themed card

Barclaycard is to release a football-themed credit card to tie in with its sponsorship of the FA Premier League. The card should become available next month when the 2001/2002 season kicks off.

The credit card will also tie in with Barclaycard’s new ads which feature Angus Deayton with football stars such as David Seaman and Roy Keane. However, the ads will be based around everyday situations and not the football pitch.

Although details have not been released, the card is expected to offer discounts on football equipment and souvenirs. A spokesman who confirmed the launch, first tipped in Marketing Week (May 10), says: “We are ensuring the card has lots of deals so that it gives something back to the fans.”

The move is part of Barclaycard’s plans to become a family brand, hence the link-up with football, which has an image as a family sport.

Barclaycard signed up as the three-year, &£48m sponsor of the Premier League in May. The company has about 7.9 million customers and posted a &£418m profit last year. However, new credit card companies have eaten away at Barclaycard’s share of the market. It had a 21.9 per cent market share last year compared with 29.6 per cent in 1996.