The Seagulls plan to rename their home ground from the start of August, calling it the American Express Stadium, while the club’s charitable arm will become the Brighton and Hove Albion Foundation.
The charitable arm, Albion In The Community (AITC), was born in the Dick Knight era, emerging from an earlier set up known as Football in the Community.
The club said that, from September, the charity would move its community-focused staff and operations away from the stadium and into the city centre, right at the heart of the community that it serves.
Chief executive and deputy chairman Paul Barber said: “This summer, with the support of our partner, American Express, our stadium will be renamed American Express Stadium, while our charitable arm, Albion in the Community, will become the Brighton and Hove Albion Foundation.
“These small but important changes are designed to deliver even better value to our main partner while also more closely aligning and connecting our charity’s excellent work and its many participants with our club.
“Our partnership with American Express, which began when the stadium first opened and our club was in League One, is now globally recognised, and our multi-award-winning work in the community is widely regarded as among the best in the world.”
Senior vice president at American Express, Beverly Sawyers, said: “We’re immensely proud of our 13-year partnership with the club which is based on shared values and a passion for our community.
“Fans are always top of mind for both the club and ourselves and we are sure they’ll really enjoy the refreshed look and feel of the stadium once the changes are complete.”
Work to change some of the stadium’s signage would start straight away, the club said, to be in place for the start of next season’s new adventures. Other more significant changes to the look and feel of the stadium would be made over the next 12 months.
Underlining the charity’s commitment to being at the heart of the community, the Brighton and Hove Albion Foundation is due to move to new premises in Freshfield Road, Brighton, later this summer.
The Foundation’s new headquarters would become the focal point for all Albion’s community-related activities, the club added.
I hope this won’t change access to the MRI scanner service etc. It’s so convenient at the Amex – having to go all the way into the town will be difficult for many patients.