Leeds Bradford Airport signs deal with ice hockey team Leeds Knights as it reveals "significant progress" on £100m extension

Professional ice hockey team Leeds Knights has announced a new partnership with Leeds Bradford Airport as the National Ice Hockey League season gets underway.

As the 2024/25 season begins, Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) branding will be prominently featured on the back of the first team kits of Leeds Knights, who will also roll out an advertising campaign on the airport’s digital screens throughout the year.

More than four million holidaymakers are expected to use the airport to travel to more than 80 destinations in the coming year, providing significant exposure for the city’s only professional ice hockey team.

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Leeds Knights’ 2024/25 season started yesterday against Hull Seahawks.

Professional ice hockey team Leeds Knights has announced a new partnership with Leeds Bradford Airport as the National Ice Hockey League season gets underway..Professional ice hockey team Leeds Knights has announced a new partnership with Leeds Bradford Airport as the National Ice Hockey League season gets underway..
Professional ice hockey team Leeds Knights has announced a new partnership with Leeds Bradford Airport as the National Ice Hockey League season gets underway..

John Cunliffe, commercial and strategy director at Leeds Bradford Airport, said: “We are thrilled to partner with a homegrown professional sports organisation in the Leeds Knights. Supporting local teams is a core commitment for us.

"As the gateway to Yorkshire, we aim to extend our presence beyond the terminal buildings and strengthen our ties with everything that makes this region a fantastic place to live, work and visit.

"We look forward to seeing the Leeds Knights take to the ice and wish them the best of luck next season.”

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Verity Thomas, partnership manager at Leeds Knights, added: “We are delighted to have entered into a partnership with Leeds Bradford Airport.

"The club will be advertising on the digital screens at the Airport this year, a fantastic way to grow our brand in front of the millions of people passing through Leeds Bradford. We look forward to working with the LBA team over the coming season."

In addition to the new sponsorship deal, Leeds Bradford Airport said it is also making “significant progress” with its £100m LBA:REGEN project, which is expected to modernise and expand the terminal, enhancing passenger experience and supporting regional economic growth.

The development includes a 102,257 sq ft extension, additional aircraft stands, more seating, faster security, new shops and eateries, as well as improved accessibility for passengers with restricted mobility.

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LBA has said the work, which will involve a three-storey extension to the existing terminal and a “significant refurbishment” of the existing building, is due to be completed by 2026.

It follows controversial £150m plans for an entirely new terminal building being scrapped last year – leading to airport bosses returning to a previous plan to extend the existing terminal.

LBA claim the regeneration work has the potential to create 1,500 new jobs at the airport, as well as supporting 4,000 other jobs in the local economy.

The airport said the work will also contribute to decarbonisation efforts as a result of the installation of new heating, lighting and machinery, including new baggage belts.

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When the LBA:REGEN project was announced last year, Vincent Hodder, chief executive of Leeds Bradford Airport, said: “This investment will give us the infrastructure needed to deliver an outstanding customer experience, support the growth of our airline partners, enhance connectivity for business, investment and trade and provide the airport that Leeds, Bradford and Yorkshire have been waiting for.

"LBA is a key asset for our region and our community, our investment enhances and supports broader investments underway in Leeds and Bradford creating new jobs, new opportunities and shared benefits for our community.”

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