Newcastle United’s London takeover ahead of this weekend’s Carabao Cup Final has already begun. On Friday night, the London skyline was lit up by a light show cranking the atmosphere up ahead of the Wembley showpiece finale.
Sela, the Magpies’ front-of-shirt sponsor, projected a number of messages onto the 390ft façade of Millbank Tower, set on the banks of the River Thames, just a short distance from The Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and the London Eye.
The showcase displayed a number of Magpies’ stars, including Alexander Isak, Bruno Guimarães and Dan Burn, as well as highlights from the club’s Carabao Cup campaign, including the convincing semi-final win over Arsenal.
The fine spectacle got supporters talking ahead of this weekend’s trip to the capital with a series of well-known phrases on display on Millbank Tower. The display began with ‘Hello London’ and included ‘Tell Me Ma, Me Ma, We’re Going to Wembley’, ‘Toon Toon, Black and White Army’, ‘We Are The Magpies’, and ‘Here To Dream, Here To Be Loud, Here To Compete’, before ending with ‘Howay The Lads’ and the date of Sunday’s game.
But who are the company behind the display? ChronicleLive has all you need to know below.
Who are Sela?
Founded in 1997, Sela is a Saudi Arabian company specialising in creating, constructing, and operating unique destinations and recreational experiences across sports, entertainment, culture, and hospitality sectors. Initially recognized as Saudi Arabia’s first FIFA-recognized athletes’ representation company, Sela expanded into sports marketing and has since diversified into broader recreational industries.
Over the years, Sela has been instrumental in delivering large-scale events and developing iconic destinations. Notable projects include the Boulevard Riyadh City and Boulevard World entertainment venues, the luxury VIA Riyadh complex, the state-of-the-art Jeddah Superdome, and the Jeddah Yacht Club and Marina.
In 2023, Sela became the primary front-of-shirt partner for Newcastle United Football Club, marking a significant step in its global expansion efforts. Sela is led by a team of experienced professionals, including Dr. Rakan AlHarthy, who serves as the Managing Director and CEO.
Sela Cup and previous Newcastle United work
Since becoming sponsors in 2023, Sela has been at the forefront of Newcastle’s commercial operations. During the summer of 2023, the club launched the Sela Cup, which saw the Magpies compete against Fiorentina, Nice and Villarreal for the pre-season cup at St. James’ Park.
Speaking at the time, Ibrahim Mohtaseb, who was senior vice president at Sela, said: “Since we announced our partnership with Newcastle United, we have seen fantastic support and interest in Sela, both in the UK and in the Middle East.
“To be able to further strengthen our connection with Newcastle’s passionate fanbase is truly exciting and we are sure that the Sela Cup will be popular with supporters, at a very exciting time ahead of the new season. Sela prides itself on creating world class experiences, so for us to bring our resources and expertise to Newcastle is something that we are all very proud to play a key role in and we hope that everybody enjoys what promises to be a great weekend of football.”
(Image: NUFC/Sela/PA)
Sela also put on a drone display above St. James’ Park to commemorate Newcastle’s return to the Champions League later that year.
The autumn Tyneside skies were lit up with images of player shirts and names and the simple words: “We’re back” ahead of the first game in Europe’s premier competition at St James’ Park in 20 years. The drone show was the talk of the Toon in the build-up to Wednesday’s game.
Sela also put on a show on the Quayside last year with with 10,000 spectators estimated to have flocked to the free event.
(Image: Sandy Young/PA Media Assignments)
Carabao Cup Final gesture and message of support
As well as the show on Thursday night, Sela will also donate 32,000 scarves for every Newcastle United fan attending Wembley on Sunday afternoon.
Ibrahim Mohtaseb, Sela’s Head of International Business, said: “This is a huge moment for the club, fans and city of Newcastle – it only felt right to bring it to life in true, spectacular Sela fashion. Fans are the heart of the club, so we are thrilled to produce this show for them and provide every fan with a scarf inside Wembley on Sunday to thank them for their loyal support.
“Sela’s goal is to share our passion for creating spectacular live experiences with people worldwide, so it was brilliant to deliver this moment for fans ahead of Sunday’s final and for it to coincide with the launch of our international office in London. We wish Eddie Howe and the team the best of luck for the final.”
Hundreds of fans from all over the globe have been leaving personalised messages for Eddie Howe and his players ahead of the Carabao Cup final. You can send your own message of support here through our Cheer Map
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/who-sela-newcastle-united-sponsors-31202128
