REAL BEDFORD PARTNERS WITH TEAM BEDS NETBALL
Real Bedford is expanding its sports interests by partnering with Team Beds Netball Club.
Team Beds will become Real Bedford Netball with The Pirates supporting the club with an injection of capital.
Having spent over a decade as Bedfordshire’s premier netball performance club, Team Beds Netball will now come under the Real Bedford umbrella with ambitions to expand their horizons across all age-group teams.
The merge will see the club change its name and colours to match that of RBFC, giving the team a new unique identity within the netball world. The club’s current infrastructure and staffing however will remain the same, providing continuity to those already involved within the programme.
Real Bedford Chairman, Peter McCormack, said:
“We’re excited to partner with Team Beds under the Real Bedford brand and grow our support for talented atheletes in Bedford.”
The club currently competes at the top level of regional competitions with teams ranging from U11 to senior sides. Having expanded rapidly over the past decade, Team Beds Netball will now take the next step towards reaching its full potential by partnering with Real Bedford.
Team Beds Head Coach, Hayley MacKellar commented:
“We are super excited to be partnering with Real Bedford FC. We feel like this partnership is going to strengthen not only sport in Bedfordshire but also women in sport.”
“We feel like we have reached a glass ceiling with the club, and this partnership will allow us to break down those barriers to provide more competition and a better pathway for netballers within Bedford.”
Confirmation of this partnership comes ahead of the 2024/25 season in which Real Bedford Netball will compete for the first time under the new name and colours.
ABOUT REAL BEDFORD FC
Real Bedford FC is a non-league football club based in Bedford. Acquired by Peter McCormack in 2021, he set the ambitious goal of getting the team into the football league. After rebranding as Real Bedford, they won a league and cup double in their first season and were promoted to the Spartan South Midlands Premier League. During the 2023/24 campaign, the Men’s team not only completed back-to-back League and Cup doubles, but RBFC Ladies completed an inaugural treble. The club also received a ground-breaking investment from the Winklevoss Twins who became part-owners of the club in April 2024 after an initial $4.5m investment.
The club prides itself on its strong and growing community ties and dedication to developing local talent. With a focus on fostering an inclusive and supportive environment, Real Bedford FC aims to create opportunities for aspiring footballers and promote the sport's growth within the Bedford region.
