By Andy Marston, Sports Pundit
Preston North End have unveiled local TikTok sensation SpudBros as their new front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2025/26 season in a deal that fuses community roots with digital virality.
SpudBros was founded by Preston-born brothers Jacob and Harley Nelson, who began selling loaded fries from a converted tram in the city centre. Their mix of humour, hometown pride, and eye-popping chip portions helped them rack up 4.2 million TikTok followers, turning their food truck into a viral content brand.
Preston North End (PNE), one of England’s founding football clubs, finished 20th in the Championship last season, narrowly avoiding relegation. Like many clubs outside the Premier League, they face financial pressures and are increasingly reliant on creative commercial partnerships.
To mark the partnership, SpudBros are offering free potatoes to the first 2,000 fans who buy the club’s new home shirt at Deepdale this weekend, a nod to their roots and a smart, shareable stunt that could go viral.
Why It Matters:
It’s a mistake to see SpudBros as a local food brand. They’re better thought of as a content engine with national reach, and that makes them a valuable partner in today’s attention economy.
Their digital following rivals the club’s own, and they speak fluently to Gen Z and Gen Alpha on platforms where traditional football content often falls flat.
Not every club has the in-house firepower to become a viral content machine. But by partnering with creators who do, they can unlock a different kind of growth.
For SpudBros, it’s new assets to play with, from TikTok challenges at the training ground and behind-the-scenes club access, to giveaways, stunts, and meme-ready moments. For PNE, it’s a ready-made media partner and a massive amplification boost they’d struggle to build on their own.
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