InPost broadens sports horizons. From a goal in the Premier League to the Olympics in the USA

How is this possible? All thanks to InPost, which, after dominating the Polish market in the logistics sector, decided to try its hand at foreign operations. In parallel with the expansion of the scope of activity, an important element in the InPost puzzle was not abandoned. Functioning in the sports space, which also results from, among others, presence at the Newcastle United stadium.

InPost and Newcastle United, i.e. a win-win situation

The cooperation of the Polish company with the Premier League club began in December 2023. Newcastle United is a four-time champion of England, although we are talking about old, even very old times. The Magpies, or Magpies, were the best football team in the country in 1905, 1907, 1909 and 1927, respectively.

Perhaps, as we approach the centenary since our last championship, Newcastle United will strike again. In 2021, the club was purchased for approximately £300 million by a Saudi Arabian fund. It didn’t take long to see the results, in the 2022/23 season the team from the north-east of England took fourth place in the table. Leaving behind such global brands as Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea, plunged into a sports crisis. Fourth place gave the Magpies a place in the Champions League. And although it was ultimately a one-season episode, Newcastle United is today a team that has ambitions to play for high goals.

However, when Manchester City is their rival, none of the Premier League teams can look at the league schedule with confidence. The Citizens have failed to win the English league title only once since 2019. They did it in 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 – four times in a row. The only exception was Liverpool’s success in 2020, but it still seems to confirm the rule of Pep Guardiola’s team’s extraordinary dominance in England. What’s more, in 2023, the club from the blue part of Manchester also won the Champions League, having also reached the final two years earlier, but it was only at the second attempt.

Fans could therefore rub their hands at Saturday’s hit at St James’ Park. The Citizens arrived as favorites, as table leaders. Additionally, Manchester City’s best striker, Erling Haaland, scored goals as if on cue. However, the English champions did not score three points, and the tall Norwegian was effectively stopped, ending a league match without a goal for the first time in the season. It ended with 1:1, which the hosts should have been more pleased with.

– Eddie Howe is a fantastic coach and after the match he admitted that he was proud of his team. The progress that the Newcastle team is making from season to season is impressive. This team is almost ready to impose its style of play on teams like Manchester City, the best teams in the world. It was really visible in this match, because with a bit of luck and a slightly better performance in the front formations, Newcastle could have won this match. Of course, the visitors also had their chances, especially in the last minutes. But Newcastle showed character, they are a hard-working team, very responsible on the pitch and indeed, it was impressive how they were able to oppose a team that is better in terms of individuality, while this teamwork and compactness of play was at the highest possible level for the hosts level – said Marek Szkolnikowski, director of sports sponsorship at InPost, after the match.

The Polish company, traditionally present on LED banners, the match program or with permanent advertising behind one of the goals, also had its great moment during the match. When Anthony Gordon equalized from the penalty spot to make the score 1-1, an InPost advertisement was displayed. As is the case with the company celebrating its 25th anniversary, it was on time and in the right place.

– I was very positively surprised by Newcastle’s active play. The passion with which they fought for the ball. Honestly, I didn’t expect such a good performance from the hosts against such a classy opponent. You can see progress in the Newcastle team. It was the second or third match I watched, where the rivals were the English champions. I must say that I am positively surprised by how they are currently playing and I also admit that I expected more from the Manchester club – added Izabela Karolczyk-Szafrańska, marketing and PR director at InPost.

Although before the match there was even talk of an average of 3.5 goals per match between the Magpies at The Citizens, the fans could be satisfied with the course of the game, especially in the second part – even with a “modest” 1:1 score. They responded with thunderous applause and thanks to their favorites on the pitch.

– I am built on the Newcastle game. Importantly, the English champions from Manchester did not show that they are as classy a team as recent seasons have shown. Both in the domestic edition and in European cups. Additionally, we knew what the league table looked like. The guests arrived at Newcastle as favorites. It was a very fun match to watch. I feel like Manchester City scored a goal with a lot of luck, that’s how I would describe it. Later, however, the hosts responded and it was clear that Newcastle could win even against such a strong opponent. Several occasions have shown that the team we support is also a team with great sportsmanship. And the fans will get a lot of comfort from him – added Wojciech Kądziołka, InPost spokesman.

Los Angeles 2028 – an important goal of InPost Sport Team

Football is not the only sports sector in which InPost is involved. Although it must be admitted that this is still a strong card in the deck of the company led by Rafał Brzoska. In addition to Newcastle United, we should add the Spanish Atletico Madrid and the Polish national team. The latter, although it may not have achieved spectacular successes in recent years, was, is and will be the most attractive sports team in Poland.

– Football is the most popular sport in Poland. And the most watched, the most loved. And in fact, despite the results that do not always satisfy us all, the Polish national team is a common place. Regardless of our views, faith, where we come from, we all sit at one table and we are white and red, we support our team. Or rejoicing in elation that we won, to the rhythm of “Poland, white and red”, or on the contrary, “Nothing happened”. These are two permanent points in the national team program, notes Szkolnikowski.

What about other team sports? It seems that in Poland, especially after the success at the Olympic Games in Paris, the Polish national volleyball team is an interesting direction. InPost had a short episode of cooperation with Karol Kłos, former center of the national team, currently a volleyball player of Asseco Resovia Rzeszów.

– Other team sports? First of all, let us point out that we are not in an industry for individualists. Getting this parcel to our customer or parcel locker is a team sport that requires cooperation at many levels. Communication between individual stages of implementation. So there are many analogies to team sports. We are looking at different disciplines. We assess their potential and try to draw conclusions. It’s not that we know anything better, but Poles know what they want to watch and what they are interested in, adds Szkolnikowski.

It is also worth mentioning the company’s idea to break the spell of the Olympic crisis in which Poland has been for over a dozen years. The recent games in the capital of France were only a confirmation that Polish sport needs to be redefined. Therefore, InPost Sport Team is an interesting solution.

– The medal result at the Olympic Games in Paris is certainly not satisfactory. But this is nothing new. This medal result has been like this for about 30 years. There have been no reforms or changes in sport and we are actually going around in circles. There is an idea to create a team of athletes that will allow us to have significantly more medals at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028. We want to cooperate with athletes in a slightly different way, on many levels. A little bit of a departure from the concept of sponsorship or patronage, but more of a partnership. We give something from ourselves to these athletes, but we also want something in return. We want to create a place once a year where all athletes from the InPost Sport Team will meet. There will be special training. A bit like training camp. We want to start building the first professional sports team in Poland. On the side of sports associations, regardless of the Polish Olympic Committee, it will bring together the best athletes. Expand best practices in sports – says Szkolnikowski, who strongly believes in this project.

Currently, the “InPost team” includes: Natalia Kaczmarek, Wojciech Nowicki, Konrad Bukowiecki, Marcin Krukowski, Roch Krukowski, Robert Urbanek, Aleksandra Kowalewska and Michał Gawenda.

It is known, however, that this is not the end of the names that will be officially announced in the near future as new characters in the InPost Sport Team. In terms of supporting sport and presenting it as an important element of business operations, the company has even broader plans. Certainly beyond the Olympic year in question, i.e. 2028.

– We may have different views, but we treat sport the same. This is a matter of many dimensions. For example, I have my own team at InPost, we have a lot of such intra-company initiatives that bring us together through sports. We are planning even more for next year. Cycling will be another such element, even stronger than before. Additionally, as InPost, we want to be involved in the CSR space. It’s about children, local teams, and will also support players in the region. We have a lot of things that will activate society more broadly, adds Karolczyk-Szafrańska.

In addition to football, an idea implemented with InPost Sport Team, the Polish company is also an official partner of the legendary Tour de France cycling race.