Wigan Athletic have been playing their football at the DW Stadium since 1999 and the club have enjoyed great success since erecting the stadium. The club were promoted to the Premier League in 2005 and stayed in the top flight until 2013. In that eight-year span, they also reached the League Cup final and won the FA Cup.
However, from next season, the stadium will have a brand new name but unlike most stadium name changes, the reasons for this one isn't anything to do with profit margins.
The stadium is set to be renamed the Brick Community Stadium all in the name of charity. The Brick are a local charity in Wian who have been trying to improve the lives of those most in need in the town for more than a century. The stadium will be called the Brick Community Stadium until at least 2025.
🤝 Wigan Athletic & @WiganWarriorsRL are delighted to announce the DW Stadium will officially be renamed as The Brick Community Stadium from Monday 13 May 2024…
Full details 👇#wafc 🔵⚪️ | @TheBrickWigan
— Wigan Athletic (@LaticsOfficial) May 8, 2024
It will be the second time that the stadium has changed its name. When it was first built, it was opened as the JJB Stadium, however, that all changed in 2009 when the club's former Chairman, Dave Whelan, purchased several JJB fitness clubs and rebranded them as ‘DW Fitness'. As a result, the stadium became known as the DW Stadium.
Wigan Athletic stadium renamed – club explains decision
In a statement published on the club's official website, the decision to rename the stadium in honour of the Brick has been explained. It read:
“The Brick delivers effective solutions to address poverty and homelessness across the Wigan and Leigh Borough, providing supported and emergency accommodation services, street outreach services, wrap-around person-led support, a food community, and affordable furniture and essential household items to make a house a home.
“The inspirational charity, which was Latics' Official Charity Partner in both 2017/18 and 2018/19, has a long-standing affiliation with the Football Club, collectively raising much-needed funds to help people who are homeless, in poverty, or facing a debt crisis.
“The name will initially remain in place until the end of 2025 with further support for local charities to be announced in the coming weeks. We will also continue to work together to secure a long-term commercial stadium partner for 2026 and beyond.”
The club's chairman, Ben Goodburn, added: “The Stadium is a spiritual home for so many of our loyal fans across both clubs, many of whom will have been, in some way, impacted by the positive work of The Brick.”