Works team

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A works team (sometimes factory team) is a term which refers to sports teams which are run by, receive financial backing from, and sometimes contain players employed by a parent company.

[edit] Association football

Several professional football clubs in the United Kingdom were formed as works teams, including Manchester United (the team of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway depot at Newton Heath) and Livingston (formerly Ferranti Thistle). A few (semi-professional) retain their companies' names, including Airbus UK, Cammell Laird and Vauxhall Motors.

Several Argentine clubs began life as the works teams of British-owned railway companies, including Rosario Central, Talleres de Córdoba, Ferro Carril Oeste, Club Ferrocarril Midland and Club Atlético Central Córdoba, whilst European former works teams include PSV Eindhoven (Philips), Bayer Leverkusen (Bayer).

Works teams are common in Japan, with several J-League clubs starting life as such (e.g. Yokohama F. Marinos, who were originally Nissan F.C.). Modern examples include Honda F.C., Mitsubishi Motors Mizushima and Sagawa Printing. The maximum league Japanese works teams can compete in is the Japan Football League, the de facto national third division; the J. League specifically bars works teams from its ranks unless they professionalize and adopt the community they play in as a source of fan support.

[edit] Motorsports

In motorsports, works teams are those which are factory-backed, whilst its drivers are known as works drivers.

[edit] Rugby

In rugby, works teams are usually found in Asia. The Top League in Japan features teams such as Suntory Sungoliath, Toyota Verblitz and IBM Big Blue. Samsung has a team in the Korean league.

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