Football clubs are firmly-established as international brands; many are recognisable from Manchester to Macau. As part of that national and international appeal, clubs place a premium on the opportunity to sponsor the match-day shirt. The latest deals in the Premiership show that the most successful teams seek in excess of £20m per season for this opportunity. 

Seven Premier League football clubs are currently sponsored by betting and gaming companies, a stark contrast to league’s the inaugural season, when there was not a single betting or gaming sponsor. In fact, there were none until 888.com’s sponsorship of Middlesbrough FC in the 2004/5 season.

A significant reason behind the increased presence of betting companies is the greater use of internet and mobile betting that appeals directly to the target market of professional football, which is still predominately men aged between 18 and 35. 

It is clear that the digital age has had a strong influence upon the appeal of football; none of the current sponsors are the most well-known, established betting shop-focussed companies such as Ladbrokes, Coral and William Hill. 

In-play betting, and the convenience of betting through mobiles, tablets and computers has helped to create a significant and expanding industry. Ladbrokes for example recently announced that the net revenues received through mobile device betting grew by 174% in 2011. It is the possibility of using football clubs as a fast and efficient way or establishing a brand in such a market that has been a decisive factor in the attraction of new entrants.

There is now a firm belief that shirt sponsorship can enable such a brand presence to be quickly established, particularly in industries where consumers are free to switch brands on convenience as shown by the significant success achieved by Emirates through its sponsorship at Arsenal and Chelsea. In order to advertise in the United Kingdom, a betting and gaming company must be licensed in Britain, the EEA or a white-list jurisdiction (e.g. Alderney, Antigua, Cyprus, Gibraltar, Isle of Man, Malta and Tasmania). 

It is not however just shirt sponsorships that have increased as the Premier League has continued to grow with many clubs now having an official betting partner such as the recent announcement that Paddy Power has become Manchester City’s UK betting partner until the end of the 2012/13 season. It is the apparent synergies between the industries that have driven such commercial partnerships with Ian Cafferky (Manchester City’s Chief Brand and Commercial Officer) saying “not only do Paddy Power and football go hand-in-hand but…we believe this partnership will provide real added value to our supporters.”  To highlight the global nature of the relationship between betting and football Manchester City had in August 2011 signed an agreement with Mansion to be their international betting partner.  

Sponsorship of a Premier League club not only develops the brand domestically, but also worldwide- the number of ‘fans’ of the Premier League is reportedly 1.5bn (with an annual worldwide television audience of 4.7bn). Once the numbers are examined, the decision to sponsor a club looks less of a gamble. Some international markets are currently unavailable to betting companies, most notably the United States. Should the betting legislation change the popularity of the Premier League in the United States may help to establish a first mover advantage.

Conclusion

While there are many possibilities for a sponsor in relation to the sponsorship of a Premier League club, there are also significant regulations that a betting and gaming sponsor must comply with including the Gambling Act 2005 and the Code for Socially Responsible Advertising. Under the existing rules, it is vital that the sponsor ensures any and all advertising is compliant and in particular not specifically targeted at minors. Any sponsorship agreement entered into after 1 September 2007 prohibits the betting and gaming sponsor’s logo being attached to commercial merchandising, which is designed for use by children for example a child’s version of the match day shirt.  

The strong appeals of sponsoring a football team are that the target market is in line with that of internet betting and gaming firms, easy and quick brand recognition and worldwide exposure. There is an increasing enjoyment, and indeed an acceptance, of betting and gaming and the high levels of advertising related to in-play betting around the televised football matches shows there is a strong belief that this market is a profitable one for the betting and gaming industry.

About Iain Taker:

Iain Taker is an associate at Kemp Little LLP, specialising in commercial and sports law, and a registered lawyer under the FA Football Agency Regulations.  

You can follow him on twitter @iaintaker or on LinkedIn 

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Dutch brewing company Heineken has extended its sponsorship of Europe’s two primary club competitions.

The UEFA Champions League and Europa League will continue to be sponsored by the European company until the culmination of the 2020-21 campaign. The UEFA Super Cup, a yearly standalone fixture between the winners of the Champions League and Europa League, will also be sponsored by Heineken until 2020 under the deal.

Heineken first partnered with UEFA in 1994 and has since placed the top-tier Champions League at the forefront of its marketing and advertising campaigns. Heineken entered a deal with the Europa League in 2015, focussing on its Amstel brand.

Heineken currently enjoys a host of high-profile marketing partners – including Formula One, the Rugby World Cup and the James Bond movie franchise.

SBC Events has committed to making the international Betting on Football 2017 its best conference yet, by providing ‘an unforgettable business and networking experience’ for more than 800 senior executives from 40+ countries.

For the first time, Betting on Football (BOF 2017) will be spread across two days at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge from 3-4 May. Included in a delegate ticket is access to six tracks of industry insight, food and refreshments, two high end networking parties and the possibility to join tours of the stadium.

Stamford Bridge is just one of three top London venues set for centre stage at BOF 2017, alongside the Richard Branson-owned Kensington Roof Gardens and Roman Abramovich’s Under the Bridge nightclub. Kensington Roof Gardens will host the official networking party on 3rd May whilst Under the Bridge will open its doors for the official closing party on 4th May.

During the two-days, SBC Events will be introducing 100 speakers, split between 35 panel discussions and presentations across three conference rooms. In addition, BOF 2017 will also offer dedicated meeting rooms and introduce the product pitching stage, ‘Pitch Invasion’, alongside 30 exhibitors inside Stamford Bridge’s 1,400 sqm Great Hall.

Delegates will have the option to arrange meetings before and during the event via the official conference app, which is available on both iOS and Android and includes the full conference agenda. Meanwhile, SBC Events will be organising an exclusive operator networking event for 100 C-Level executives, and a separate event for representatives of the top 40 sports betting affiliates.

SBC Founder Rasmus Sojmark commented: “We’ve worked hard to make this year’s Betting on Football an essential part of the event calendar. No other conference will have such a high concentration of leaders, decision makers and speakers from the betting industry. It’s going to be a great place to network and do business.”

Sponsors include OPTIMA (Gold Sponsor), BetConstruct (Silver Sponsor), 138.com (Premium Sponsor), HiPay (Premium Sponsor), Bet365, BetGenius, BetOnBrazil, Betway, Digitain, EnergyBet, Ganapati, Golden Race, Intertops, Oulala, Paddy Power, Betfair, SBTech, Sportradar, VsoftCo, TXODDS, Oddslife, LeoVegas, Mr Green and Siru Mobile.

To find out more information about becoming a sponsor, contact sales@sbcnews.co.uk.

To watch the video from SBC’s last two-day event, visit: https://youtu.be/wFuXtiEk8aA

To register for your early bird BOF 2017 ticket at a special discounted price of just £299 (+VAT), visit http://sbcevents.co.uk/betting-on-football-2017

A standard two-day ticket is £599 (+VAT), while individual day passes are available for £399 (+VAT). Email sales@sbcnews.co.uk for more information.

Organisers of the FIA Formula E Championship have announced that the world’s first fully-electric racing series will be an official partner of COP22 for the inaugural Marrakech ePrix.

The 22nd session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP22), patient will take place in Marrakech on November 7-18. The summit will take over the reins from COP21 during which historic progress was made in Paris last year.

It will focus on action items in order to achieve the priorities set in the Paris Agreement, especially related to adaptation, transparency, technology transfer, mitigation, capacity building and loss and damages – with notable guests including President of the United States Barack Obama, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The official sporting opening event of COP22 – the 2016 FIA Formula E Marrakech ePrix, which takes place on November 12, will be the first time Formula E visits the continent of Africa and reflects the growing demand for e-mobility solutions across the globe.

Alejandro Agag, CEO of Formula E, said: “We are delighted to be racing in Marrakech – the first time that Formula E has raced on the African continent, which shows how we have evolved into a truly global championship. The event has even greater significance as we are here as one of the official partners of COP22. Formula E fully understands the challenges and risks that climate change presents, and to be a part of the most significant forum for tackling this problem is a huge honour.”

Jean Todt, President of the FIA, said: “Formula E is a great example of an FIA championship among the Federation’s two main pillars – sport and mobility. We are delighted that Formula E has decided to become a partner of COP22 on the occasion of the first edition of the Marrakesh ePrix. As part of the FIA mission to promote clean transport systems available to all, we are looking to encourage the development and adoption of sustainable technologies. Formula E is a fantastic laboratory that will enable the development of ‘clean technologies for all’.”

Said Mouline, CEO of Moroccan Agency for the Development of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, said: “The Formula E Marrakech ePrix on November 12 is an official COP22-certified event and will be a magnificent occasion to demonstrate that electric mobility has reached an excellent level of maturity and that its development is up to determined policies by nation-states. Electric mobility is now also reaching Africa where huge opportunities exist.”

Three candidates have officially submitted their candidacies for the position of UEFA President before the deadline of 20 July.

Aleksander Čeferin (President, Football Association of Slovenia), Michael van Praag (President, Royal Netherlands Football Association) and Ángel María Villar Llona (President, Royal Spanish Football Federation) will be the candidates for the election which will take place at UEFA’s 12th Extraordinary Congress on 14 September in Athens.

The candidates for the Presidency will be subject to an eligibility check, conducted by the Review Committee of FIFA due to the fact that the UEFA President automatically becomes a FIFA Council vice-president.

In addition, Evelina Christillin of the Italian Football Federation and Laura McAllister of the Football Association of Wales have officially submitted their candidacies for the position of UEFA’s additional female member on the FIFA Council, and they too will be subject to a FIFA eligibility check.