1xBet and Paddy Power strike football sponsorship deals
Online gambling operator 1xBet has named English Premier League club Chelsea as its latest commercial partner in the professional football market, while Paddy Power has signed a shirt sponsorship deal with Championship side Huddersfield Town.
Chelsea’s deal with 1xBet will run for three seasons, from the 2019-20 campaign to 2021-22, with the operator to serve as the club’s official betting partner.
1xBet said that the agreement will provide it with greater visibility worldwide, particularly in the UK where it is seeking to increase market share.
To mark the partnership, 1xBet will be running a ‘Guess the Score’ competition throughout the 2019-20 season, with UK-based fans that correctly predict the outcome of Chelsea’s Premier League games bring entered into a draw to win tickets to Chelsea matches, signed club merchandise and Megastore vouchers.
“1xBet are one of the most rapidly developing companies in the betting industry and we look forward to supporting them in their endeavour to increase brand awareness within the UK and around the world,” Chelsea commercial director, Chris Townsend, said.
1xBet spokesman, Alex Sommers, added: “It's a big honour for us to become a partner of such a great football club as Chelsea. We guarantee that Chelsea fans will see a variety of interesting and engaging activities from the partnership over the next three years.”
The operator has also signed similar deals with Premier League club Liverpool and Spanish LaLiga outfit Barcelona in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, Paddy Power has signed a one-year deal to become the title partner of Huddersfield Town, which was relegated from the top-tier Premier League last season.
Paddy Power branding will feature on the front of players’ shirts throughout the 2019-20 season, in a deal that marks the bookmaker’s first foray into football shirt sponsorship in the UK.
Huddersfield Town’s commercial director, Sean Jarvis, said: “The front-of-shirt sponsorship is very important to the club and it was vital that we stayed patient to get the right commercial deal. We did that and it’s paid huge dividends through this new relationship with one of the most modern-thinking, pro-active businesses in Paddy Power.”
Michelle Spillane, brand and marketing director at Paddy Power, added: “We are excited to announce that we are Huddersfield Town’s shirt sponsor this season, our first foray into shirt sponsorship. They’re a club which, first and foremost, value their fans and know what it means to be a football supporter.”