In the ever more expensive world of football sponsorship, the presence of betting brands within the English Premier League continues to expand. A recent report by GlobalData reveals the revelation that betting companies accounted for a substantial 35% of front-of-shirt sponsorship deals in the 2023-24 season, amounting to an impressive investment totaling nearly $72 million.
The findings from GlobalData’s “Business of the English Premier League 2023-24” report shed light on the prevalence of betting partnerships within the league. Despite discussions surrounding the potential ban of such industry deals ahead of the 2026-27 season, seven out of the 20 top-flight teams have already secured agreements with betting firms. This indicates a notable foothold in the market, even amidst regulatory uncertainties.
One of the prominent players in this realm is Betway, which recently made headlines with its partnership announcement as the Official Global Betting Partner of Arsenal’s men’s team. This multi-year deal marks another addition to Betway’s massive football portfolio, alongside existing agreements with West Ham as Principal Partner and Brighton as Official Global Partner, in addition to collaborations with clubs in La Liga and the Bundesliga. Betway’s expansion underscores the growing influence of betting brands within the football sponsorship domain.
The fact that the Premier League is increasingly the richest and gets the most widespread publicity all over the world means that gambling firms are queueing up to do lucrative deals with English clubs, but are getting even more exposure by partnering with big European clubs as well.
The effectiveness of such partnerships is evident in their impact on club popularity and global reach. A YouGov survey conducted in late 2022 revealed that AC Milan stands as the most popular Italian club in the United States, fueled in part by the burgeoning soccer market and the allure of global events like the World Cup. The acquisition of Christian Pulisic has further bolstered Milan’s standing in the States as “soccer” becomes increasingly popular in the American market.
Moreover, Milan’s appeal extends beyond the United States, as evidenced by its status as the third-most-popular football club in China. The vast potential of the Chinese market presents lucrative revenue opportunities for clubs, especially from the Premier League, emphasizing the strategic importance of advertising in key regions worldwide.
Even lower-level clubs are also benefitting as highlighted by the partnership of the giant Asian gambling firm K9WIN with Athletic Club Bilbao in La Liga, who are looking to expand into European markets and take advantage of the exposure of La Liga games being broadcast live all over their usual Asian market. We should expect to see more Asian giants like k9win getting involved in Premier League marketing deals.
All these factors highlights the growing relationship between football clubs and betting brands, with both entities leveraging each other’s strengths to achieve mutual success. While concerns surrounding the wider impact of gambling sponsorships will not go awayt, the allure of money-spinning partnerships and expanded global reach continues to drive their increasing presence within the Premier League and beyond and bringing in vital extra income to football teams.
