Football is undeniably the most influential sport in the world. Played in almost every country, it has an impactful role in society. For its importance, football obviously moves a lot of money, and big firms are always keen on being put on the front of famous clubs’ shirts, on their stadium, and in general, to have their name associated with some of the most famous clubs in the world. And rightfully so. It is now being proven that sponsorship through football earns great money for the companies that decide to involve themselves in it.
Among those that decided to get involved in football sponsorship, are casino companies. Casino sponsorship is now one of the most important and fruitful versions of football sponsorship. For example in the Premier League, by far the most rich and famous football league in the world, eight out of twenty teams have a casino sponsorship on the front of their shirt. The first ever Premier League club to have such a sponsorship was Fulham, which was sponsored by BetFair. From that point on, there have been countless examples, even involving some of the best known football clubs on the globe. Real Madrid, probably the single most famous club, has had Bwin, a casino company, as its sponsor. AC Milan, probably the second most important, has had Bwin as the main front shirt sponsor as well. And this goes without talking about shirt sleeves, training kits, stadium names, partners, and so forth. In general, the connection between the two worlds is strong and steady: people who watch football usually like to play slot games and to play in casinos in general. Sponsorships are just one of the most official ways in which they are connected.
Moreover, after the recent economic crisis that involved all of global football, combined with the financial fair play rules set by UEFA, sponsorships have become a crucial part in the financial well being of an ever increasing number of clubs, and therefore of the football movement as a whole. The financial sustainability rules, in short, impose upon clubs to meet certain solvency and stability standards, meaning that their spending power is strictly related to their earnings. The aim of the UEFA, the European governing organ for all things football, was to create an environment of sustainability, in which financially healthy clubs are allowed to spend more, and grow organically. The more they grow, the more they earn, the more they will be able to spend. If they spend more, they will grow further, earning even more, and being able to spend even more. And so forth. There’s a number of ways for a club to earn money – stadium tickets, TV deals, selling merchandise, the players’ market. But having a good, or a few good sponsorships, is one of the most direct ways to create a basic foundation of financial stability.
This is where casino sponsorships come into play. As said before, there is a strong connection between football teams and these companies, as they have a long history of fruitful collaborations. The benefits are twofold: casinos companies will be able to promote themselves, gaining a lot of visibility in a target market they already have a strong bond with, generating even more consumer interest, and therefore revenue. At the same time, football clubs will be able to put in front of their shirt – or on the sleeves, or on their training kit – a name that their supporters are used to, that they know of. Giving one of such companies the spotlight will also earn them much needed money, which they can then use to buy good players, and to assemble a good team. All in all is a great deal for all the parties involved, supporters included. Who wouldn’t want to see their club buy one of the best players in the world? Who wouldn’t want to see their club have the economic strength to get better every year, and to compete for the most important trophies in Europe?
In general, given the economic situation of the European football movement in general, sponsorships are a must. Without them and without TV deals, which are probably the two most important streams of income for clubs that play in the top five leagues in Europe, who knows how many clubs would have had the necessary financial stability to survive the crisis.
Having a surefire option for sponsorships, such as casino companies, in a context where all the parties involved are thoroughly satisfied with the deal, and in which such a deal is vital for the economic well being of the club itself, is priceless.
