Football clubs are synonymous with sponsorships. The world’s elite football clubs operate with huge yearly budgets that are only met if they make lucrative deals with sponsors. What better way to achieve that than partnering with other equally lucrative businesses? In the years past, the casino industry has seen tremendous improvements in terms of revenue generation. According to https://top-canadiancasino.com/5-deposit-casinos-canada/, it is valued at hundreds of billions of dollars, making players in the industry the most sought-after sponsors by football clubs.
Some of the biggest soccer clubs that casinos have sponsored at a given time include but are not limited to:
- Everton
- AC Milan
- Real Madrid
- West Ham United
- Crystal Palace
What happens when you combine two of the highest top earners in the entertainment sector? Well, there will be numerous benefits on both sides. Sponsorship deals between casinos and football clubs are a perfect example of a symbiotic relationship; both parties are bound to reap big. This editorial will answer why casino sponsorships of football clubs are increasing. So, are you interested in finding out why your favourite football team decided to partner with a casino? Stay with me.
An Effective Marketing Strategy
Marketing is essential for any business to thrive, and casinos aren’t exempted from this cardinal rule. They are constantly devising new marketing strategies to maximise profits and help them stay afloat. One of the major methods they are currently using is financing football clubs, as they have a wide global following. A case in point is the English Premier League, which has over 4 billion people worldwide watching. Footing the bill for any club playing in that league may bring in a lot of brand awareness, increasing the chances of getting maximum profits. For instance, the Kenyan firm Sportpesa signed a shirt deal of 10 million pounds a year in 2017. In the ensuing years, the company made a killing in revenue generation to become among the top-earning online casinos in Africa.
Top Betting Ranks
Additionally, sports betting ranks top among casino pursuits. Financing football clubs help hugely in marketing casino activities to football lovers. Most importantly, avid football fans who aren’t gamblers tend to bet on platforms that support their teams whenever they play. The wide following of football creates the perfect opportunity for betting firms to showcase what’s on their portfolio. In 2019 alone, casino sponsorships of the Championship and EPL stood at 59%. Here are some casinos that are huge in sponsoring soccer teams.
- Dafabet
- Cazoo
- Betway
- Fun888
- Bwin
Changing How People View Gambling
Gambling has always been associated with negative stereotypes. Countless articles have been written about the dangers of gambling, ranging from addiction, bankruptcy, mental illness, and eventual death. Numerous countries have set up many commissions and agencies for the sole purpose of evaluating the ills brought by gambling. The adage the house always wins reinforces the belief that nothing good can come out of engaging in casino ventures. Although there are some setbacks occasioned by wagering, casinos are at the forefront of showing the brighter side of the business. One way of doing so is by funding football teams, which enhances community relations.
Traditionally regarded as a vice, people are constantly changing their views about gambling and casinos. Largely due to these funding bills. Imagine a casino sponsorship deal that saves your club from relegation. Won’t you be curious to at least try their services? Some people see the funding of soccer teams as a way of the casinos giving back to society, making them alluring to the public regardless of whether they are sports lovers. Moving forward, casinos will continue to become more liked by the populace as their image becomes appealing.
Financial Capabilities
As stated earlier, football clubs operate with enormous budgets and are valued at high prices. The likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid are valued at billions of dollars. However, it is good to know that their revenues may not match what they are valued for, hence the need for sponsorship contracts. It is an open secret that professional footballers earn insane amounts of money. Some of the top five highest-paid footballers of 2022 are Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr, Christiano Ronaldo, Kevin De Bruyne, and Kylian Mbappe. They earn salaries ranging from $25 million to $41 million a year. So how do teams manage to keep them plying their trade? That’s where casino deals come in handy. Since the sector is a multi-billion industry, many casinos have the financial muscle to back clubs’ endeavours.
Generally, money must be used for any football club to generate any income. Revenue-generating activities range from winning titles to advertising and selling merchandise. All these require additional funds to be achieved. In the past, casinos have proven to generate extra revenue that can be channelled to such causes. Most importantly, casinos have always co-sponsored football clubs with other companies whenever extra money is needed.
Clubs Reap Huge Benefits
As indicated before, sponsorship deals are a symbiotic relationship where each party emerges with a win. The win-win situation is more beneficial to the football clubs than casinos whose only interest is making profits. Firstly, the money is helpful when it comes to maintaining football clubs’ state-of-the-art stadiums, which ensures fans are always comfortable whenever they are watching games. Training and recreational facilities in said stadiums are built and sustained by proceeds from casino financing. Football clubs are not only about players; coaches, team doctors, and countless support staff rely on sponsor funding to earn their salaries.
Apart from paying players, money from casinos may be used for other club activities, such as establishing football academies, which are vital to talent development among the youth. In addition, at times, casino sponsoring clubs may choose individual star players as brand ambassadors for additional advertising, which helps in improving the club’s image. So the next time your football team dons jerseys branded with casino logos, don’t lose your cool. Please remember that it is for the good of the football club and your entertainment when they score goals against your archrivals in derbies.
Bottom Line
All sponsorship contracts signed by football clubs boil down to funds, whether from casinos or other firms. Since casinos are in the market to make even more money, they will always feature in deals sponsoring footballing clubs and their activities. Although some major leagues like LA Liga are hell-bent on banning participating teams from partnering with casinos, many leagues globally favour casinos sponsoring their clubs. As it seems now, casinos are just starting to fund football teams. Nevertheless, the relationship is here to stay, and the future looks bright. Expect more casinos to sponsor teams, even from lower divisions.
