Scottish football league strikes landmark sponsorship
The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) has secured a landmark title sponsorship deal with William Hill, one of the UK’s leading betting companies. This record-breaking five-year partnership, set to commence at the start of the 2024/25 season, marks a new era for the SPFL and its 42 clubs.
Under the terms of the agreement, William Hill will become the title sponsor of all four SPFL divisions, rebranding them as the William Hill Premiership, William Hill Championship, William Hill League 1, and William Hill League 2. Additionally, William Hill will serve as the Official Betting Partner of the SPFL, further solidifying its presence within Scottish football.
The partnership extends beyond traditional sponsorship, with William Hill and the SPFL collaborating with EPIC Global Solutions to introduce a groundbreaking gambling harm awareness program. This initiative aims to educate players, staff, and supporters on the risks associated with gambling and to provide guidance on where to seek help.
EPIC Global Solutions, a consultancy specialising in gambling harm prevention, will conduct interactive workshops across all SPFL clubs. These sessions will focus on the dangers of gambling harm in the elite sports environment and will also include community groups and supporters. The program has shown impressive results in other sports, with over 90% of professional athletes gaining confidence in seeking support for gambling-related concerns.
SPFL group chief executive Neil Doncaster commented, “William Hill is a name long associated with Scottish football, and we are enormously excited to have reached a long-term, record-breaking agreement with our new title sponsors. This is tremendous news for our clubs and their fans, for the profile of the league, and for Scottish football in general.”
William Hill’s Marketing Director, Michael Sheehan, echoed these sentiments, saying, “We’re delighted to become title sponsor and Official Betting Partner of the SPFL, as well as launching a pioneering Gambling Harm Awareness programme, delivered by EPIC. For decades, we at William Hill have loved Scottish football and its fiercely loyal and passionate fans. Now, building on our long-standing association with Scottish football, we are delighted to be playing our part in five exciting seasons of the SPFL.”
The search for a new SPFL title sponsor was led by Brendan Napier of Scottish Football Marketing, a joint venture aimed at centralising marketing efforts for Scottish football. Napier described the deal as “a tremendous coup for Scottish football” and emphasised the attractiveness of the sport to forward-thinking sponsors.
The partnership with William Hill comes after the previous sponsor, Cinch, opted to end its five-year deal after only three years. The new sponsorship is seen as a positive step forward for the SPFL, with the league also addressing past issues with governance and committing to a review process.
SiGMA East Europe, Budapest, September 2024
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