The local gambling operator Neds has been named as an official wagering sponsor for the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) after the two parties inked a 2-year deal.
As revealed by the APL, which currently serves as the organising body for both men’s and women’s A-Leagues on the territory of Australia, the agreement will provide Neds with the right for in-stadium promotion. The company, which is owned and operated by the British gambling giant Entain, will also get selected matches’ signage rights, integration with live match centres for both international and domestic matches, as well as access to content on the digital content platform of the A-Leagues, Keepup. The operator’s logo will also be present on the social media channels used by the A-Leagues.
The chief marketing officer of Neds, James Burnett, shared that, in his opinion, Neds will benefit from the deal, as it is a significant brand opportunity that will provide the company with access to more than 200 matches across the professional men’s and women’s leagues but will also offer sports lovers with the chance to take their support for their favourite club to the next level. Mr Burnett explained that a massive growth of interest has been registered across the A-Leagues since soccer is the most-played sport in Australia and on a global scale.
The A-Leagues are not the only professional sports leagues that work in collaboration with Entain’s Australian sports betting brand. A few months ago, Neds revealed that it inked a partnership agreement with The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), under which it became the UFC’s official betting partner for Australia.
Some A-League Clubs Inked Anti-Gambling Sponsorship Agreements with Government Agencies
The newly-announced deal, however, has not been well-accepted by anyone, because a number of A-League clubs have already agreed on anti-gambling sponsorships with the country’s government agencies.
Back in February 2021, the Western Sydney Wanderers shook hands with the NSW Office for Responsible Gambling over a partnership that is aimed at tackling the normalisation of sports betting in professional sports. As part of the agreement, the Wanderers revealed that the team will turn down all sponsorship and proportional proposals from sports betting operators.
The leading position that Australian soccer currently has in the gambling sector, is highlighted by the fact that all A-League clubs are treated as equal owners in the APL.
Neds is the latest operator that has become a sponsor of the A-Leagues since the APL competitions were unified under the new banner in October. At the end of 2020, it split from the football federation of Australia.
The chief commercial officer of the A-Leagues, Ant Hearne, explained that the upcoming 2021/2022 soccer season has prospects of offering the most exciting soccer games in the A-Leagues, so the presence of Neds of their sponsor would help them connect, unify and empower fans to become more engaged with the game.
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Olivia Cole
