Fulham Announces Record Sponsorship
Fulham Football Club has confirmed a record sponsorship agreement with W88 which will see the betting firm become the newly promoted Premier League club’s front of shirt and main team partner for the 2022/23 season.
The one-year deal means that the matchday playing shirts of Fulham FC women’s and men’s first teams will feature the W88 logo.
The new season kit will be unveiled on Friday 29th July and worn for the first time during the team’s final pre-season friendly against Villarreal at the club’s 25,000-capcity stadium, Craven Cottage, on Sunday 31st July.
The shirt will be worn in its first competitive match when Fulham launches its Premier League campaign against Liverpool FC six days later.
As well as benefitting from exposure on the team’s kit, W88 will also receive visibility across Craven Cottage on matchdays and via the club’s digital channels.
W88 has held a strong presence English top-flight in the past, having sponsored Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Leicester City in previous seasons.
The betting firm replaces World Mobile as the front of shirt sponsor. The blockchain-based mobile network remains as one of the club’s partners but its logo will now appear on the club’s training kits.
Hilly Ehrlich, W88 Business Development Manager, commented, “We are both proud and excited to be partnering with London’s oldest professional football club, Fulham FC, as they return to the top-flight of English football. We are also looking forward to engaging with their passionate global fanbase during the season ahead and delivering innovative content with the club.
“With a global footprint, W88 is a brand which represents integrity, trust and excellence and we will be actively promoting responsible gaming.”
Fulham FC Sales Director, Jon Don-Carolis, added, “We’re pleased to welcome W88 on board as main team partner this season in a record sponsorship deal for the club. The deal provides significant revenue to assist with our commercial objectives, enabling us to compete in a challenging and exciting Premier League campaign.”
The news comes as British football is in the middle of a debate on gambling in football. The government is set for a U-turn on introducing legislation to ban sponsorship of betting firms, but the Premier League has asked clubs to voluntarily reduce the levels in which they engage with the gambling industry through sponsorship agreements.
The Premier League is reportedly due to hold a vote on the future of betting shirt sponsorships in September. The length of Fulham’s agreement with W88, just a year-long deal, could be due to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the sustainability of betting shirt sponsorships in the sport.
Image: Shutterstock
