Three Premier League Clubs Still Affected By Gambling Sponsorship Ban

There are three Premier League clubs still hunting for new front-of-shirt partners to ensure they don’t breach the gambling sponsorship rules. As of April 2023, all 20 top-flight member clubs agreed to end front-of-shirt sponsorship deals with betting companies, which takes effect this season.

With the new campaign beginning on Friday, some outfits are desperately scrambling to fill the financial void. And the issue has become increasingly pressing.

Who are the affected parties?

Going into the summer, as many as eight teams were faced with the spectre of not having a long-term front-of-shirt partner. Among these were Aston Villa, while Bournemouth, who were feeling an acute squeeze, have Vitality, who hold the naming rights to their stadium, as their main sponsor.

However, Chelsea will have a distinctly blank kit once again. Since their deal with mobile network Three expired at the end of the 2022/23 campaign, the Blues have seen their sponsorship value drop by £16.7 million on last year, and that is partly owed to their lack of European football this season.

To a certain extent, Chelsea’s financial gap has nothing to do directly with the gambling sponsorship ban. Instead, the West London outfit are looking for commercial value from any deal agreed, and they have deeper pockets than many.

Sunderland find themselves in a similar predicament. Although there had been suggestions a deal with a new sponsor following the expiration of their partnership with betting operator W88 was close, nothing has materialised. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest, who were sponsored by Bally’s have been unsuccessful in landing a new partner.

Shifting goalposts

Unsurprisingly, clubs outside of the traditional “Big Six” have taken the biggest financial hit with shirt sponsorships. Figures bandied about suggest sponsorship offers for mid-table clubs have fallen by around 50% from £12 million to around £6 million.

Clubs therefore have had to cast the net wider to pinpoint industries that match their commercial value. Therefore, deals with fintech and AI companies have become more prominent, as clubs look to jump on new trends.

Front-of-shirt deals a revenue generator

The tangible commercial value of front-of-shirt sponsors can’t be underestimated. For example, when Tottenham Hotspur renewed their sponsorship deal with insurance company AIA in 2019, it was valued at £320 million over eight years, at £40 million a season, which was five times more than that of their arrangement with Mansion, the online casino and betting brand.

Non-gambling businesses have served to prove over the years they can be lucrative avenues for clubs. Nevertheless, finding a shirt sponsor looks very different today compared to those sides competing in the Premier League in the 1990s.

Waiting for the market to “heat up”

The aforementioned Premier League clubs without a front-of-shirt sponsor are waiting for things to “heat up” before diving straight in. This was suggested by Mike Haywood, vice-president of Octagon, one of the world’s most respected sports sponsorship consultation firms.

He said:

“There were between eight and 12 clubs that needed to plug that gap. Some of those clubs are still looking for long-term solutions, while some of them are waiting for the market to heat up.

“It isn’t a great look to go into a new season without a partner. Sunderland fans were praising their new kit without a sponsor, but the club were quick to state there would be a sponsorship in place. These commercial teams need it to be sold.”

The clock is ticking. Those without a front-of-shirt sponsor must act quickly, so they don’t get left behind.