Online gambling operator MansionBet has agreed to become the new main shirt sponsor of English Championship football club Bristol City, while sports trading platform Football Index signed a similar deal with Queens Park Rangers (QPR).
MansionBet branding will now appear on the front of City players’ shirts, while the operator will also serve as the club’s betting partner.
In line with the club’s responsible gambling strategy, the MansionBet logo will not feature on youth kits.
MansionBet previously sponsored Premier League clubs Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace and recently relegated AFC Bournemouth, and also had partnerships in place with Manchester City and Newcastle United.
“Sponsorship of a Championship team shows our continued focus and support of the UK market,” said Dana Bocker, head of integrated marketing at Mansion Group, which owns MansionBet. “Bristol City’s proud history within the English league and their growth over the last couple of years makes this an appealing partnership.”
Bristol Sport Group head of commercial, Caroline Herbert, added: “With more than a decade of industry experience and a long tradition of sport sponsorship, MansionBet brings a huge amount of expertise and creativity to the partnership.”
Meanwhile, City’s Championship rival QPR has struck up a new partnership with Football Index, the online platform that allows fans to use real money to buy and sell shares in players.
The one-year deal will cover the 2020-21 campaign, though there is an option to extend for an additional year. Football Index branding will feature on the front of players’ jerseys
Neil Kelly, chief executive of BetIndex, the parent company of Football Index, said: “We’re very excited to see this partnership help to grow awareness of the Football Index brand across an engaged football audience for the 2020-21 season.”
QPR commercial director Euan Inglis added: “The team at Football Index have a very innovative approach in how they would like to engage with our fanbase through various content driven ideas and integration to our current and future digital assets.”
