Everton sign biggest shirt sponsorship deal in club’s history
Everton Football Club as penned the most lucrative shirt sponsorship deal in the club’s 140-year history with African betting company SportPesa.
The five-year agreement starts on June 1 and will see the gaming brand’s name appear on the front of the players’ shirts.
Everton say SportPesa has recently invested in a new European HQ on Liverpool’s waterfront and the investment will see the creation of more than 70 jobs.
“We’re pleased to have secured the biggest commercial partnership deal in the club’s history with an ambitious and growing, global company,” Everton chief executive officer Robert Elstone said.
“From the outset we have been impressed by SportPesa and the company’s plans for the future. Over the coming months and years we will be working closely to realise our ambitions together.
“SportPesa are committed to significant investment not only into Everton through this partnership but also in the city as they open up a new European Headquarters that creates new jobs in Liverpool.
“The Liverpool office will give SportPesa the chance to engage with supporters through a number of fan activities and we look forward to an exciting partnership together.”
Ivo Bozukov, director of global strategy for SportPesa, said: “This is a proud and monumental day in the history of our organisation. Everton Football Club is a world-renowned sporting institution and a club of proud tradition and rich history.
“We are thrilled to have secured an alignment with Everton, a club weaved prominently throughout the tapestry of world football.”
National law firm Gateley advised Everton. The firm’s Manchester-based sports sector team worked the Goodison Park club and its multi-million pound training ground naming rights deal with Russia-based USM Holdings, which was announced earlier this year.
Everton’s training complex and youth academy at Halewood has been renamed USM Finch Farm.
The team was led by Gateley’s Manchester partner and sports sector head, John Burns, and Everton FC head of legal services Chris Anderson, assisted principally by Gateley solicitor Conor Hannon and Everton’s head of commercial Alan McTavish.
Burns said: “These two deals represent the most lucrative commercial partnerships of their kind in Everton’s long history so it’s been great for us as a team to have helped the Club realise these opportunities.
“These are exciting times for Everton and we look forward to working closely with them going forward.”
