Aston Villa’s first Premier League commercial deal is a winning bet

Aston Villa has secured a “record-breaking” commercial agreement with W88 to be principal partner for the 2019/20 season.

The Asian betting and gaming company’s logo will feature on the club’s Premier League shirts as well as first-team training wear. Last season W88 were shirt-sponsors for local rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers, who announced a new deal of their own this week with Malta-based ManBetX.

Aston Villa returned to the top flight of English football after a three-season absence with a Championship play-off win against Derby at Wembley Stadium last month.

Chief commercial officer Nicola Ibbetson said: “This is a record-breaking commercial partnership for the Club, our promotion to the Premier League offers our club partners a global platform to reach our worldwide fan base.”

W88 is a rapidly-growing brand in the gaming industry with a strong presence in Asia and specialise in sports betting, live dealer casino, poker, slots and lottery games.

Hilly Ehrlich, W88 business development manager, added: “We look forward to engaging with the fans, players and club management in the coming months. W88 is a renowned online gaming brand with a significant member base. The brand represents trust and integrity, with sports namely soccer at its core.”