(AsiaGameHub) –   While a recent SBC Digital Day session was called ‘Adapting Marketing as Football Sponsorships Fade,’ the panel’s conclusion was that sponsorship is not disappearing but instead transforming.

Football sponsorships have been central to iGaming marketing plans, with the Premier League – called the “grandest stage of all” by Russell Yershon, CEO of Connectingbrands.com.

Nevertheless, with front-of-shirt gambling sponsorships due to be prohibited from the coming season, operators must now reconsider how to connect with fans beyond conventional kit agreements.

New sponsorship routes

Yershon and fellow speaker Joaquin Gago, CEO of BetandDeal, both observed that the Premier League will remain an arena for brand visibility. As front-of-shirt space vanishes, sleeve and training-kit agreements are anticipated to become the next focal point for brand exposure.

However, the panel concurred that the most promising prospects exist beyond the reliable sport of football.

Panel moderator and iGaming Expert Editor Joe Streeter highlighted combat sports promoter MVP’s forthcoming MMA event on Netflix, which will feature stars like Ronda Rousey and Nate Diaz. The event, similar to many past live sports broadcasts on streaming platforms, is predicted to draw enormous global audiences.

“It’s absolutely massive. It’s another route for these big global brands to think we know what the Netflix audience is, so let’s go and speak with the rights holder and see what we can do,” Yershon stated.

This led to a broader conversation about sponsorships led by athletes. Yershon remembered collaborating with boxer David Haye for a gambling-related brand during his first bout against Tony Bellew, noting the “unbelievable coverage” it produced.

With streaming services such as YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon increasingly offering live sports, the speakers also proposed that operators can connect with fans directly, circumventing the restrictions of club-based partnerships.

Activation and localisation matter more than ever

As the discussion progressed, Gago emphasised the growth of localised influencer campaigns, noting that “influencers are being used more in casino than sports because they are easier games to communicate and engage with the audience.”

This approach has grown much more prevalent in recent years. Influencers, who might not have the same follower count as retired footballers, often show greater effectiveness because their communities are intensely concentrated on the specific markets a brand aims to enter.

Both panellists agreed that localisation is now essential. Gago explained it is crucial to collaborate with, or employ, local individuals who genuinely comprehend the country and culture, and that any campaign must be tailored to the target market.

This strategy does present challenges, however. Yershon insisted that meticulous selection of talent is vital, explaining that due diligence guarantees influencers not only portray the brand well but also connect with the correct audience.

He finished by stating that regardless of the direction a brand chooses, activation is what separates mere visibility from a wasted budget.

Pull quote – “You need to have a clear plan… otherwise you’re chasing your tail,” Yershon cautioned, stressing that investment without a strategy seldom yields measurable outcomes.

Regulation at the centre of all decisions

The panel agreed that regulatory structures are the most significant factor influencing sponsorship choices, and that knowing the marketing rules is as important as understanding the culture of a target country.

Retired footballers, for instance, have historically been effective ambassadors for betting firms due to their recognition among older demographics. Yet, this is not always simple.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) illustrated this last year by upholding a complaint against a promoted post on X by Sky Bet. The post contained an embedded video clip from The Overlap podcast, and the ASA determined it was likely to have strong appeal to under-18s because of Gary Neville’s presence.

Flutter challenged the decision, arguing that “black-market operators flood the internet and social media without any checks,” pointing out the disparity between regulated brands adhering to strict rules and unregulated operators facing no oversight.

This debate connects to ongoing talks about a potential rule that could prohibit unregulated operators from sponsoring sports in England entirely, a change that would dramatically alter the sponsorship environment.

Acknowledging this, the discussion shifted to how clubs manage these intricacies and where responsibility truly lies.

Yershon mentioned Everton’s partnership with Stake, which had to cease its UK operations after its logo appeared as a watermark on a “widely viewed” social media video featuring an adult actress.

“For Stake as a brand, you want to be on the grandest stage of all, which is Premier League front-of-shirt. Working with a team like Everton, you can benefit from that from the global awareness, so I see no issue with that whatsoever. It’s up to the Premier League club.

“In terms of whether it’s right or wrong, if the law says you can do it, then why not,” he added, before stating that it is the regulator who must take a firm position.