CHARLES SALE: Austrians a good bet to land FA Cup deal

16 September 2009 00:01
Europe's biggest online sports betting and gaming company bwin have given the FA a timely boost by showing interest in two of their vacant sponsorship opportunities. The Austrian-based gambling giants, the shirt sponsors of Real Madrid and AC Milan as well as the betting partners of Bayern Munich, are involved in talks about the FA Cup endorsement being given up by E.ON as well as the new betting association. And bwin, for whom both sponsorships would suit their ambitions of increasing their profile in the UK, have all the finances needed to meet the FA ambitions of £5million a year for the betting deal and at least £9m annually for the FA Cup. The Vienna company have already shown a real desire to break into the English market by being one of two firms, along with Prudential, who strongly rivalled Standard Chartered Bank for the Liverpool shirt sponsorship. The FA board may have doubts about a betting company being associated with the FA Cup, but needs must for an organisation with a £106m hole in their accounts after E.ON pulled out and the collapse of TV rights holder Setanta. There is also a precedent, with pools company Littlewoods being the first brand to sponsor the competition.

Source: Daily_Mail