PR: 32Red Plc announces to be official club sponsors of Aston Villa

[Casinomeister]

32Red Plc announces conditional agreement to be official club sponsors of Aston Villa FC for 2006/07 & 2007/08 Premiership seasons

The UK facing online casino and poker operator, 32Red Plc (“32Red” or “the Company”) has reached conditional agreement to be the new official club sponsor of Premiership football club Aston Villa. The two year sponsorship deal includes a logo on the home and away shirts and comes into effect for the 2006/2007 Premiership season.

Under the terms of the agreement, 32Red will pay a basic six figure sum per season, with Aston Villa receiving additional revenues under its marketing affiliate arrangement with the Company.

Ed Ware, CEO of 32Red Plc, commented:

“This partnership fits into our strategic marketing plans extremely well. Our presence at targeted sporting events including Premiership and Championship football matches and horse racing meetings has worked well for us to date. This deal will sit very well alongside those activities, as well as our existing online marketing programmes.”

“Importantly, this sponsorship will also significantly enhance our brand recognition by bringing us television, national press and other media coverage in Britain and around the world. It is a measured but significant step forward for the 32Red brand. Aston Villa FC is one of the UK’s biggest clubs and we are very pleased to be associated with them.”

32Red Plc is based in Gibraltar and its shares are traded on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange. Their online casino has been awarded the title ‘Best Online Casino’ for the past three years by the industry’s number one independent watchdog.


7 April 2006


Enquiries:
32Red Plc + 350 49 396
Ed Ware, Chief Executive
Ed Andrewes, Development Director

College Hill Associates
Tom Baldock +44 207 457 2020

Notes to Editors
32Red (www.32Red.com) is an award-winning online casino and poker operator licensed, regulated and based in Gibraltar. For the past 3 years 32Red has been awarded ‘Best Casino’ by Watchdog and Player Advocate site Casinomeister.

The Company attracts players from around the world but has a predominately UK player base, with 83% of customers at www.32Red.com and www.32RedPoker.com registered as coming from the UK & Ireland.

On 23rd September 2005 the Company listed on the London Stock Exchange’s Alternative Investment Market.

[spearmaster]

Nice! Next season is going to be very interesting

[GrandMaster]

Why isn't 32Red sponsoring a decent team? For those not familiar with UK football, Aston Villa is currently 16th out of 20 teams in the Premiership.

[spearmaster]

LMAO...

There are three good reasons for that, at least.

1. The Aston Villa deal is a good one for six figures per year - if they had tried to buy Man U it would have cost 70 million over three years...
2. I believe someone in management happens to support Aston Villa, if I am not mistaken - what the other managers think about this deal remains to be seen
3. As long as Aston Villa are in the Premiership, it's money well spent. More than enough airtime to justify that marketing expense.

[Pinababy69]

You guys are talking about soccer right? And they call us Canucks crazy.

[GrandMaster]

LMAO...

There are three good reasons for that, at least.

1. The Aston Villa deal is a good one for six figures per year - if they had tried to buy Man U it would have cost 70 million over three years...
2. I believe someone in management happens to support Aston Villa, if I am not mistaken - what the other managers think about this deal remains to be seen
3. As long as Aston Villa are in the Premiership, it's money well spent. More than enough airtime to justify that marketing expense.

It is a 7 figure sum per year according to the BBC's report. If I had that sort of money, I would not spend on that bunch of losers.

You guys are talking about soccer right? And they call us Canucks crazy.

No, it's FOOTBALL, or association football if you want to be really proper.

[spearmaster]

It is a 7 figure sum per year according to the BBC's report. If I had that sort of money, I would not spend on that bunch of losers.

From the BBC:

The club have not disclosed exactly how much 32Red will pay but said the agreement could net "a seven-figure sum" in each of the next two seasons.

says "could" 32Red have already said it is six figures...

There are 4 worse losers below Aston Villa at the moment... one or two which might actually cost more money to sponsor... I think any exposure is good - it's not like "Aston Villa lost today, no way I'm going to play at 32Red"...

Aha, I found it. Keyword - "revenue share"

“In addition, the deal represents an exciting and potentially lucrative opportunity for the club to maximise the commercial advantages of an arrangement which secures initial seasonal payments and a potential share in revenue drawn from 32Red's online casino and poker services.

“It all means the overall package could be worth a healthy seven-figure sum per season to the club.”

[GrandMaster]

There are indeed some worse losers, including the other two teams from the Birmingham area.

Here is Aston Villa's recent record. Last time they won was on 4 March.

Sat 11 Mar
Blackburn Rovers 2-0 Aston Villa
Tue 14 Mar
FA Cup Manchester City 2-1 Aston Villa
Sat 18 Mar
Everton 4-1 Aston Villa
Sat 25 Mar
Aston Villa 0-0 Fulham
Sat 1 Apr
Arsenal 5-0 Aston Villa
Sun 9 Apr
Aston Villa 0 - 0 West Brom

[nielsenj]

To me it sound like a great deal for 32 Red when you compare with what other Premier League clubs receive for shirt sponsorships. If the amount indeed is £1 million/year then the deal is one of the lowest in the league. You seem to be forgetting that although Villa are fifth from bottom they are situated in the second-largest city in England, Birmingham. Villa has a large fanbase and sponsoring a Premier League club gives lots of exposure.

[spearmaster]

Well, the pressure's on O'Leary to keep his job. If they can survive relegation (which probably won't be an issue), the furore will only mean more exposure

The draw with Fulham is acceptable, I suppose... but drawing with West Brom does not bode well...

Come to think of it, there are better "deals" above them... like Wigan, for example, or perhaps Bolton or Charlton... the bottom four typically float between divisions anyhow. Every other team above them would have been more expensive.