Hull City confirm Kenyan operator as new shirt sponsor

ier League football club Hull City have announced a three-year deal with SportPesa to have the Kenyan operator as its official shirt sponsor.

The SportPesa logo will be emblazoned on the side’s home, away and third shirts until 2019, replacing previous sponsors Flamingo Land.

The largest deal of its kind in the club’s history, it will also see Hull City travel to Africa for a game with a Kenya select side.

Founded in 2014, SportPesa is the title sponsor of the highest rung on Kenya’s football ladder – the SportPesa Premier League – while it is also the official sponsor of domestic clubs Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards.

Commercial Manager for Hull City Tigers, Simon King, said: “We are delighted to form a three-year partnership with SportPesa.

“SportPesa are so much more than a betting brand, this is a company with a huge footprint across grassroots sport in Kenya, as well as the rest of Africa.

“The deal is by far the largest in our history and a sign of our ambition to grow our club and become a household name in our sport globally.”

Ronald Karauri, SportPesa CEO, said: “This is a big milestone for SportPesa as it marks the scaling of a Kenyan brand into the global market.

“The SportPesa platform will now be available in the United Kingdom and later in the year present in several African countries.

“One year from now we will have presence in at least four continents.

“Even as a global brand, staying consistent with our core values that centre around grassroots sport and community development will replicate the success SportPesa has enjoyed in Kenya."

The confirmation of SportPesa’s deal with Hull City means that ten Premier League sides are set to be sponsored by gambling operators in the 2016/17 season.

Among them are Stoke City (Bet365), West Ham United (Betway) and Sunderland (Dafabet).