ish Premier League football team Everton FC has today announced a multi-million pound five year shirt sponsorship deal with African online gaming firm SportPesa.
The partnership will commence on 1 June with SportPesa replacing the clubs current shirt sponsor, Thai beer company Chang which has sponsored the club since 2004.
In a statement on the clubs website Everton Chief Executive Robert Elstone welcomed the deal: “We’re pleased to have secured the biggest commercial partnership deal in the club's history with an ambitious and growing global company.
“From the outset we have been impressed by SportPesa and the company's plans for the future. Over the coming months and years we will be working closely to realise our ambitions together”.
SportPesa UK Marketing Manager Shaun Simmonds said: “A huge factor in our decision to form this partnership with Everton, was the club’s passionate and committed fans. The club already does a fantastic job of making Everton accessible for its fans, and we look forward to amplifying this globally.
“The club has an exciting future with a new stadium on the horizon, a young and dynamic playing squad and a history for producing great talent through their famed academy – for us, there couldn’t be a better time to be investing in Everton FC and the city of Liverpool. Together I’m certain that we’ll achieve great things.”
The deal follows the recent conclusion of a partnership deal with Spanish Football’s La Liga, which will see it become the league’s African gaming partner.
SportPesa also recently invested in a new European headquarters in Liverpool, creating over 70 jobs in the city, as the company looks to expand its European operations.