UK football club ends sponsorship agreemet with Bodog

The online gambling brand franchiser Bodog Europe is to step away from its shirt sponsorship deal with UK football club West Bromwich Albion at the end of this (May) month, allowing the club to take up a more advantageous deal with property firm Zoopla.

Media reports indicate that Zoopla’s two year deal with the club is worth GBP 3 million, and press material from the football club suggests that the termination agreement with Bodog was by mutual and amicable consent, with club officials fulsome in their praise for the way Bodog has conducted itself during the sponsorship.

Adrian Wright, marketing director for the club, said: “The mutual decision to part company with Bodog was not an easy one for the club based on the fact we were very happy with our relationship.

“However, the club has been presented with an attractive new opportunity and Bodog were more than happy to accommodate our request to step aside and enable us to pursue a different avenue.”

Industry observers have noted that back in March this year the club admitted when pressed that it was monitoring its Bodog agreement following the news that US enforcement officials had indicted Bodog founder Calvin Ayre and others associated with his company on allegations involving money laundering and illegal online gambling transactions.

Ayre is subsequently said to have vowed that he would challenge the allegations and had hired a top lawyer .