As COVID-19 continues to ravage the global economy, more and more Premier League clubs are worrying about the potential long-term damage that the resulting lockdown could cause.
One of the main issues around revenue in the EPL is sponsorship, with shirt sponsors threatening to reduce payments or totally end deals due to the current dearth of football. Gambling sponsors in particular have been vocal about concerns over a lack of movement across the board in English football.
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In this article, we will take a look at how COVID-19 could affect gambling sponsorships in the Premier League. From the massive importance of sponsorship to club revenues to what the future holds for gambling sponsorships in the EPL, we will cover it all!
So, without further ado, let's take a look at the first topic in our rundown of how COVID-19 could affect gambling sponsorship in the Premier League.
Why gambling sponsorships are key to the Premier League
In the modern era, sponsorships are more important than ever to Premier League clubs. From shirt sponsors to sleeve sponsors, clubs are more reliant on income from sponsorships than ever before.With the current lack of football action, gambling sponsors are worried that they are not getting value for money from their deals. What's more, those who love to bet on sports are moving more and more over to online casinos. Although an exciting pursuit, online gambling is a complex world that can be difficult to understand at first. This is where review sites come in to help players decide on a casino to enjoy. Indeed, Charles Baxendale, owner of a popular UK slots website, said that it is important to "consider each and every possible outcome before taking the plunge".
Until football betting returns, gambling sponsorship deals will look increasingly precarious across the Premier League. Let's take a longer look at the potential implications of this.
What would changes to gambling sponsorships look like?
The main problem facing both gambling sponsors and their respective clubs is the lack of money currently circulating the global betting and sports economies. If gambling companies reduce or stop sponsorship payments to clubs altogether, then this could have serious implications on the spending power of that club, thereby affecting performance.If, as is looking increasingly likely, the Premier League season returns after May 31, many teams could be without sponsors altogether in what would be a bizarre situation indeed.
This is because the end of May is generally the finish date for the majority of sponsorship deals in the Premier League. If a restart takes place after this time, there could be lots of sides technically without sponsors.
Obviously, this may result in a serious reduction in revenue for clubs and gambling companies, who will find themselves in no-man's land.
If teams do not make the millions of pounds that sponsorships bring in year after year, they may not be able to pay staff - both playing and non-playing - and this could mean fines or even liquidation.
In conclusion, COVID-19 could affect gambling sponsorships in a serious manner. If things do not begin to open up soon and teams don't play games sporting sponsor logos, then the cash flow may need to be trimmed and this could have serious knock-on effects for the league.
