SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Pledging its support to the Saints Foundation as the main club partner of Southampton FC, Sportsbet.io has donated its shirt sponsorship of the Premier League team to its charity arm for this weekend’s clash with Burnley FC.
In place of the brand’s logo, the Saints Foundation will be visible across the first team’s shirts, with match worn shirts to be auctioned off after the game to raise money to support the Foundation’s local community initiatives.
The betting brand has served as Southampton’s front-of-shirt partner after penning an agreement last summer to sponsor the Saints for the duration of the 2020/21 campaign.
As part of the collaboration, the two have teamed up for various social responsibility initiatives, including a joint campaign launched during Safer Gambling Week 2020.
Joe McCallum, Head of Sportsbet.io, commented: “Supporting local communities in these difficult times is important and it is our absolute pleasure as partners of the Saints to help raise awareness for the club’s charity. The work Saints Foundation has been carrying out over the past year is invaluable and we’re here to support them every step of the way.”
Further to its sponsorship gesture, the online gambling brand has agreed to match the first 1,000 donations made by fans ahead of the charity matchday up to a total of £10,000 to raise awareness and vital funds for the Foundation.
Amid a turbulent year for the Saints Foundation, which is said to have forfeited £300,000 of expected fundraising income due to the pandemic, the charity will share stories from participants who have been helped through the Foundation across club channels leading up to the match.
Supporters can also back the organisation by purchasing a limited-edition replica shirt featuring the Saints Foundation’s logo, with all proceeds from each sale going directly to the organisation.
“We are incredibly grateful to Sportsbet.io for this unique opportunity that they are providing to Saints Foundation,” added David Thomas, Southampton’s Chief Commercial Officer. “Their generosity will help raise both awareness and vital funds so that our charity can continue to support the local community through these difficult times.
“No doubt the thousands of participants who Saints Foundation support annually will be immensely proud to see the team take to the pitch displaying the charity’s logo on Sunday 4 April.”
