Q&A: 32Red responds to criticism of “misrepresented” deal with Wayne Rooney’s Derby County

Kindred’s 32Red brand hit the headlines in early August when Derby County, the championship club sponsored by the casino operator, signed England’s record goalscorer Wayne Rooney.

32Red significantly expanded their commercial deal with Derby when it became apparent that Rooney could wear the number 32 on the back of his shirt.

The Kindred-owned brand considered this an incredible opportunity and a major coup, but national newspapers thought otherwise. The Sun accused Rooney of “selling his soul” and reported his wife Coleen was “furious” about the deal, due to her husband’s history of gambling.

Criticism also came from within the industry, after GVC CEO Kenny Alexander described the agreement as “absolutely ridiculous” and a “complete own-goal”.

Below, Kindred’s UK general manager Neil Banbury sets the record straight.

Welcome to Pride Park, @WayneRooney! 👊 #WR32 pic.twitter.com/Okemj8kvBA

— Derby County (@dcfcofficial) August 6, 2019

EGR Intel: How were 32Red involved in the deal to bring Wayne Rooney to Derby County?

Neil Banbury: To be clear from the off, 32Red did not sign Wayne Rooney and 32Red is not paying Wayne Rooney’s wages. Our agreement is solely with Derby County and is a record-breaking deal for the club. This follows other record-breaking deals at other clubs we sponsor and is further proof of our long-term commitment to British football. 32Red is continuing to reinvent sports sponsorship through a new model that benefits both club and community.

EGR Intel: How did the opportunity come about?

NB: We have a proud relationship with Derby and have worked closely with them for a number of years now. When Derby County signed Frank Lampard as their manager, it became clear how much extra potential value there is in a sponsorship partnership when big names are involved. At that point, we deepened our relationship with Derby to enable more access to Lampard, which saw him help us drive forward the Team Talk mental health initiative that we’ve invested into.

When Derby signed Rooney, we decided again to deepen our relationship with the club. We’re really excited about the opportunities that will now be available throughout the season. It is intended that Wayne Rooney will be a figurehead for Team Talk as part of our commitment to club and community within our sponsorship agreements.

EGR Intel: How much did the deal cost 32Red and how did it affect the firm’s sponsorship of Derby County?

NB: Our commercial agreement with Derby is sensitive, but it is a significant additional investment on top of our original sponsorship agreement with the club. But this is also about the great opportunities that a player like Wayne Rooney brings. We are excited to involve Wayne in our fantastic community scheme – Team Talk – that is tackling men’s mental health problems right across Derby.

EGR Intel: GVC CEO Kenny Alexander called the deal an “absolutely ridiculous” own-goal. How would you respond to that?

NB: Unfortunately, the deal has been misrepresented in the press and so, in some ways, criticism of the deal is understandable. It is important that any public debate on the merits of sponsorship and the way it impacts, for better or worse, the issues facing the industry need to be based on facts and evidence. As operators we should all be on the same page with that. Indeed, much of what GVC are doing is to be applauded – particularly their use of sponsorship assets for the promotion of responsible gambling messages, which is aligned to our plan.

We maintain the right for responsible, sustainable, licensed companies like ours to sponsor within sport. Our view is that gambling brands have a part to play in the sports sponsorship mix if they can help support more than just the club’s performance on the pitch. Sponsorships can be a very powerful medium for evolving the messages the industry promotes and this is particularly true in football where the engagement is so strong.

Wayne Rooney and @dcfcofficial's 32Red deal is concerning and highlights a fundamental problem with football governance. The system prioritises profit over fan welfare. Football governance needs to change and do far more to protect the public.https://t.co/EVgp3SFeAD

— Tom Watson (@tom_watson) August 9, 2019

EGR Intel: How do you feel about the negative news coverage of the deal?

NB: We have watched the ongoing debate about our sponsorship arrangement with Derby with interest since Wayne Rooney’s transfer was announced. Much of the reporting has misunderstood, or misinterpreted, the arrangement we have with Derby.

But we did expect an element of negative coverage, given the ongoing negative perception and lowering trust in the wider industry. That is why it is so important that we work together to build that trust. Work like this will help and we hope that will lead to a more productive debate on how to tackle some of the issues facing gambling.

The context that underpins all of this is vital. In short, we must not forget that gambling is a legitimate and popular entertainment option in the UK. As the acting CEO of the Premier League Richard Masters said the other day, betting is part of the game in the UK. Millions of people gamble responsibly every year. While we take seriously the 0.7% of gamblers who are classified as problem gamblers – and must continue to ensure we have robust mechanisms in place to support them and to help ensure at-risk behaviour can be identified and addressed before it becomes a problem – the overwhelming majority use platforms like ours in a responsible way to have a flutter.

EGR Intel: What brand activations are planned for when Rooney arrives in January?

NB: We can’t be too specific at this stage, but it will be a really exciting and innovative approach. This is a fantastic opportunity to use this deepened partnership with Derby for the benefit of the wider community and for effective promotion of responsible gambling messaging. I think everyone will be surprised by our plans.

EGR Intel: Is this a good example of bookmakers finding alternative marketing strategies following the whistle-to-whistle ad ban?

NB: We don’t see this as a marketing strategy. This is about reinventing the model of sponsorship to benefit both club and community. 32Red has a long and proud heritage in football, and we are committed to delivering a new model of sponsorship.

Photo credit: DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images