Betsson Group inks Latam sponsorship deal with “worst team in the world”
Sports betting operator to showcase new DFS product in deal with Pernambuco-based Íbis Sport Club
Betsson Group has agreed a kit sponsorship deal with Brazilian football team Íbis Sport Club, the self-styled “worst team in the world”.
The deal will see BetssonFC branding appear on club shirts, with the Íbis squad to feature in a new BetssonFC advertising campaign alongside former Brazilian footballer and icon Mauro Shampoo.
The length of the sponsorship deal has not been disclosed but it will include the forthcoming Brazilian football season.
The partnership also includes a social project to provide additional benefits to the club, its fans and the local community in its native São Paulo.
Betsson’s new Brazil facing BetssonFC concept revolves around its newly launched Daily Fantasy Sports game which allows players to select players from 12 different international football leagues and more than 400 tournaments to win a top prize of BRL$1m (£139,000).
The fantasy football game was developed in conjunction with Scout Gaming Group.
“The decision to choose Íbis was not by chance,” Betsson Brazil managing partner Andre Gelfi said.
“The team built all its popularity with good humour, in a light and casual way and is very well seen by the whole soccer community. It is a unique opportunity to kick-start BetssonFC’s history.
“We are passionate about soccer and this is also a way to support and contribute to the development of the sport and its athletes,” Gelfi added.
Íbis was founded in 1938 by employees of Silk and Cotton Weaving from Pernambuco in Recife and featured in the first division of the Pernambuco Championship from 1946 to 2000, when the club was relegated to the second division.
In the 1980s, a sequence of 55 games without a win gave Íbis the nickname by which it is known today.
However, Íbis enjoys a cult following on social media, with the club the fourth highest ranked football club in terms of Twitter engagement, ahead of major international teams including Barcelona and Liverpool.
Íbis president Ozir Ramos Jr said: “Big team attracts big team! We are honoured by Betsson’s choice and I have no doubt that this partnership will be a success for both sides.
“Our fans will excuse us, but I foresee many victories in the future,” Ramos Jr added.
Mauro Shampoo