BetVictor to terminate sponsorship of English non-league football
Gibraltar-based operator calls time on cross-tier marketing deal after “challenges outweigh the benefits”
BetVictor has announced that it will end its title sponsorship of the Isthmian League, Northern Premier League and Southern Football League on 9 July 2020.
In accordance with a break clause, BetVictor will cease to sponsor the non-league divisions which make up the seventh and eighth tiers of the English football pyramid.
In the non-league pyramid, the three leagues sit across what are known as Step Three and Step Four – below the National League North and South (Step Two) and the National League (Step One).
BetVictor’s decision was made in February prior to – and not influenced by – the coronavirus outbreak, which has seen football below Step Three finish for the season with all results expunged and no promotion or relegation taking place.
In a letter sent to its clubs, the Isthmian League said: “BetVictor has terminated the sponsorship for a number of reasons, but mainly due to the fact that the increasing compliance restrictions and challenges faced in their first seven months outweighed the benefits they were drawing from the sponsorship.
“However, the escalating negativity towards betting in football did not help, nor did – most disappointingly – compliance breaches by clubs in and outside of the Isthmian League.”
Speaking exclusively to EGR, Isthmian League chair Nick Robinson said that the league “would think twice” about choosing a betting operator as a major sponsor in the future.
Robinson said that potential sponsors could be put to a vote by the League’s clubs, especially those such as betting firms which so often divide opinion.
Robinson said: “I think for an emotive one we would think twice about it. We’ll probably go to our clubs and have a vote. That way, the clubs’ democratic organisation will bind each other and on that basis, we couldn’t have any clubs saying we’re not going to support this.
“I think given the emotions that are involved we will probably put it back to the clubs and say ‘come on, you decide’.”
Robinson noted his overriding feeling was “more disappointment than shock” but spoke highly of BetVictor, labelling the Gibraltar-based operator an “honourable and very good company” after he and representatives from Northern Premier League and Southern Football League were told of BetVictor’s decision face-to-face at a meeting held in London.
Robinson continued: “I think it was more disappointment that they put a lot of investment into it, so did we, and we weren’t going to get a second year.”
Looking forward, Robinson revealed his concerns about finding a long-term marketing partner in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He added: “The worry is that companies haven’t got the money to spend. I think companies in all industries will be saying ‘do we have the money to spend on marketing? And if so, is it right to go into football to do it?’”
EGR understands there are no outstanding monies owed by BetVictor to the leagues as part of its title sponsorship, having paid for the 2019/20 season upfront.
EGR has reached out to BetVictor for comment.