Bwin to sponsor Grand Slam of Darts
GVC brand returns to darts sponsorship with two-year deal for Sky Sports-televised event
Bwin is making a return to darts sponsorship after signing a deal to become title sponsor of the Grand Slam of Darts.
The GVC Holdings-owned brand penned a two-year agreement with the Professional Darts Association (PDC), having previously sponsored the World Cup of Darts in 2014 and 2015.
The deal sees bwin replace Singha Beer as Grand Slam title sponsor – bwin stablemate partypoker sponsored the event in 2008 and 2009, while William Hill had been an earlier sponsor of the cross-code championship.
The Grand Slam of Darts, which takes place in Wolverhampton in November, is screened live on Sky Sports and beamed internationally into markets such as Germany and the Netherlands.
And GVC chief marketing officer Adam Lewis said the event’s international reach was one of the main reasons for striking the deal.
“It is a huge tournament that continues to grow in popularity every year, with an ever-increasing international reach,” Lewis said.
“Darts is enjoying a huge boom and it’s great for us to link up once again with the PDC to sponsor this prestigious tournament,” he added.
PDC chairman Barry Hearn, who’ll be the keynote speaker at this year’s Power 50 Summit, also said the deal would hand bwin international exposure.
“It’s great to welcome bwin as the new title sponsor for the bwin Grand Slam of Darts,” Hearn said.
“Their previous sponsorship of the World Cup of Darts came at a time of huge growth for that event in Germany in 2014 and 2015.
“Their backing of the Grand Slam of Darts will not only showcase the brand across nine days of fantastic darts in Wolverhampton, but provides worldwide exposure through Sky Sports and our international broadcast partners,” he added.
Last week bwin agreed betting partnership deals with La Liga football clubs Sevilla, Villareal, Atletico Madrid and Valencia.