William Hill replaces Ladbrokes as World Darts Championship sponsor
Operator takes over sponsorship from rival after agreeing a "seven-figure" sum for the two year deal
William Hill Online has replaced rival bookmaker Ladbrokes.com as the title sponsor of the PDC World Darts Championship as part of a “seven-figure” deal.
Ladbrokes had been a sponsor of the annual event since 2003 however eGaming Review understands contract renegotiations broke down after the operator was unwilling to meet the organiser’s increased asking price.
Curtailment of the talks allowed William Hill to step in and the two-year deal begins with the 2015 championship, which starts in December at London’s Alexandra Palace.
William Hill recently completed its three-year sponsorship of the Grand Slam of Darts in 2013 and Andy Lee, managing director of William Hill Online, believes its second darts sponsorship deal is a major coup for the operator.
“Our business has shown strong growth in recent years and we believe sponsorships like this will help us reach new audiences and continue to help us grow,” Lee said.
The World Darts Championship was first staged in 1993-94 and has since become one of the most popular events in the sports calendar with more than 50,000 fans attending live with millions more watching on television.
“The World Darts Championship is a great addition to our brand sponsorship portfolio,” Kristof Fahy, chief marketing officer at William Hill, added.