Flutter Entertainment’s sports betting exchange, Betfair, and Cruzeiro EC announced a two-year sponsorship to mark the return of the soccer club to Serie A of the Brazilian Championship.
Commitment to the Club and Its Fans
The agreement with the Brazilian soccer club made Betfair the main shirt sponsor of the men’s team and sponsor of the women’s team where the brand will feature on the back of the shirt. The Betfair sponsorship marked Cruzeiro’s 102nd-anniversary celebrations.
Kimberly Daly, managing director of Betfair International, commented on the opportunity for the sports betting brand to partner with Cruzeiro at this important moment of the club’s over 100 years of history, highlighting the agreement as “a demonstration of Betfair’s commitment and investment in the club’s professional men’s and women’s teams, without losing focus on what is most precious to Cruzeiro: the fans.”
“With Betfair, the game is different, and we put fans at the center of everything we do to bring them experiences that only Betfair can offer,” Daly concluded.
The sponsorship was announced during the second round match of the 2023 Mineiro Championship against Athletic at Arena Independência as the team appeared with Betfair stamped on the front of their shirts. The team appeared with a question mark on the front of their shirts the round before to induce fans’ interest in the upcoming announcement.
Returning to Where It Has Always Belonged
Gabriel Lima, chief executive officer of Cruzeiro EC, hailed the size, strength and potential of the partnership that has been agreed upon during a very special moment for the club as it is working hard to restore the trust of its fans.
“Closing with Betfair, one of the giants in its segment, is an important step on Cruzeiro’s way back to its well-deserved prominent position in Brazilian football,” Lima concluded.
The new shirt will also feature via animated activations at several iconic buildings in the city of Belo Horizonte such as the JK building located in Praça Raul Soares. The illuminations were created by the sports marketing agency Octagon Latam.
Betfair will gain brand exposure via Cruzeiro’s training uniforms and logo on the team’s bus, as well as across the club’s digital media, interview backdrops, and a customized program featuring the club’s legends. For the fans, there will be a series of activations, including raffles, offering prizes such as VIP tickets and official merchandise, and exclusive promotions.
Sustainable Management Model
Ronaldo Luis Nazário de Lima, the owner of Cruzeiro EC and one of the greatest soccer players in the history of the sport, will be also involved in several activations under the partnership. In December 2021, Ronaldo acquired the club which gave him his debut as a 16-year-old in May 1993.
The Fenômeno hailed the arrival of Betfair as “a milestone” for the club and its ambitious plans, as part of the promises he made last year to provide an “efficient, responsible and sustainable management model,” and as a display of confidence for the team given by a multinational and publicly traded company.
“I’m very proud and I’m sure the fans are too,” he added.