Betting companies are no longer featured on Premier League jerseys. They've been replaced by enterprise software brands.
Premier League teams are competing this season without gambling companies featured on the front of their matchday shirts, leading eight out of the 20 clubs to seek new partnerships simultaneously. Fulham's front-of-shirt sponsorship has been taken over by ClickHouse, a U.S. data infrastructure firm valued at $15 billion.
This highly sought-after advertising space in global sports has been sold, with some going to a database enterprise. ClickHouse has replaced the betting company SBOTOP on Fulham's jersey for the current season.
The catalyst for this change is a regulatory measure rather than fierce competition for sponsorship. A voluntary Premier League ban on gambling front-of-shirt sponsorships has come into effect this season, prompting eight clubs to find new partners concurrently.
This timing influenced the market conditions. “When more inventory is available at once, it benefits buyers,” mentioned Tanya Bragin, ClickHouse’s vice president of product and marketing.
However, it did not result in lower costs. Bragin noted that the opportunities the company considered remained competitive, reflecting the enduring demand for the world’s most-watched league.
Fulham was a strategic selection rather than just the most accessible option. “Top teams will naturally require a much larger sponsorship investment,” Bragin explained. “Until we possibly go public, I thought maybe a mid-table team would be ideal in terms of cost.”
ClickHouse is not a small player; it achieved $250 million in annualized revenue by May, tripling its figure from the previous year, and raised $400 million at a $15 billion valuation in January within a funding landscape dominated by significant deals.
The location in London was as crucial as the viewership. Bragin emphasizes hospitality as a key factor, suggesting that the shirt serves as a platform to entertain corporate clients.
Other teams have made similar moves. Everton replaced Stake with the financial services company CMC Markets, and Brentford transitioned from Hollywoodbets to the recruitment service Indeed.
What stands out is the identity of the spender. Business software companies have long believed that growth without marketing signifies a healthy business, yet here is one acquiring the most viewed advertising space in sports prior to going public.
The funds from gambling have not exited the sport entirely. Betting companies can still feature on sleeves and training gear; for instance, Manchester United’s training contract with Betway is reportedly valued at up to £20 million annually, and clubs in the four lower divisions aren't subject to this restriction at all.
Thus, the restriction has redirected advertising rather than eliminated it. The shift means that European football audiences are now seeing American data infrastructure brands instead of bookmakers in those prominent spots.
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Betting companies are no longer featured on Premier League jerseys. They've been replaced by enterprise software brands.
Premier League teams have removed betting companies from the front of their shirts, and ClickHouse has filled Fulham's position. At the same time, eight clubs required new sponsorships.