BetEasy replaces TAB as Australian Football League betting partner
3rd December 2014 7:37 am GMT
Australian betting operator BetEasy has become the official betting partner of the Australian Football League (AFL) after outbidding several of its rivals including Sportsbet and William Hill.
The Northern Territory-licensed operator will pay a reported AUD$10m a year over the five-year deal, replacing the previously exclusive arrangement between state-owned operator Tabcorp and the AFL.
The partnership begins ahead of the 2015 season which kicks off next April, with BetEasy benefiting from brand signage at AFL games, and advertising on the AFL website and other digital platforms.
“A significant aspect of this partnership is the AFL’s capacity to work closely with its official wagering partner, along with other wagering outlets, to uphold the code’s integrity framework,” said Darren Birch, AFL general manager of commercial operations. “The AFL thanks Tabcorp for its partnership over the past decade throughout a period of great change in the sports wagering industry.”
It is the second major sponsorship deal signed by BetEasy since the company was re-launched earlier this year, having previously operated under the BetEzy brand.
“Being 100 per cent Australian owned and operated, we feel BetEasy is a natural partner for Australia’s premier sporting code,” said BetEasy CEO Matthew Tripp, who acquired the operator after leaving Sportsbet following its sale to Paddy Power. “The AFL is the benchmark for integrity and professionalism in Australian sport and it’s a privilege to be associated with them.”
BetEasy’s winning bid was more than that offered by the AFL’s incumbent partner TAB, as well as rivals Sportsbet and William Hill.
In October, BetEasy was unveiled as the naming rights partner of the Australian Masters which took place last month at The Metropolitan Golf Club in Melbourne.
