OM deal completes bwin.party’s digital football sponsorship strategy

bwin.party digital entertainment has concluded its new digital sponsorship strategy, signing up its sixth leading European football club following a deal with France’s Olympic Marseille.

bwin.party has signed a three-year deal to become the online betting and gaming partner of French Ligue 1 club Olympic Marseille.

Olympic Marseille, the second most successful football club in France, becomes the sixth team to partner with bwin.party following recent deals with Belgium’s RSC Anderlecht, Italy’s Juventus, Spain’s Real Madrid, England’s Manchester United and the current Champions League holders, German club Bayern Munich.

Following the signing of its deal with RSC Anderlecht last month, bwin.party said that it had one more digital football sponsorship deal to be announced, which has now been unveiled as Olympic Marseille.

The partnership is designed to help boost bwin’s brand profile in the French market, with the operator launching a series of fan initiatives, such as giving fans the chance to train with the Marseille squad and travel to Champion’s League fixtures.

The deal also sees the bwin brand integrated into the club’s digital and social platforms, featured in online and offline branding activities, including stadium branding and access to players for marketing campaigns.
 
bwin.party will also work with Marseille to develop social games and mobile applications.

Commenting on the deal bwin.party chief executive Norbert Teufelberger said he was proud to partner with one of the oldest and most successful clubs in France and Europe.

“Today’s announcement means that we are now partnered with six of the greatest clubs in European football, enabling us to offer our customers an unparalleled range of online and real world offers,” he said.

Olympic Marseille general manager Philippe Perez said the club was “playing the Champions League” in terms of partnerships.

“In the fast evolving French championship, l’OM continues to be the most popular club in France. This sponsorship deal proves it,” he said. “We’d like to thank Norbert Teufelberger for the trust he has put in our club and we are sure that our fans will be pleased with the faith bwin has placed in us.”

Olympic Marseille recently had a shirt sponsorship deal with online gaming operator BetClic, which ended at the end of the 2011/12 season. The club is now sponsored by Intersport.

Shares in bwin.party digital entertainment plc (Co. Data) (LSE:BPTY) have gained 0.66 per cent to 136.70 pence per share in London this morning.