In a turn of events, Chelsea FC has reportedly decided to abandon its plans for a front-of-shirt sponsorship deal with online casino Stake.com.
The Premier League club was reportedly close to finalizing a one-year agreement that would have seen the Stake logo adorning the team’s shirts for the upcoming 2023-24 season. However, public scrutiny from the Chelsea Supporters Trust has led to the deal being scrapped.
The Chelsea Supporters Trust expressed concerns that any association with a gambling company like Stake would undermine their efforts to raise awareness about problem gambling.
In a statement, they emphasized their opposition to the sponsorship deal: “The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust does not believe that it is in the best interests of our members for Chelsea Football Club to associate with an online casino and betting company as the primary shirt sponsor.”
The potential sponsorship deal faced criticism from Chelsea fans as well, who believed that the reputational damage to the club outweighed any benefits it may have brought. As a result, Chelsea is now left without a front-of-shirt sponsor, as their previous three-year, £40 million deal with mobile phone network Three concluded this summer.
In addition to Stake.com, Chelsea had also been in talks with streaming platform Paramount+ for a sponsorship agreement. However, the Premier League intervened and blocked the deal due to conflicts with its TV rights holders in the United States. Additionally, discussions with German multinational Allianz to become the club’s new kit sponsor were unsuccessful, and the club turned down their offer.
Following the breakdown of negotiations with Stake.com, the leading contender to become Chelsea’s new shirt sponsor was Oman Air. However, recent reports suggest that while the airline company has some form of partnership agreement with Chelsea, it will not be the club’s kit sponsor.
This turn of events leaves Chelsea in uncharted territory, with no current front-of-shirt sponsorship deal in place just over a month before the start of the Premier League season. The unheard-of scenario leaves a short-term deal as the most likely solution for the team.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2023/07/05/67794-chelsea-fc-39s-potential-sponsorship-deal-with-stakecom-falls-through-amid-fan-backlash
