SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
European operator 1xBet has signed separate three-year contracts, complete with first refusal on expiration, for rights of association with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the country’s League Management Company (LMC).
Signed by NFF President Amaju Melvin Pinnick and LMC Chairman Shehu Dikko, the deals will provide 1xBet with extensive branding and advertising opportunities across matches involving Nigeria’s national team, and those taking place as part of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
This includes the opportunity to support broadcast of NPFL matches, while the operator will also benefit from coverage across NFF and LMC official websites and digital platforms.
Dikko said: “We are delighted to have secured these partnerships. 1xBet is a global brand with a record of associating with football, and this underscores the progress Nigerian Football is making across all levels under the leadership of Amaju Melvin Pinnick, with the support of key stakeholders.”
“These giant strides emphasize what can be achieved under a stable football environment,” he added. “Not only do we now have leading domestic brands partnering with our football; international companies are now coming. We welcome 1xBet to our growing portfolio of sponsors and partners and assure them that we will do all we can to make the partnerships win-win situations, and see that value for money is delivered to the brands.”
Benefits to 1xBet also extend to components of cash, value-in-kind (VIK) and share of future revenues based on agreed parameters. As part of the VIK, 1xBet will pay the annual subscription for Instal (match analysis software) to aid the technical development and player scouting capabilities for the national team and all NPFL clubs in the country.
By supporting Nigerian football, 1xBet has increased its association with the ‘beautiful game’ in Africa, having sponsored the 5th African Nations Championship in Morocco earlier this year, where the Super Eagles lost out to the host nation in the final.
Evgeniy Kiriushin, Head of Business Development at 1xBet, said: “Our objective and strategy has always been driven by the need to stand out from other brands by offering a unique and perfect user experience.
“We see Nigeria as an emerging marketing with huge potential, and the partnerships with NFF and LMC offer us the opportunity to deepen our brand while supporting football development. Exciting times await Nigerian Football fans and sports-betting enthusiasts with the entry of 1xBet into the Nigerian market.”
