SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) has ended the 20-year run of bookmakers title sponsoring its flagship World Darts Championship.
On Monday, Matchroom Sports – the event organiser of the PDC – confirmed that online car buying platform Cazoo would replace William Hill as title sponsor of the World Darts Championship in 2023.
The sponsorship forms part of a comprehensive multi-year agreement signed with Cazoo, who will become professional darts biggest marketing partner as lead sponsor of eight PDC Tour events including – the UK Open, Players Championship Finals and The Masters.
“Cazoo’s partnership with the PDC has already seen their brand receive huge worldwide exposure and this new multi-event deal will extend their sponsorship to four of our biggest and most prestigious events,” read a statement by Matt Porter, Chief Executive of the PDC.
Cazoo’s takeover of PDC events will mark the end of William Hill’s title sponsorship of the World Darts Championship that had been in place since 2015.
Bookmaker sponsorships had become synonymous with PDC’s end of year event hosted each December at London’s Alexandra Palace – with Ladbrokes starting the run in 2003.
Betting sponsorships had helped Matchroom Sports revive the tournament as a Christmas sporting event, helping the PDC increase the championships prize pool from £200,000 in 2003 to £2.5 million for players competing in the 2022 event.
