Stake supports lower league sides in FA cup following global offering expansion

Stake.com has enhanced its live sports streaming offering, now allowing global customers to watch the FA Cup.

In addition to this, the operator has also signed partnerships with Cardiff City, Gillingham and Sheffield Wednesday, ahead of the EFL clubs’ games against Premier League sides Leeds United, Leicester City and Newcastle during the competition. 

Dominic Rae, Sponsorship Manager at Stake.com, said: “The FA Cup is one of the world’s oldest and most famous club knockout competitions. As part of our investment in top quality sports and entertainment content we have added live streaming of every match to our platform for users globally to watch and enjoy.

“To support the live pictures we have signed a series of commercial partnerships with lower league opponents of Premier League sides, backing them as they bid to deliver famous giant killings.”

Furthermore, the deals will see the company’s branding placed along the sleeves of the kits along with in-ground LED in what has been described as three of the round’s ‘most eye-catching ties’.

Rae added: “The sponsorships won’t only consist of branding visible on kits and within stadiums, but will see us work with clubs to boost their profile and the tournament at large amongst our global audience of football fans, many of whom will be betting on and streaming the FA Cup on our platform for the first time.”

Moreover, Stake.com is introducing a series of media activations, which it has described as ‘working with club legends and ambassadors to produce editorial and social media content, introducing the sides to the operators’ vast global audience’.

As the third round of the Cup gets underway, the partnership aims to profile the three teams alongside the likes of World Cup winner Sergio Aguero, the UFC and Drake. 

Last year, Stake.com partnered with Everton FC, in an agreement which was widely criticised by sections of the Toffees support, with some fans calling for the team to distance itself from gambling sponsors.

The Twitter threads around Cardiff City and Gillingham’s announcements of the new partnership have shown some similar sentiment, as football’s relationship with the betting industry falls under the spotlight with the Gambling Act review apparently imminent.