Everton are in talks with SportPesa, for agreement which will see the Blues becoming the second Premier League side to have Kenyan sport betting firm’s logo emblazzed on their kits.
Its a deal that according to a section of UK news outlets will see the Blues sponsorship increasing from the current £5.3million a year they currently receive from Thai brewery, Chang.
The new deal that surfaced early this month writes another chapter in sports betting company strategic objective in contributing to the sustainable growth of football in Kenya.
Their quest to increase their profile in the most watched football league in the world is a good gesture considering the recent talks with Everton that started way back in July with elements under the new deal is drafted to see the Toffees sending coaches to hold training camps and breeding talents in the country.
The Kenyan owned company stepped in the United Kingdom in the summer sponsoring Hull City to a £3m per year deal becoming the first African sports-betting company to sponsor the kit of a team playing im the EPL.
Latest signal of Toffees shirt sponsorship acquisation see an increase of betting firms increasingly dominating shirt sponsorship market as Philliphines -based gambling company Dafabet sponsors Burnley and Sunderland with Mansion having their presence on Crystal Palace and Bournemouth shirts.Stoke City,Watford,West Brom and West Ham are the other premiership sides that carry gambling company logos on their shirts.
In Kenya alone the firm has pumped millions of shillings in sponsoring three clubs namely Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards and Nakuru All Stars for a company that was started in year 2014 .
The firm currently Southampton’s Europe and Africa patner with Arsenal also having commercial tie-ins with SportPesa something that have seen the teams delegations having trips into the country having great impact into local football.
It was in July that likelyhood came into surface between two parties that is romoured to see SportPesa logo embazoned on the Premier League kits with the Kenyan firm, representing a considerable improvement after the 12-year association with Thai brewery Chang expires in summer.
It was the same time that the Blues chief executive Robert Elstone led delegation made a trip in Kenya to explore a proposed partnership with the Football Kenya Federation with the support of SportPesa in what was termed as fruitful discussions in developing football in Kenya.
The rise of the company is coupled by estimates of monthly revenue of $10million a month something that have seen more entrants approaching the Kenyan market which is contributed by affordable internet and advanced smartphone technology.
However in recent times unfortunate incidents have developed with ill-informed claims that have been made by a group of certain politicians.Despite that the growing support of the company to the growth of Kenya soccer has been a great give back opportunity.
Their intended entry to South Africa market,which is the largest market in Africa will bring more to Kenyan football that will gloom Harambee Stars is good gesture in efforts to have East Africa having their first represenatives in a World Cup.
