Spreadex seals Burnley front-of-shirt sponsorship amid supporter backlash
Clarets fans take to Twitter to complain after spread betting operator signs multi-million-pound marketing deal with Premier League club
Spreadex has become the principal shirt sponsors of Premier League side Burnley ahead of the 2021-22 football season.
The Clarets will wear the Spreadex Sports logo across their home, away and third shirts, with the new 2021/22 home kit to be revealed later this week.
Spreadex will work with the club on a range of community and charity initiatives over the course of the season, while the multi-million-pound deal also includes rights such as LED perimeter board advertising, player access and presence across Burnley’s website and digital media assets.
Spreadex offers customers access to traditional sportsbook betting via Spreadex Sports on top of its core sports spread betting and financial trading verticals.
The firm, which now employs more than 150 staff at its headquarters in St Albans, was founded in 1999 and is regulated by both the UK Gambling Commission and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Spreadex CEO Dave MacKenzie said: “We are delighted to join the Burnley FC family as main sponsor at an exciting time in both the club’s and our own futures.
“This deal reflects the ambitious growth plans Spreadex has as a company and we’re thrilled to be partnering with a superbly run club with such an established history and reputation.
“Burnley’s values and ambitions echo our own, and we’re looking forward to supporting the club throughout the 2021/2022 season both on and off the pitch.”
Spreadex has replaced LoveBet as the Lancashire club’s front-of-shirt partner following a review organised by American chairman Alan Pace, who was appointed at the beginning of 2021.
At the time, Pace responded to supporter concerns by pledging to assess Burnley’s commercial strategy in relation to gambling sponsorships.
The Spreadex deal has been poorly received by a section of the club’s fans on Twitter.
One tweeted they were “absolutely disgusted” by the decision, which was described as “extremely disappointing” by another user.
Burnley’s head of commercial partnerships Ella Cummins said: “We are delighted to welcome Spreadex as our new principal partner and have been impressed with the commitment they have already shown supporting fan initiatives and giving back to the community.
“We look forward to working together over the coming season on some exciting campaigns and are thrilled Spreadex has chosen Burnley for their first sports partnership,” she added.
Spreadex will match the club’s pledge to donate £5 for every third-choice shirt sold towards the Alzheimer’s Society.