5.4.09

BETFRED REVEALED AS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SPONSOR

I decided not to reveal the identity of the new World Championship sponsor on here out of respect for them and the official process.

However, the WPBSA appear to have leaked the story to the News of the World - a 'source' from the governing body is quoted in their article.

Betfred are reported to be investing £2m over four years.

There will be an official announcement at a press conference on Wednesday.

Journalists have been invited but many will wonder what the point is in going when the cat is already out of the bag.

18 comments:

Matt said...

Interesting, how does the £2m deal compare to what 888.com were paying?

Janie said...

why on earth did wsa sit on a good news story - why not just send us a jolly press release so we could all take the tops off our pens and start providing some value to Betfred as the sponsor.

Anyway it IS good news. Betfred have been involved with snooker for quite a while as event sponsors, player logos and even an advertisers on Global Snooker!!

Anonymous said...

i reckon the plan was always to let the cat out the bag on Sundays (todays) NOTW once the news was concrete. It would create more "news" than a press conference on a wednesday IMO

Anonymous said...

nobody's picked the story up yet, check Google News. Only NOTW is reporting it so far.

Dave H said...

The point is this: journalists were asked to respect an embargo.

One journalist has failed to do this because he has been given information and encouraged to use it by someone at the WPBSA.

They would have got some nice coverage on Thursday. They won't now because the story is already out there.

Obviously a good day to bury good news.

Anonymous said...

lesson then would be to inform the journalists as and when the news happens instead of telling them what the news is and ask them to keep it until an official launch...unless they can agree terms to keep it.

or exclude journalists from news like this in future after they have done this to you

Anonymous said...

It's good obviously that there are sponsors but it's just a pity that when we get rid of the dredge of tobacco sponsorship, the only guys we can get is sponsors who encourage another evil in our society, gambling.

Anonymous said...

gambling doesnt make everyone who does it miserable.

using tobacco may give many folk enjoyment, but it is bad for your health, even though it doesnt give everyone a disease who uses it

big different imo

i like to pit my wits against bookmeakers and alway bet what i can afford to lose

i spend less on my hobby of sports betting than some of my friends do on going to regular football matches

so, your "arguement" is flawed as is mine probably

Claus Christensen said...

Nothing wrong with tobacco and gambling, at your own risk. It's the real world not a church.

Congratulations to snooker for finding a sponsor. It may have been announced badly but it is great news.

stuartfanning said...

Betfred as sponsor of the World Championship. I just wonder if it will last given what happened with 888, and Betfred's history of Snooker sponsorship.. Betfred sponsored Premiere League Snooker for a while then pulled out. They sponsored players for a while then pulled out. Currently no players are wearing the Betfred logo on their waistcoats, as far as I am aware! It is good that a sponsor has been found but it's hard to inspired with long term confidence in Betfred as a long term sponsor.

Anonymous said...

4 years in the current climate will do for me. all about opinions and mine is that in todays game and world state a 4 year deal, albeit slighlty devaued is better than a one off one year deal at a bit better value

Rich P said...

A contract is a contract isn't it. If Betfred have signed for four years then they have to cough up the cash.

And this rubbish on here about gambling being wrong - some of us enjoy a flutter thank you and don't need a moral high grounder to tell us otherwise. Smoking was banned because passive smoking actually effects non-smokers. My bet on Williams to win the World title shouldn't have too much affect on anything.

Anonymous said...

I think someone at the WSA has done incredibly well to gain a bookmaker as a sponsor considering the alleged match fixing incident in Telford.
I hope the players are grateful and dont try to bring the game down anymore with such damaging slurs wafting around.

Anonymous said...

it is a shame that snooker couldnt attract a non-gambling sponsor as that would of given a better image.
This is not a church but gambling is an addictive evil for many people in society- but not for most clearly like yourself Richard P- everyone on here is entitled to their view and dont need to have their opinion rubbished when it relates by association to the image of snooker which is what this blog is about

Anonymous said...

£2 million for four years?

So world snooker will need to put cash from elsewhere in just to make up the shortfall.

So they have undersold it - just as we thought they would. Or more accurately, would have to!

Anonymous said...

A good point was made to me today, in that, does WSA receive the full sponsorship from BetFred, or will certain individuals pocket "Finders Fees" for bringing BF to the table?

And if so, how much?

And can everyone concerned - mainly the players - be assured that no conflicts of interest have taken place, in, for instance, a board member of WSA getting any "Finders Fee"?

I mean, this is probably just hypothetical, is'nt it?

Anonymous said...

And as an afterthought.

Hopefully no boardmember was in a position - and remember, this is purely hypothetical - to negotiate a deal which is well undersold and claim any "Finders Fee", but ignore any possibilities of a chance of a higher offer whereas the boardmember (hypothetical boardmember that is) would'nt be entitled to any fee.

Understandably a concerning afterthought eh?

Regards,

The 12.09 poster

Anonymous said...

What about a board members company being involved?

Could they claim the finders fee?

I'd say, they'd have a 110 (per cent) claim on that ...