28 May 2013 10:00
bwin.party digital entertainment plc
('bwin.party' or the 'Company')
bwin and Real Madrid to finalise new digital partnership
bwin.party and Real Madrid have today confirmed they are in the final stages of extending their longstanding relationship, which will see bwin become Real Madrid's official digital partner in a new multi-year deal. The new partnership will follow the completion of bwin's highly successful six-year shirt sponsorship which concludes at the end of the 2012-13 season.
The long-term shirt sponsorship of Real Madrid has been fundamental in establishing bwin as Europe's leading online gaming brand and has been one of the most successful partnerships in football, helping Real Madrid to deliver two La Liga titles, two Spanish Super Cups and the Copa del Rey.
The decision to move to a new digital partnership reflects a shift in consumer behaviour over the past few years which has led to an evolution in bwin.party's sponsorship strategy to focus on social media and social gaming, online and mobile integration, as well as exploiting the Group's extensive content and media rights catalogue. It is in these areas that both parties are now looking to extend their relationship going forward.
The new digital partnership will position bwin at the centre of promotional activities for one of the world's most popular football clubs and includes the integration of the bwin brand into Real's website, social media and mobile apps, the creation of co-branded gaming products, match day perimeter board signage and access to players for marketing campaigns
Commenting on today's announcement, bwin.party Group CEO, Norbert Teufelberger said:
"Our decision not to renew the shirt sponsorship brings to an end one chapter in our relationship with Real Madrid which has delivered six highly successful years of brand promotion for bwin on the shirts of one of the world's truly global football brands. We now look forward to beginning the next chapter by leveraging our brand strengths to drive revenue and create premium content for our customers and Real Madrid's millions of followers. We remain committed sponsors and wish Real Madrid every success in the club's pursuit of more trophies."
Commenting for Real Madrid, Florentino Perez, President of the Club, said:
"Our partnership with bwin.party as our shirt sponsor has been very constructive and beneficial for both parties. We are pleased to have contributed to the success of the bwin brand and are grateful to have had the opportunity to learn and and share experiences with one of the most dynamic and innovative companies."
Contacts:
bwin.party digital entertainment plc
InvestorsPeter Reynolds +44 (0) 20 7337 0100
MediaJohn Shepherd +44 (0) 20 7337 0100
About bwin.party
bwin.party digital entertainment plc (LSE: BPTY), the global online gaming company was formed from the merger of bwin Interactive Entertainment AG and PartyGaming Plc on 31 March 2011. Incorporated, licensed and regulated in Gibraltar, the Group also has licences in France, Italy, Spain and Denmark. With offices in Europe, India, Israel and the US, the Group generated total pro forma revenue in 2012 of €801.6m and pro forma Clean EBITDA of €164.9m. bwin.party commands leading market positions in each of its four key product verticals: sports betting, poker, casino and bingo with some of the world's biggest online gaming brands including bwin, PartyPoker, PartyCasinoand Foxy Bingo.
In addition to Real Madrid, bwin's sponsorship portfolio includes digital partnerships with Manchester United and Bayern Munich as well as sponsorships of MotoGP and of basketball, through our long-standing relationships with Euroleague and FIBA, the world governing body.
The Group's scale, technology and strong portfolio of games collectively differentiate its customer offer from those of its competitors. bwin.party is a constituent member of the FTSE 250 Index and the FTSE4Good Index Series, which identifies companies that meet globally recognised corporate responsibility standards. For more information about bwin.party, visit: www.bwinparty.com.