SPFL names Ladbrokes as sponsor in ₤ 4m deal
The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) has actually revealed that wagering company Ladbrokes will be its main sponsor from next season.
The two-year offer, believed to be worth a little over ₤ 4m, consists of rights across all four leagues and 42 clubs.
While it did not reveal any figures, Ladbrokes stated the deal was the biggest of its kind in Scottish football.
The SPFL has lacked a sponsor since 2013 when the league was restructured.
The Clydesdale Bank sponsored the Scottish Premier League up until its agreement ended 2 years back, choosing not to restore the ₤ 2m-per-year offer.
Funds from that were divided in between 12 clubs.
The new deal will lead to the Scotland's leagues become called the Ladbrokes Premiership, Ladbrokes Championship, Ladbrokes League 1 and Ladbrokes League 2 at the start of the brand-new season in August.
An "definitely thrilled" SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster informed BBC Scotland: "It is the most significant single ever title sponsorship offer of this nature in Scotland in 125 years of the Scottish Football League.
"So it's hugely significant, I believe, economically.
"It's an offer across the entire of the SPFL - the very first deal of its kind - and all 42 clubs will benefit through the ladder mechanism set out in the rules.
"On all those levels, I believe it's great news for all clubs in Scotland."
The brand-new bet9ja's welcome offer takes the total SPFL prize-money fund to ₤ 20m.
Next season's Premiership champions will get an additional ₤ 268,000 as an outcome, with the Championship winners receiving ₤ 45,000 more.
At the bottom end of the scale, the team ending up bottom of League Two will make their club an additional ₤ 3,600.
"As much of a financial distinction, there is a pride problem here," stated Doncaster.
"To have actually a league sponsored with a company like Ladbrokes - an extremely appreciated blue-chip UK business - who wish to sit together with you and establish the video game in Scotland is extremely substantial too.
"All of it matters and, if you speak with private clubs then I believe they'll see it a little different ways.
"But, from our viewpoint, it's a deal that benefits all 42 clubs and contributes to the status of the league in general."
Doncaster knew that the SPFL had received some criticism for the years without a title sponsor.
"It has not been the simplest time to head out and sell a title sponsorship," he stated.
"We are aware of some of the monetary issues that have affected some of our member clubs over that duration.
"But the reality is that we have had a number of big brand names who wished to partner with us.
"We have had various deals over the duration that we have actually turned down, but the clubs' stance, which we believe has been vindicated, was they desired to wait on the best brand at the ideal cash."
Ladbrokes chief executive Jim Mullen added: "We love football so we are thrilled to be dealing with the SPFL on among the finest chances in British sport."
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