The use of sports betting advertising during football and other sporting events appears to be increasing. This in turn is coming under increasing criticism. Authorities and politicians, as well as fans, generally do not like such advertising. According to a press release and a more detailed report in Stern, FC St. Pauli has now reacted to the general development. In future, there will be no more sponsoring or advertising by betting companies.

FC St. Pauli recently announced in a press release that the club will no longer be running sports betting ads in the 2023/24 season. In the past, the club has been relatively open about its partnerships with betting companies, including announcing the end of its contract with sponsor bwin.

Especially during the difficult time after the Corona pandemic and in connection with the high inflation, the sports betting giant was an important financial support, FC St. Pauli said. Now, however, the club wants to go in a different direction. Cooperation with sports betting companies is no longer planned.

FC St. Pauli emphasises "courageous decision" and "credibility of the club"

The loss of bwin as a partner means the loss of a very reliable source of income for FC St. Pauli - that much is certain. Although other sponsors have long since been found to cover the losses, it is not easy for those responsible to let go of such a "safe bank".

Bernd von Geldern, Business Manager Economy, says: "Financially, it hurts to no longer have a partner from the sports betting sector, we have to be honest about that.“
Club President Oke Göttlich explains: "We are making bold decisions because we are convinced that this consistent approach will pay off in the medium and long term. No new contract with another sports betting provider.

Because the credibility of our club and brand also ensures greater attractiveness for our partners," says Göttlich, "we are confident that we can continue to build on good alternatives to sponsorship from the world of sports betting. Von Geldern adds that the aim is "to work with partners that fit FC St. Pauli perfectly, so that we can tell common stories on the platforms.

bwin has been a partner of FC St. Pauli since 2018

bwin is one of Germany's leading sports betting providers. The company sponsors several traditional professional football clubs. It will support FC St. Pauli from 2018 to 2023. Borussia Dortmund, 1. FC Köln, Union Berlin and Dynamo Dresden also work with the bookmaker. From 2019, bwin will even be the official partner of the German Football Association. This includes advertising partnerships for the national team, the DFB Cup, the 3. Bundesliga and the women's Bundesliga.

FC St. Pauli obviously thanks bwin

FC St. Pauli officials are adamant that the club must position itself for the future. If changes are necessary, action must be taken. This was the case with sports betting advertising.

However, there is no sign of acrimony. Bernd von Geldern clarifies: "Our partner helped us a lot in a very difficult time". Now that the contract is coming to an end, new paths are being taken: "We have now made the fundamental decision to no longer enter into a partnership in the sports betting sector.

Conclusion

The withdrawal of the sports betting sponsorship of FC St. Pauli will certainly be welcomed by many football fans and not least by the responsible authorities. However, it remains to be seen whether this development is primarily due to the increasing criticism or whether it is rather due to the fact that bwin did not want to renew the contract in general. However, the matter does seem somewhat questionable. On the other hand, Spielbank Hamburg was announced as a new partner on 27 July. So it seems that gambling sponsorship (even if it is not sports betting, of course) is not completely out of the question.

Image source: https://pixabay.com/de/photos/fahne-flagge-logo-fu%C3%9Fball-2-2974193/ 

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