The renewal was celebrated in a special video produced directly from the “Most Creepy Mountain in Brazil” Pico da Bandeira, in the Serra do Caparaó, Minas Gerais.
For this historic moment, Cruzeiro and Betfair invited Maicon, a former player of the club from 2001 to 2004 and a former Brazilian National Team member, to announce the historic renewal at the highest point in Minas Gerais.
The initiative was conceived, produced, and executed by Octagon Latam, the sports marketing agency responsible for managing Betfair's sports sponsorships.
"It was a massive challenge. Determination is a trait I always had at Cruzeiro and wherever I went. It really helped me during this climb and made me reminisce about my entire history with Cruzeiro, which was a crucial part of my career," Maicon said about the experience.
Pico da Bandeira is the third highest peak in Brazil and the highest in the state of Minas Gerais, making Cruzeiro not only the greatest but also the one to take its jersey to the highest point in Minas.
The former right-back, a product of ‘Toca’ - Cruzeiro's youth team - also highlighted his four-year stint at the team.
"I had great moments with the Cruzeiro team and have immense affection for the club, the fans, and everything they did for me. That's why I'm so grateful to be invited to participate in an event like this. It's fantastic to see this partnership between the club and a giant sponsor like Betfair, and this renewal will definitely help shape the future of Cruzeiro Esporte Clube."
Maicon, a Triple Crown champion in 2003, climbed Pico da Bandeira accompanied by Cruzeiro influencer and Betfair team member Babi Loud. The video of the feat is available on the club's official Instagram.
Representing a significant step in continuing investment in the club, Betfair plans to expand strategic projects and consolidate new milestones with the team on the national and international stage.
According to Aidan Kilcoyne, head of sponsorship at Betfair, the renewal bets on the mutual and ongoing success of the brands in Brazil.
"For Betfair, it is a great satisfaction to continue our partnership with Cruzeiro, a club with a rich history and passionate supporters. Throughout these two years of partnership, we have built a victorious relationship together, always aiming to provide unique experiences for fans. We've worked together on historic activations, from donating our space on the jersey to thank the Nação Azul for their support to our collaboration with the Racial Observatory, as well as incredible experiences that money can't buy, like taking fans to Rio de Janeiro with the team," he said.
The Betfair executive also congratulated the team on their unprecedented qualification for the 2024 Copa Sudamericana final. "Throughout the season, Betfair has been proud to be alongside Cruzeiro at every stage of this victorious journey. We are confident that this final will be another memorable chapter for the club, the fans, and our partnership. We will continue to support Cruzeiro both on and off the field," Aidan applauded.
Pedro Lourenço, majority shareholder of Cruzeiro's SAF, commented on the renewal. "We are very happy to announce the renewal of the partnership between Cruzeiro and Betfair, a highly relevant brand that has been by our side during important moments of our journey."
"Beyond the financial aspect, this renewal represents mutual trust in a solid endeavor that benefits Betfair, Cruzeiro, and our fans. Together, we will achieve great accomplishments and a promising future," he highlighted.
The agreement will continue for another two years, including master sponsorship of the men's team and placement on the upper back of the women's team. Betfair's logo will also appear across all Cruzeiro digital media, interview backdrops, and the official team bus, along with new placements on the men's shorts, the substitutes' bench, and more.
The company also sponsors the ‘Caravana do Cruzeiro’, which travels to cities in the interior of Minas Gerais, and will bring exclusive new experiences to the ‘Nação Azul’ in the coming months.
Activities for the match against Criciúma
Betfair, Cruzeiro's master sponsor, prepared a special tribute for the fans during the match against Criciúma at Mineirão in the 33rd round of the Brazilian Championship.
Before the game, a mosaic with a giant flag will be raised to celebrate the fans' passion for the "Maior de Minas." To mark the renewal and encourage support for the team, Betfair will offer boosted odds for Cruzeiro fans to bet on a goal by Cruzeiro in the match and has prepared special prize draws on social media and at Mineirão. The activation and strategy were also managed by Octagon Latam, which will oversee the entire delivery.
One of the world's largest online sports betting providers, Betfair is the official sponsor of Cruzeiro and Vasco da Gama. The company, founded in London in 2000, pioneered peer-to-peer betting (Betfair Exchange) and manages a comprehensive suite of sports betting, entertainment event betting, and online gaming products for over four million customers aged 18 and older worldwide.
Thanks to its cutting-edge technology, the platform offers a broad catalog of products that allow users to bet with their own odds or odds offered by other users.
Betfair is licensed to operate online betting and other games in 19 countries, including Spain, Italy, Malta, and Great Britain.
In Brazil, it is awaiting final license approval from the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting of the Ministry of Finance but is on the list of provisional authorizations to operate until the end of this year.
Source: GMB
