Growth in Series A comes mainly from new contracts, such as the one between Corinthians and Vai de Bet, which represents R$120 million (US$ 23.45m) to Timão's coffers annually. Pixbet will also invest heavily, with a R$85 million (US$ 16.6m) contract with Flamengo. Of the twenty teams, only Cuiabá and Vasco do not have any partnerships with betting companies.
The increase in the amount contributed is also a reflection of the increase in contracts for the main property of the uniform. This year, the number of master sponsorships from betting sites grew among first division clubs. Now, 14 of the 20 teams give up the most important space on the shirt to a company in the sector. At the beginning of the last edition of the Brasileirão there were 12.
For Fábio Wolff, founding partner of Wolff Sports and specialist in sports marketing, strengthening the area is essential for the teams' financial health. “The betting segment is largely responsible for the dramatic increase in the value of sponsorship contracts in general in recent years. Demand has been greater than supply, and this has caused numbers to multiply,” he states.
Clubs with recent success have also seen an increase in sponsorship contracts with bookmakers. For this year, Superbet signed links for the master space of the São Paulo uniform and, more recently, it also closed with Fluminense. The Rio and São Paulo tricolors will each receive R$52 million (US$ 10.15m) annually.
"Betting houses are already well established among football sponsors, with increasingly larger contracts. The competition to stamp their brands and establish exclusive agreements has grown along with the number of companies, both national and international," analyzes Joaquin Lo Prete, country manager at Absolut Sport in Brazil, a sports experience agency.
“The injection of money from betting sites into national football is a direct way of promoting the sport. The increasingly significant amounts increase the financial power of clubs, and, consequently, can be used to improve the structure and acquisition of players,” adds Cristiano Maschio, CEO of Qesh and specialist in the betting market.
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Among the betting operators sponsoring first division teams there are 12 companies. Four of these are new for this year, Vai de Bet, Superbet, Stake and Betsat, which will apply, together, an estimated investment of R$249 million (US$ 48.6m).
In the case of Stake, the platform guaranteed Juventude the biggest sponsorship contract in the club's history. "By closing an agreement with a brand the size of Stake, with a global operating area, we show all the potential and credibility that the Juventude brand has. Establishing partnerships with big names in the market is fundamental to the club's direction, both on and off the field," says Bruno Zaballa, vice-president of marketing at Juventude.
Just like Juventude, the other three teams that gained access to the last Series B - Atlético-GO, Criciúma and Vitória - also have master sponsors from the betting sector, all of them with new contracts signed after access. The club from Goiás and Santa Catarina renewed with Blaze and EstrelaBet, respectively, while the red-black team from Salvador signed a new partnership with Betsat.
In addition to club sponsorship contracts, betting platforms also invest on other fronts. Standing out among the contributions made previously in the sport, Casa de Apostas innovated, at the end of 2023, by announcing the acquisition of the naming rights of Arena Fonte Nova, in a contract valid for four seasons, with values reaching up to R$52 millions (US$ 10.15m).
"In the past, we were the first Brazilian betting platform to sponsor national clubs, and, more recently, we also became the first company in the segment to acquire the naming rights of a stadium in Brazil. The betting sector still has a lot to grow on the ground national," assesses Anderson Nunes, head of business at Casa de Apostas.
Main bookmaker sponsorships in Series A (approximate values):
Corinthians - Vai de Bet (master) - R$ 120 milhões / US$ 23.45m
Flamengo - Pixbet (master) - R$ 85 milhões / US$ 16.6m
Fluminense - Superbet (master) - R$ 52 milhões / US$ 10.15m
São Paulo - Superbet (master) - R$ 52 milhões / US$ 10.15m
Botafogo - Parimatch (master) - R$ 27.5 milhões / US$ 5.4m
Source: Exame
