32Red & Unibet signs partnership deal with Vanarama National League

KindredGroup has signed a partnership deal with the Vanarama National League which will see two of its sportsbook brands acting as official betting partners of the fifth tier of English football.

The two-year deal, covering the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons, sees Kindred brands 32Red and Unibet become official partners of the league, allowing the operators to be promoted across the competition’s digital and social media channels, as well as in stadiums and match day programmes.

The sponsorship will provide teams in the country’s highest level of non-league football much needed funds, while prioritising fan and community projects, along with promoting safer gambling.

National League General Manager Mark Ives said: "The National League is thrilled to welcome the Kindred Group’s Unibet and 32Red brands as our official Betting Partner."

"That period has been extremely challenging for us all and so we are very welcoming of this partnership for at least the next 2-years."

Kindred Group UK General Manager Neil Banbury added: "Simply, non-league football is the lifeblood of our national sport. The elite level can only exist if the base of the pyramid thrives – and we hope that our investment will help to support that. At the heart of this are the supporters, of course, with their unwavering loyalty.

"The last year-and-a-half has shown us how vital they are to the clubs and to their communities. That is why we’ll be making sure that supporters see and feel a benefit from our sponsorship of their league."

The deal comes at a time where lower league and non-league clubs have endured a torrid 18 months during the coronavirus pandemic, which saw revenues streams cut off due to matches being behind closed doors.

While sponsorship deals in sport are widely condemned, Kindred pointed out that it is "committed to reinventing the sports sponsorship model" to one that benefits the wider community.

That follows in the footsteps of Entain launching multi-million pound investment programme Pitching In, which saw the programme sponsor the Isthmian, Northern Premier and Southern Leagues last September. The operator too outlined a key focus being work within the community and to help grass root sport.

Kindred currently sponsors EFL Championship clubs Derby County and Middlesbrough with 32Red the main shirt sponsor for both teams. The operator is also the principal shirt sponsor of Scottish Premiership team Glasgow Rangers. Through this sponsorship, the club’s benefit from funding to run the Team Talk initiative, which uses the club and its staff to help engage with men about their mental health.

Image source: UnSplash.com