BWIN TO SPONSOR PORTUGUESE SOCCER

Online gambling group signs up for three seasons
 
Bwin Interactive, the Vienna-listed internet gambling group, has inked a three season agreement with the Portuguese soccer league, becoming the name sponsor of the Portuguese Liga Cup competition.
 
The football tournament will be known as the Bwin Cup, co-chief executive of the company Manfred Bodner said this week, adding that close cooperation between professional sports and online gaming industry leaders like Bwin will ensure the integrity of sports and entertainment for both consumers and athletes.
 
Rights acquired by Bwin include displaying its logo on the jerseys of all players participating in the Portuguese league cup, using the designation “Official Title Sponsor”, and maintaining an extensive presence at club stadiums. The two partners will also cooperate on media coverage, a Bwin presence on the Taça da Liga website, and the launching of a website titled Bwincup.com.
 
All TV broadcast matches will also be carried by Bwin.com to a global audience outside Portugal.
 
The League Cup is organised by the Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional. All teams in the first (Primeira Liga) and second divisions (Liga de Honra) of the Portuguese Football League, each of which is comprised of 16 clubs, will take part in this competition.
 
Bwin has previously worked with Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional; between 2005 and 2008 it was the naming sponsor of the first division of the Portuguese Football League and has retained its title as Official Partner since then.
 
The online gambling company is also the main sponsor of Real Madrid FC in Spain.