bwin sponsors Spanish team
VIENNA, Austria -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- bwin is pleased to announce a new partnership starting on 1 July 2007 as official main sponsor of Real Madrid, the top Spanish football club. The agreement has initially been concluded for a period of three seasons.
Apart from displaying the bwin logo on the jerseys of the Real Madrid team at national and international matches, the cooperation agreement also extends to extensive branding of the stadiums and Real Madrid's training ground.
The strategic decision to enter into this partnership should be seen against the background that several EU member states have yet to accept the freedom of establishment and services in the area of online gaming, despite the fact that both the European Commission and the European Court of Justice are of the opinion that the offering of online gaming is subject to the free movement of services and the freedom of establishment laid down in the Treaty on European Union. In the future, bwin will therefore be investing its available sponsoring resources in markets that have adopted an enlightened attitude to the subject of gaming regulation.
Please find below a joint press release by Real Madrid and bwin.
The bwin Group has over 11 million registered customers (including 7 million "play money" customers) in over 20 core target markets. Operating under international and regional licences in countries like Gibraltar, Kahnawake (Canada), Belize and Germany, Italy, Mexico, Argentina, Austria and the United Kingdom, the Group is the number one address for sports betting, games and entertainment via digital distribution channels. The Group offers sports betting, poker, casino games, soft and skill games, as well as audio and video streams on top sporting events such as the German Bundesliga. The parent company, bwin Interactive Entertainment AG, has been listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange since March 2000 (ID code "BWIN", Reuters ID code "BWIN.VI"). All details about the company can be found on its investor relations website at http://www.bwin.ag.
bwin And Real Madrid Present a Major Sponsorship Agreement
Leadership, Dynamism And Technological Innovation Are The Values Real Madrid And bwin Share
Madrid, 11 June, 2007. Real Madrid Club de Futbol and bwin, the leading provider of online gaming entertainment, have signed an agreement by which the Austrian multinational will become the club's main sponsor during the next three seasons. The bwin brand will appear on the jersey and training apparel of Real Madrid starting with the 2007-08 season.
The agreement presented today at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium by Manfred Bodner, Co-CEO of bwin, and Ramon Calderon, President of Real Madrid CF, represents a milestone in the international ties between the two institutions.
Within this strategic alliance, bwin intends to use Real Madrid's image as an international communication platform and to benefit from the Club's promotional and advertising media.
The main reason that has brought the two brands together is their shared commitment for maintaining and fostering sports as well as values such as leadership, dynamism and technological innovation. These shared values and business strategies will allow Real Madrid and bwin to connect emotionally with millions of fans throughout the world.
For Manfred Bodner "the global perspective of our company and brand development require really like-minded partnerships. We have found just such a partner in Real Madrid - a true global legend in its field. We are looking forward to working with them as a team, striving to achieve our ambitious goals together".
For Ramon Calderon, "with this alliance we are taking one more step towards our goal of partnering leading international companies. bwin is a worldwide reference thanks to its experience and involvement in sports sponsorship. Among other characteristics, it is a creative, dynamic, young company seeking greater proximity to all the fans in the world of sport".