32Red Plc, the leading UK casino and sports betting operator, has inked a lucrative deal with the English second-tier soccer team, Derby County. While the football club already has a shirt sponsor agreement with the operators of the Microgaming powered online casino, 32Red Casino, the new deal has been signed literally on the back of the team’s newest star, Wayne Rooney.
Earlier this week, Derby County announced that it had signed an 18 month deal for Rooney to serve as player and coach of the team. While the team did not confirm how much of the former English-side captain’s salary 32Red be paying, it was revealed that he will be wearing the number 32 on his shirt.
Derby County’s owner and executive chairman, Mel Morris, said Rooney’s addition to the team brought with it a lot of commercial interest.
“Obviously, the commercial opportunities this creates are widespread and significant,” Morris said. “On the back of Wayne joining the club, we have just been offered a record-breaking sponsorship deal with our principal shirt sponsor, 32Red.”
The deal with Rooney has attracted a fair amount of controversy. Critics charge that the deal makes a mockery of financial fair play rules, where Rooney will not only be having his salary paid in part by a bookmaker, but will also see him earning five times the average wage for a second-tier player in an English team.