Sunderland AFC has announced Shuffle as the club’s new Official Sleeve Partner in a multi-year partnership.
Shuffle – a centralised crypto casino and sports betting platform – featured prominently on the first-team jerseys at the weekend as the Black Cats lost 2-0 at home to Arsenal.
The Curaçao-licensed platform is unlicensed in the UK. It follows a similar deal struck between Everton and Stake.com, while all betting brands have been banned from advertising on the front of Premier League shirts from this season.
The firm says it will look to leverage the club’s growing global profile to accelerate brand awareness and drive customer acquisition.
Alongside the visibility provided by Sunderland’s first-team shirts in both Premier League, domestic Cups and UEFA Europa League competition, the club and Shuffle will collaborate on a programme of exclusive content, fan experiences, digital activations and influencer marketing, with a distinctive presence across its extensive digital, social and matchday ecosystem.
Shuffle is one of the fastest-growing brands in the global gaming industry and has ambitious plans to establish itself as a market leader.
Scott McCubbin, chief commercial officer at Sunderland AFC, said: “We are delighted to welcome Shuffle as our Official Sleeve Partner. There is a strong alignment between our two brands, both of which have ambitious plans for growth and a determination to challenge at the highest level.
“Shuffle is an exciting, ambitious global brand and we are looking forward to working closely with them as they continue to build their profile and pursue their ambition to become a market leader.
“Sunderland’s global reach is stronger than it has been for many years. This partnership gives Shuffle a significant platform to build awareness internationally, while allowing us to create innovative content and experiences for our supporters around the world.”
Noah Dummett, Shuffle co-founder, added: “We’re incredibly excited to begin our partnership with Sunderland AFC.
“We share a lot of the same values, we both have the ambition to be the best, and we’re both here to stay as globally recognised brands.
“Sunderland AFC has a strong presence among Premier League fans around the world, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to be aligned with the team and supporters as they push to the top.”
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