Hills refocuses marketing spend as ABP dispute continues

William Hill will sponsor the IBF World Heavyweight fight between Charles Martin and Anthony Joshua as the UK bookmaker begins to shift its marketing cash away from British horseracing.

The operator has been at loggerheads with British Racing over the past few months after failing to agree to the terms required to become an Authorised Betting Partner (ABP).

The controversial scheme requires bookmakers to give 7.5% of online profits derived from UK racing, in addition to the 10.75% retail levy, back to horseracing in an effort by the industry to provide much-needed funding for the sport. Non-ABPs cannot enter into commercial agreements with the sport.

News of Hills’ boxing sponsorship deal follows rumours a number of operators are ready to play hardball with British Racing and invest their marketing budgets on other sports rather than sign an ABP deal on current terms.

“We are looking at a number of alternatives to horseracing sponsorship given we are currently prevented from working with racecourses,” a William Hill spokesperson told eGaming Review.

And Dutch media outlets this week reported William Hill and Unibet were in talks to sponsor the shirts of Feyenoord Football Club when its current shirt sponsorship deal ends on 1 July 2017.

The sponsorship of the IBF World Heavyweight fight, which takes place 9 April at the O2 Arena in London, will see the operator gain significant brand exposure during the Sky Sports-screened event.

“Martin v Joshua is going to be one of the biggest sporting events this spring and we’re thrilled to be associated with it,” Alex O’Shaughnessy, chief marketing officer at William Hill, said.

“Anthony Joshua is big box office in this neck of the woods and we’re expecting to see the TV viewing figures and ticket sales records smashed for this fight,” he added.

BetVictor today announced it had become the fourth operator to sign up to the ABP scheme, following in the footsteps of 32Red, Betfair and bet365. As yet, no operator with a UK land-based presence has signed a deal.