Watford FC had the Bitcoin logo on their shirt this Sunday for the first time. They tied against Arsenal 2-2.
This initiative is sponsored by the betting company Sportsbet.io. This is part of a larger campaign to raise awareness of Bitcoin and educate the people about the benefits of using cryptocurrency.
Justin Le Brocque, marketing manager at Sportsbet.io, wants to give something back to the crypto environment:
“The crypto community has been very supportive of us since we started, so putting the Bitcoin logo on the sleeve felt like a fun way to give something back while also showing them our support.”
VIP tickets paid with bitcoin
As part of the project, they have set up a Bitcoin Community Crowdfunding shop where you can buy exclusive perks available only with bitcoin. There is a chance to have your company adverted on the LED screens that go around the stadium, or buy VIP tickets for football matches in Watford’s new “Bitcoin box”. Watching a match from “The Bitcoin box” with 7 friends is now available and will cost you 1.5 bitcoin.
Hope to create a buzz around cryptocurrency
Le Brocque has high hopes for the collaboration, and sees this as a stepping stone for traditional sports sponsorship agreements:
Some of the biggest challenges we and others like us face are raising awareness, dispelling common myths around cryptos and educating the public on the benefits and opportunities presented by cryptocurrencies.
Our partnership with Watford marks a major disruption in the world of traditional sports sponsorship, and by adding the Bitcoin logo we hope this world’s first partnership will create even more buzz around cryptocurrencies.
Watford FC manager Scott Duxbury says that placing the Bitcoin logo on a Premier League football shirt challenges the accepted norm in the suit of sponsors. He hopes the new deal will spark discussion around the football club worldwide.
The world’s most watched sports league
If we believe the statistics, Duxbury may be right. The Premier League is the world’s most watched sports league. The football matches were shown on TV in 188 countries last year, and a total of 1 billion homes worldwide. The only countries that did not show English football last year were Afghanistan, Moldova, Turkmenistan, North Korea, and Cuba. There is no doubt that this deal will introduce Bitcoin to a whole new audience worldwide.