British Clubs to Potentially be Fined for Betting Sponsorships

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In a new report from The Times, the British government will begin cracking down on clubs who don betting agencies on their playing kits.

The tightening of these screws could have serious implications for many clubs in the professional footballing landscape in the UK. A substantial percentage of teams in the Premier League and Championship (England’s second tier) use gambling organisations as their main sponsors.

West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Everton FC, Norwich City FC and Watford are some of the high profile Premier League sides whose kits feature mainly betting or gambling agencies.

15 of the 24 teams in the Championship are in the same boat, including top teams such as Leeds United, Middlesborough, Stoke City, Swansea City and former Premier League champions Blackburn Rovers.

The further down the leagues you go, the more teams you’ll find who utilise gambling agencies as their major sponsors.

This news has surfaced following reports that the government will review the 2005 Gambling Act. It is expected that following the review, a domino effect will take place, which will impact some of these clubs.

The EFL, who looks after the Championship, League One and League Two, is itself sponsored by Sky Bet. They could suffer greatest from any reforms made by the government after their review.

In the first ever Premier League season back in 1992/1993, no team shared their shirts with gambling agencies as a form of sponsorship.

Sponsorships such as JVC’s with Arsenal, Carlsberg’s with Liverpool, Sharp’s with Manchester United and Newcastle Brown Ale’s with Newcastle United all stick vividly in the minds of Premier League fans to this day.

At the start of the 2010s, some clubs had cottoned on to the idea of attaining sponsorships with betting companies.

Soccer is one of the most popular sports to gamble on in the UK and many agencies generate significant amounts of revenue from games across numerous leagues, even the semi-professional ones.

The topic of gambling in sports is one that has generated much debate across the globe in the last few years.

In Australia especially, the discussion seems to circulate on an almost weekly basis.

On one hand, it is frowned upon when players, coaches or staff members get involved in bets for any matches. For example, in the AFL, Collingwood Magpies player Jaidyn Stephenson was banned for 10 games for gambling on AFL matches, including some he was playing in.

At the same time however, governing bodies continuously promote gambling with pre-game advertisements that display the odds and encourage people to gamble.

Some governing bodies even have sponsorships with betting agencies, whilst at the same time, trying to dissuade people from betting on matches.

On the other hand, many teams in the AFL are trying to escape the gambling industry and become independent without having to rely on gaming rooms and pokies.

This news came as a pleasant surprise for English soccer fans, with many rejoicing at the fact that something is being done after years of what they see as apathy.

What are your thoughts on the prospect of less teams being sponsored by betting agencies?

Are you glad something is being done by the British government? Will you be pleased by the potential return of less sponsors on teams shirts?

Are you against it? Or do you simply not mind, so long as you can watch your team play week in, week out?

Get involved in the discussion on Twitter @Soccersceneau. We’d love to hear your thoughts

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Senix and Newcastle Jets unveil exciting multi-year deal

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Image Credit: Shutterstock - IOIO Images

The Newcastle Jets have announced a multi-year partnership with power tool and equipment company Senix.

Through the deal, Senix branding will feature on Newcastle Jets Women’s and Men’s teams’ shorts across the 24/25 and 25/26 seasons.

This grants Senix with extremely visible advertising, highlighting the Jet’s dedication to the collaboration and providing a significant marketing opportunity for Senix as the company seeks to grow its new portfolio in Australia.

As a rapid developer within its industry, Senix has grown to operate in American, Southeast Asian, and recent Australian markets, with plans to move into New Zealand, Japan, Korea, India and the Middle East.

Vice President of Senix Australia & New Zealand, Tim Paton, described his pride and excitement for the partnership between Senix and the Jets.

“We are excited to partner with the Newcastle Jets as they embark on their new journey,” he said via press release.

“Senix is the fastest growing power tool company in the world and the Australian market is a key focus area, so it was a natural fit to partner with the Jets given their footprint in New South Wales.

“Jets fans and people of the broader Newcastle region will love our products. We create powerful but affordable products that remain eco-minded with low-to-no-emissions. Bottom line, we deliver premium performance at an exceptional value.”

Newcastle Jets CEO, Maurice Bisetto, outlined the benefits of the deal.

“Senix are a global powerhouse in the power tool and equipment category so for the Jets to be able to partner with them is a real coup for us,” he said in a press release.

“Senix are supporting the club as a whole with branding on our A-League and W-League teams and we are excited to work with them to grow their footprint in the Australian market and give Jets fans the opportunity to win some of their tools.”

 

Signality: Revolutionising Sports Data with AI Technology

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Image credit: Signality

Signality was founded in 2016 with a clear vision to transform sports data. The company was driven by the ambition to make sports data as efficient and autonomous as a self-driving car.

With a rise in AI technology, the Swedish-based company are changing the way sports data is captured, analysed and utilised.

Signality have focused heavily on using their technology to create an extensive and complex soccer data system thanks to their automated cloud-based platform.

This platform processes thousands of live soccer games every year, delivering unparalleled data insights. It can ingest feeds from a single panoramic camera to multiple cameras, with more inputs resulting in richer data.

As the company continues to grow, it is expanding in the sports media landscape, after recently being acquired by automated camera and video production company Spiideo, another Swedish sportstech brand.

Signality’s Soccer API

The company’s prized product is their Soccer API which comprehensively tracks data sets from all different angles of the sport to help clubs, leagues and athletes perform at their best.

This is how it works:

Revolutionising Soccer Analytics with Automated Tracking and Event Data

A cutting-edge Soccer API is transforming the way soccer data is collected and delivered. Through fully automated tracking and event data collection, the platform leverages static video camera streams to derive accurate positional and event data without the need for manual intervention.

Automated Data Collection and Low-Latency Delivery

By connecting video streams to the platform’s system, users can initiate an automated process that generates real-time data feeds. These feeds, accessible via an open and user-friendly API, ensure low-latency data delivery, providing crucial insights for analysts, coaches, and broadcasters.

Comprehensive Tracking Data

The platform provides detailed positional data for all players, including the ball and referee. This data forms the basis for numerous Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that can be easily derived, such as:

  • Total Running Distances
  • Speed Zones
  • Number of Sprints
  • Player Separation Metrics
  • And Many More

This positional data is presented with high accuracy and precision, allowing teams to analyse movement patterns and player performance comprehensively.

Rich Event Data

In addition to tracking data, the API delivers extensive event data, covering a broad range of on-field events. Each event is timestamped and linked to the respective team and player. The list of supported event types is continuously expanding and currently includes:

  • Kick-Off
  • Goals
  • Passes
  • Substitutions
  • Red Cards
  • Yellow Cards
  • Corner Kicks
  • Dangerous Free Kicks
  • Penalties
  • End of Phase

This comprehensive event data enables deeper tactical analysis and enhances the storytelling for media coverage.

Proven and Validated Technology

The quality of the platform’s services has been validated by Gothenburg University, ensuring reliability and accuracy. In addition, continuous in-house validation and collaboration with partners help maintain and improve the high standard of service. Interested users can request further details about the validation process.

How It Works

  1. Connect Video Streams: Users can connect their respective video streams to the API and optionally provide additional match information, such as team lineups, home and away teams, and kick-off time.
  2. Automated Processing: The platform’s AI models process the video streams, automatically extracting positional and event data.
  3. Access Data via API: The processed data is made available through an easy-to-use open API, enabling seamless integration into existing systems.
  4. Quality Assurance: Built-in QA services ensure data accuracy by continuously training and refining AI models based on feedback and new data.

Conclusion

Signality’s Soccer API offers a revolutionary solution for automated soccer analytics. By providing fast, accurate, and comprehensive data through a robust open API, it empowers teams, analysts, and broadcasters to gain unparalleled insights into the game. With proven technology and continuous improvement, this platform is set to become a key player in the future of soccer analytics.

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