Online casino, football club team up

Football teams in England are known for getting into various types of agreements with manufacturers, licensors and other business types as a way of increasing the visibility of their name and their “brand”.And that was what precisely London football club West Ham United has done when it announced a deal with Pinnacle Casino and Blue Chip Games that effectively make it their official online casino partners.

The agreement, which will last for three years will actually run through the 2008 – 2009 season and will involve a devoted gaming section that is being created on the West Ham homepage.

According to Scott Duxbury of West Ham United, “Pinnacle Casino is renowned for maintaining the highest levels of integrity with all payout levels independently audited, exciting game play and a safe and secure online gaming environment.”

The new agreement will also have a number of marketing initiatives that will give Pinnacle Casino advertising privileges on the website of West Ham. This will also include advertising on match day programs and television interview backdrops and also LED time during the live matches in Upton Park.

As part of the agreement West Ham United will also give the group permission to use the football club’s trademark, player names, images and photographs for promotional use all over the world.

According to Keith Long, spokesperson for Blue Chip Games, “We’re extremely pleased to have been chosen as the exclusive online casino partner for a club with a longstanding and proud tradition like West Ham. As a lifelong football fan, I’m well aware of the devotion Irons fans have to their club, and believe the faith they have in the club will translate well into the branded casino games.”