Middlesbrough Football Club and the Kindred Group have secured a long-term commitment which will see the online gambling group remain the club’s principal partner.
In a record-breaking partnership for the Championship club, the logo of Kindred’s 32Red brand will adorn first team shirts, with the group also pledging to continue to promote responsible gambling messaging via front-of-shirt logos.
Furthermore, the deal also sees fellow Kindred entity Unibet continue to display their brand on Boro’s first team training wear, as Kindred also vows to further strengthen the club’s outreach work in the local community over the next three seasons.
“We’re delighted to extend our partnership with the Kindred Group, and we’d like to thank them for continuing their vital support of the club,” stated Lee Fryett, MFC head of commercial.
“Kindred are showing a real commitment to promoting a responsible gambling message and have a pledge to drive profits from high-risk behaviour down to zero per cent within the term of the new contract.
“Over the past three years we have worked very, very closely together and they are great supporters of the work done by our Foundation and within the local area.
“Community is very important to both ourselves and Kindred and we’re looking forward to the opportunity to continue driving forward new initiatives that will benefit both our supporters and the people of Teesside.”
32Red will continue to support the MFC Foundation’s delivery of Team Talk – a men’s mental health initiative. The Team Talk platform uses the local club and its staff, including players and manager, as a mechanism to engage with men about their mental well-being.
Kindred have also pledged to donate a percentage of their hospitality and merchandising rights to fans via competitions and giveaways. They will also continue to develop supporter initiatives, such as the 32Red Fan of the Season award.
Neil Banbury, UK general manager of the Kindred Group, added: “Our relationship with Middlesbrough is a longstanding one and we are thrilled to be continuing it. There are several important elements to this partnership including the continued promotion of our responsible gambling message across front-of-shirt branding and on LED perimeter boards.
“This is an important part of our commitment to reduce the percentage of our revenue derived from high risk behaviour – currently four per cent – to zero per cent by 2023.
“Another key part of this agreement was for us to continue the support of the MCF Foundation in their delivery of Team Talk – a vital community outreach project based around improving men’s mental health. It is part of our commitment to reinventing the sports sponsorship model, so that it benefits the wider community.”
