ManBetX Backing Snooker in Two Sponsorship Deals

ManBetX have been around as a sports betting company for some time now but because their focus has mainly been on the Asian region, they may have fallen a little under the radar in terms of global awareness. The operator started to address that issue in 2017 by arranging a front of shirt deal with Premier League side Crystal Palace and have now gone a stage further in the world of snooker.

With so many tournaments being played across the globe, the potential for sponsorship has increased so ManBetX have moved to secure two title sponsorships for ranking events.

Established

While the number of competitions on the circuit has increased, ManBetX have chosen one of the more established events for their first contract. The Welsh Open was first held in 1992 and the 2018 renewal started on February 26th.

Over seven days of competition, Stuart Bingham is back to defend his crown in a top class field that also includes reigning World Champion Mark Selby. From there, it’s a quick turnaround for the operator with the Gibraltar Open starting on March 7.

This is a newer tournament, having incepted as recently as 2015 and for this year’s renewal, it has the full sponsorship of ManBetX.

Sensational Snooker

Chairman of World Snooker Barry Hearn said:

We are thrilled to welcome ManBetX on board for the first time. Snooker continues to grow rapidly as a global sport and these tournaments will be watched by many millions of fans bringing tremendous exposure to the ManBetX brand.

We have seen sensational snooker on our tour so far this season with many of the top guns firing their way to the big titles.

Speaking on behalf of Project11 who facilitated the deal, Scott Taylor added:

We are delighted to lead with ManBetX’s expansion into snooker. This follows on from ManBetX’s front of shirt sponsorship with Crystal Palace.

These two prestigious title sponsorships are the perfect fit to further the reach on the ManBetX brand.

Growth Sport

As Barry Hearn mentioned, snooker is a sport that is enjoying rapid growth right now so how is this deal balanced between the two parties? We’re unclear as to the exact financial details of the contract but for ManBetX’s outlay they will enjoy strong exposure from the live TV broadcasters. Along with the supporters in the arenas, snooker is picked up on a regular basis by Eurosport with additional coverage being offered in the UK on an ad hoc basis from the BBC and ITV4.

That’s the European coverage taken care of but the sport is also huge in Asia, and although ManBetX already have plenty of exposure on their native continent, this will be an added advantage to them moving forward.

As for snooker itself, while it is experiencing that growth it still can’t attract the type of money that is thrown on popular sports such as football. The fact that these two sponsorships have both been announced at very short notice also tells us that some events are in danger of going without title sponsors so ManBetX’s input is vital to the game.

The smaller events in particular need main sponsors in order to thrive and stay on the circuit so it’s a deal that looks to have good balance and will benefit all of the parties involved. It will also be interesting to see if it’s renewed in years to come or if ManBetX go on to explore other options but for now it’s very welcome.