Ladbrokes has become the title sponsor of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL), the top four tiers of club soccer in Scotland, reports, www.sportspromedia.com/. The betting firm has agreed a two-year deal with the SPFL. It is the first time all four divisions have shared a lead commercial partner.
The SPFL has been without a title sponsor since it was formed in 2013 as an amalgamation of the breakaway Scottish Premier League (SPL) and the Scottish Football League (SFL).
No financial terms were released, although Ladbrokes did describe the deal as the biggest of its kind in Scottish soccer. Clydesdale Bank, the former title sponsor of the SPL, was paying a reported UK£2 million a year before its contract ended two years ago.
"We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Ladbrokes to the SPFL's growing family of key sponsors and partners and look forward to working with them from season 2015/16 at this truly exciting time for Scottish football," said SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster.
"As an established and respected leading brand in its very competitive marketplace, Ladbrokes is a perfect partner for the SPFL and we have a shared vision of a positive future for professional league football in Scotland. Ladbrokes' backing of Scottish football is hugely valued and appreciated and I say that not only on behalf of the SPFL but also for all 42 member clubs."
