Sportsbet.io, the sponsor of Premier League Watford FC, made waves after putting the Bitcoin (BTC) logo on the team’s uniforms. Changpeng Zhao, the CEO and Founder of leading crypto exchange, Binance, has voiced his approval of the new endorsement.
Premier League Team First to Wear Sportsbet, BTC Logos
Watford will wear the Bitcoin logo on their team jerseys as part of the sponsorship from Sportsbet.io. The logo itself did more for the club and the betting startup than any other form of advertising – while also giving exposure to Bitcoin in an impromptu mass marketing campaign.
“The crypto community have been hugely supportive of us since we began, so putting the Bitcoin logo on the sleeve felt like a fun way to give something back while also showing them our support,” said Justin Le Brocque, Head of Marketing at Sportsbet.io.
Sportsbet is the first crypto-related company whose name and logo appears on a Premier League club jerseys. The Watford team will give its Premier League fame to the leading coin at a time when BTC prices are outpacing any other digital coin in both trading and yearly gains.
Binance’s Changpeng “CZ” Zhao Impressed with Marketing Move
Sportsbet’s latest move attracted the attention of Binance’s head poncho. “CZ”, as he is known in crypto communities, is also a proponent for crypto adoption.
Smart move for Sportsbet. If they used their own logo, I wouldn't be retweeting for them.$BTC, just amazing how far a coin could go without a marketing team.
Bitcoin Logo Scores Premier League Exposure to Millions Globally – https://t.co/AME2ROUbxj https://t.co/UcLEZWseZu
— CZ 🔶 BNB (@cz_binance) September 13, 2019
The Binance CEO’s clout on social media reached even more viewers, making the team a viral sensation. Sportsbet itself explained the decision to put up the logo as a thank-you to crypto supporters that used its service.
For the fans, Sportsbet is also giving away a signed Bitcoin logo jersey:
We also give away a SIGNED #Bitcoin Sleeve shirt + 5*2m₿ Free Bet!
🖋 How to win
🤝 Follow @Sportsbetio on Twitter
🔁 Retweet this post & the sleeve announcement post🥇1st prize – Signed #WatfordFC Shirt
🥈2nd-5th prize – 2m₿ Free Bet on https://t.co/kI3TBVdgsK#Sportsbetio pic.twitter.com/R8XK1yd8z3— Sportsbet.io (@Sportsbetio) September 12, 2019
Sportsbet’s move resembles previous publicity stunts, although those were specifically intended by crypto supporters. Back in 2014, the Dogecoin community bought advertising and branded a Nascar vehicle.
Bitcoin had less luck – in the summer of 2018, the crypto community attempted to buy a featured ad on the Super Bowl half-time. Unfortunately, the NFL moved in to ban Bitcoin from being presented on one of the world’s most viewed advertising slots.
Crypto advertising is still a contentious topic. Because of the unfiltered advertising on the Internet, some projects managed to reach a wider audience, eventually leading to large-scale scamming. But Bitcoin has never led an advertising campaign, except for occasional flashes of the logo. Being featured during a football club’s games is sure to give a boost to its visibility.
What do you think about Sportsbet’s move? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
Images via Shutterstock, Twitter @cz_binance, @sportsbetio