Q&A: 888.com and sports sponsorship - August 2005  

In this month’s Q&A, S&T speaks to Rob Mitchell, UK sports marketing manager of 888.com, the world’s number one online casino and poker room, where registered members can go online and play five different poker games (including Texas Hold’Em) and 27 different casino games (including Blackjack, Roulette, Craps and Slots). 888.com has registered member accounts in 151 countries around the world.

Why do you think online gambling - and in particular poker - have become so popular?

“We have seen a natural progression for traditional offline games moving onto the online platform. Poker has grown rapidly with increased prize money at events, and opportunities for anyone to qualify for events through online competitions. The growth in TV coverage has also helped, as viewers can now see players’ cards and can better understand how to play the game. In general, the online platform provides convenience, so people can play when they want, there is a wide choice of games to suit all people, and it is a safe and secure environment where you can play for fun or for real money.”

Please outline which sports properties 888.com sponsors and how long the deals are.

“The sports marketing programme is a combination of media buying activity and sponsorship, with the principle properties being: Shirt sponsorship of Middlesbrough Football Club (2004-2007); Title sponsor of the Premier League Darts (2005); Associate sponsor of the British Superbikes Championship (2005); Sponsorship of 12-times World Darts Champion, Phil Taylor (since 2003); Sponsorship of top 10 world ranked snooker players - Paul Hunter, Matthew Stevens, John Higgins and Stephen Lee. Other sports activity includes sponsorship of the World 8-Ball Pool Championships, 8-Ball International Pool Masters, 9-Ball World Pool League and 9-Ball World Pool Masters; and a strong visual presence in horseracing and at selected FA Premier League [soccer] clubs.”

What were your objectives in sponsoring the Premier League of Darts in particular?

“Darts is an exciting sport and makes great TV with the strong vocal support of the crowd, music and the participation of the world’s leading players. The inaugural Premier League Darts promised to deliver TV exposure for 888.com across a five-month period on Sky Sports [in the UK]. The principle objective of the sponsorship was to build a platform for generating brand exposure in order to build brand awareness. This was achieved through the exclusive sponsorship and TV coverage over the five month campaign.”

Were you pleased with the inaugural season of the Premier League of Darts?

“There were many positive elements, namely the branding, quality of the TV coverage and local support for the events; however there are certainly a number of development areas that we will be working with the Professional Darts Corporation on to grow and enhance the event for the future.”

What are your objectives in sponsoring ITV's coverage of the World Rally Championships?

“The World Rally Championships are arguably the most exciting form of motorsport in the world and the opportunity to create brand exposure and build some brand awareness and association with the sport has been very appealing.”

How have you been leveraging your sponsorship of Middlesbrough Football Club?

“2004/05 was 888.com’s first year of sponsoring Middlesbrough FC, and in this time we have learnt a great deal about sponsorship and working with a Premier League football [soccer] club. We have had internal and external programmes running to ensure we drive value from our deal with Middlesbrough FC. Internally, we have used tickets and hospitality for employees and 888.com members as part of our loyalty programme; whilst externally we have used players for PR initiatives, match day activity, ticket competitions in the media for fans, as well as developing interactive concepts in Middlesbrough to drive member registration. Looking to the future, we will be working to further engage the football fans and build the 888.com experience.”

How do you measure the success and/or return on 888.com sports sponsorships (e.g do you commission research)?

“There are many components that go into measuring the success of our sponsorship activity and this includes a combination of both internal and external criteria. Internally, we measure the use of our tickets and hospitality for our members, whilst brand exposure across all media is a significant measure externally. We also measure the member registrations that are generated through our activity, and how the level of brand and sponsorship awareness converts through to members playing online.”

Are there any other sports properties that are on your wish-list of sponsorships or new deals that you have recently signed?

“Of course, there are a number of properties which I would love to have 888.com involved in, but it is a question of timing and ensuring that the investment decisions are sound.”

Are members of 888.com currently exposed to any messages related to any of your sponsorship deals? If not, are there plans to do this in the future?

“Absolutely. Most of our sponsorship activity takes place in the UK, and through the TV broadcast deals in place on our sponsorship properties we are able to communicate not only to our members in the UK, but to those throughout the world. We have also begun to develop our member loyalty programme, and members have been able to enjoy the football, darts, snooker, superbikes and horseracing with us. Also, our offline marketing operation is relatively young and it is important that we build a strong foundation of brand awareness before we focus on engagement and creating the 888.com brand experience. Brand awareness is building, and now we are working on creating more noise and character for the brand through promotional and sampling activities in football, darts and superbikes.”

What excites you about the online gambling industry at the moment?

“The sector is very exciting and the business environment is continually evolving. There is growing interest in the sector, with a huge potential member base at stake, and a fantastic interest in online casino and poker as the newest form of leisure entertainment. I believe that 888.com has huge potential to operate in this sector and to continue building a strong and successful brand throughout the world.”

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