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with excellent professionals. We also understand the need to know Brazilians, the public, how they think and how they consume products. The most important thing is to know how to reach people so that they not only see us but also feel that we are with them. In Brasileirao’s Série A, the country’s top football competition, all football teams have a sports betting sponsorship. If their brands are not featured on the men’s kits, they’re either on the women’s or at the stadiums or websites. Brazilian football has become a synonym for sponsorships, and sportsbooks have reached an indisputable position as one of the largest contributors for local teams. Consequently, they have more resources to compete both locally and regionally.
BRAZILIAN FOOTBALL HAS BECOME A SYNONYM FOR SPONSORSHIPS SBC: Do you think there is a direct relationship between the success of Brazilian football at a continental level, like in the Copa Libertadores or Copa Sudamericana, and the number of existing sponsorship deals with sportsbooks, compared to other countries such as Colombia and Argentina, where there is still a long way to go to reach these agreements? FF: There is immense competition in Brazil when it comes to sports betting sponsorships. You know when you have to buy a special outfit and you say it’s for a wedding that the prices go up? The same thing happens with this. Teams now receive bigger contributions, and there is not a team in Serie A or Serie B without a betting sponsorship. But that current success is not only thanks to these betting deals. Teams like Flamengo and Palmeiras - who have won the last four Copa Libertadores - have been executing a good strategy for years now. Palmeiras even has a sports betting sponsorship and that brand doesn’t even show up on its kit. So I think that the effect of the bookmakers will be felt later, especially from 2023.
102 SBC LEADERS • JANUARY 2023
SBC: How important are these sponsorship opportunities for EstrelaBet’s strategy in Brazil? FF: There’s two main focus points. The first one is that we not only showcase our brand through sponsorships, but also that we’re committed to the sport and that we can support winners. It seems obvious, but many believe that sports betting companies won’t pay the prices.
So when we say that we have partnered with one team, or several, it helps. The second point, one that is special for us, is that our work is more than a sponsorship. In fact, EstrelaBet is also a supporter. EstrelaBet and fans are equals, and every day we get to know them better. In 2023, we’ll have a lot of things to learn, but I will leave those surprises for later. •