Chelsea Backs Out of Stake Deal
Author:
Megan Butler
Chelsea FC has reportedly pulled out of a sponsorship deal with Stake.com. Had the deal gone ahead, the gambling operator’s logo would have featured prominently on the front of player shirts. However, the proposed partnership proved controversial and prompted a backlash from supporters.
Chelsea is now the only Premier League side not to have secured a shirt sponsor ahead of the upcoming season.
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Club Without Shirt Sponsor
Chelsea FC has pulled out of a potential front-of-shirt sponsorship deal with Stake.com following criticism from fans. The Premier League side was believed to have reached advanced negotiations with the online gambling firm before walking back on the deal. According to media reports, an initial 12-month deal would have been worth ￡40 million to the club.
Chelsea had been seeking an agreement with a new sponsor to take the front-of-shirt spot after its previous three-year contract with mobile network Three expired. Three’s sponsorship was estimated to have been worth around the same amount to the club. The Blues have been in discussions with a number of parties over the lucrative sponsorship spot.
However, with less than a month to go before the new Premier League season kicks off, it seems that Chelsea is still scrambling to secure a deal. The club has apparently already rejected a deal with Allianz, as it is believed that insurance broker offered just half the price of its predecessor. A deal with a firm from the crypto sector is also thought to have fallen through.
The club had hoped to sign off on a deal with US streaming service Paramount+. Unfortunately for Chelsea, an agreement had to be axed over fears that it could upset broadcast partners, including BT Sport and Sky Sports. Fans were left bemused by the Premier League’s decision, as Paramount+ is not available to UK customers.
Chelsea is now the only top-tier club still without a front-of-shirt sponsorship deal in place. There is speculation over whether Chelsea could approach one of the firms previously rejected, or join forces with a new name entirely. The club’s training kit is sponsored by hotel comparison platform Trivago.
Ahead of the new season, the Blues have gained two new partners in Hilton and Oman Air. Hilton has been named the club’s official global hotel partner, and will host the team on the road. Meanwhile, Oman Air will act as Chelsea’s Official Airline Partner in a multi-year deal.
Anger Over Betting Partnerships
Chelsea had faced fierce criticism from fans over the potential deal with Stake.com, due to the firm’s nature as a gambling operator. MPs, charities and supporters have been calling for a ban on gambling sponsorships in football, due to concerns over rates of problem gambling and exposure of advertising to children and vulnerable people.
The Premier League finally bowed to this pressure in April, when clubs agreed to phase out gambling sponsors on the front of matchday shirts by the end of the 2025/26 season. However, some campaigners do not believe that the voluntary ban goes far enough. Gambling brands will still be featured on shirt sleeves and pitch-side advertising boards.
The three-year interim period has been put in place to allow clubs ample time to find replacement sponsors before the ban comes into force. However, some supporters are angry at clubs arranging new deals with betting and gaming firms. MPs, including Carolyn Harris, had urged the league to implement the ban immediately.
Chelsea fans have been particularly vocal on the issue. The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust conducted a poll to gauge the response of its members to rumors of a deal with Stake. The results came in with a strong rejection to the purported agreement, as 77% of respondents either disagreed or strongly disagreed with having a gambling firm as Chelsea’s primary shirt sponsor.
Armed with this knowledge, the group galvanized its protest against the deal. In June, the trust wrote to the club on the issue, stating that it does not believe that it is in the best interests of its members for Chelsea to associate with a betting and gaming firm as its shirt sponsor.
The letter added that a sponsorship from Stake would alienate many supporters and would fly in the face of the community work carried out by the trust to raise awareness of gambling harms. Last year, The Chelsea Foundation visited schools in the Hammersmith and Fulham area, delivering workshops about gambling and its associated risks.
Success for Supporters’ Trust
The actions of Chelsea Supporters’ Trust seem to have proved effective, as the club has backed down on the deal. Speaking on behalf of the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust, a spokesman expressed the group’s pride at the club’s decision. The trust has reiterated its message to club owners, to make the supporters proud. The spokesman stated:
“The CST is really pleased that, according to recent reports, Chelsea FC has listened to the very serious concerns of the Trust and has acted accordingly. Over 77% of our members disagreed with the use of an online casino & betting company as the primary shirt sponsor, and if these reports are indeed correct, it demonstrates again that supporters can make a monumental difference.”
The Big Step, which campaigns to end gambling advertising and sponsorship in football has praised the efforts of Chelsea Supporters’ Trust in getting the club to back down on the deal. A spokesperson for the charity said that the trust had mobilized against the club brilliantly and that this case should serve as a wake-up call to football.
Chelsea has not issued a statement on the issue and has remained silent throughout the rumors of a deal with Stake. While signing with a gambling sponsor would not have broken any of the Premier League’s rules, provided it did not surpass the 2025/26 season, it is apparent that such a sponsorship would have damaged the club’s reputation.
Pundits have described Chelsea’s situation as “unheard of”, as the club is left without a shirt sponsor just a few weeks away from the beginning of the new season. Despite being one of England’s biggest clubs, the Blues’ negotiating position has rapidly deteriorated. A short-term deal could now be the London club’s only remaining option.
