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SportPesa

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SportPesa
Company typePrivate
IndustryLotteries and gaming
Founded2014
Headquarters
Liverpool
Area served
Global
ServicesSports betting
Number of employees
500
Websitewww.sportpesa.com

SportPesa is a sports news technology and sports betting brand with operations in Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Nigeria, Italy, Ireland, the Isle of Man, and the UK, where it operates in conjunction with TGP Europe.[1][2]

Ownership

SportPesa in Kenya is owned and operated by Milestone Games, a company with shareholders from mostly Kenya, Bulgaria, and the United States.[3] Sportpesa in Italy is jointly owned with RCS Media, the largest media company in Italy.[4]

Sports Involvement

SportPesa has invested in the development of the local sports leagues and tournaments in Kenya and Tanzania.[5][6][7]

The company has signed agreements to build local and international partnerships in soccer(football), rugby, boxing, motorsport,[8] athletics, golf and kabaddi.[9][10][11]

The company has sponsored various tournaments, among them the 2014 Wambia Memorial Football Tournament in Kakamega, The Francis W. Maingi memorial soccer tournament in Kitui, the Obulala Football Tournament, Koth Biro Football Tournament and the SportPesa Super 8 Premier League.[12]

With over 100 grassroots teams from Nairobi estates registered to participate, the Super 8 tournament, which is run by Extreme Sports Limited, grew into a full-fledged league in 2016 after financial support from SportPesa, with the aim of improving grass-root soccer, with a number of players going on to join top-flight Kenyan teams.[13][14][15]

Kenya

In Soccer, the Kenyan Premier League, Kenya’s domestic top tier club competition, as well as a key sponsor of the Harambee Stars and Harambee Starlets, Kenya's national men's and women's football teams respectively. This partnership has seen the introduction of linkages with English clubs Arsenal, Southampton and Hull City, where the clubs' management, coaches and players have taken part in various training programmes and engagements.[16][17][18]

The key focus of the contract with the Football Kenya Federation is to ensure that the country develops as a footballing nation, with the stated mission of qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

In February 2017 a team dubbed the SportPesa All-Stars, selected from the 16 Kenyan Premier League clubs, became the first-ever team from the country to play in England, where they lost 2–1 to a Hull City Select side at the KCOM Stadium. This partnership is further geared towards exposing Kenyan players to the international stage.[19][20][21]

The company has also entered into a deal with the Under-20 sides from the Kenyan Premier League to facilitate a tournament that is played during school terms breaks in April, August and December.[22]

At the end of each season, the best players, coaches and team managers gather for the prestigious Footballer of the Year (FOYA) Awards where winners selected by a joint panel of SJAK and KPL coaches are celebrated, with the Player of the Year winning KSh1,000,000 (approx. USD10,000).[23][24]

SportPesa is also the shirt sponsor of signed Kenya Sevens Rugby team, Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards, two of Kenya's most decorated clubs, as well as Nakuru All Stars, a second division team.[25][26][27]

The company's sponsorship status of teams in Kenya is suspended following the withdrawal of its operating license and payment tools by the Kenyan government.[28]

On Saturday, 28 September 2019. Sportpesa finally shuts business in Kenya. Citing heavy taxation as a 20% Withholding tax was imposed on all winning bets.[29]

Tanzania

SportPesa currently has sponsorship deals with Simba SC and Young Africans SC, two leading clubs in the Tanzania Premier League. The two teams have signed five-year sponsorship deals. Additionally, SportPesa sponsored Singida United FC for a year following their promotion to the Tanzania Premier League.[30][31][32]

South Africa

In August 2017, SportPesa announced that it has signed a sponsorship deals with Cape Town City F.C. that plays in South Africa's Premier Soccer League (PSL).[33]

Formula 1

On 13 February 2019 it was announced that SportPesa became the new title sponsor for the Racing Point F1 Team for the 2019 season. The team was officially entered as SportPesa Racing Point F1 Team. On February 17, 2020, Racing Point CEO Otmar Szafnauer announced that SportPesa was no longer the team’s title sponsor due to the company having “had some difficulties in their home market.”[34]

Global partnerships

SportPesa currently has partnerships with three English football clubs – Hull City,[35][36] Arsenal,[37] Southampton

On 16 February 2020, Everton announced that the partnership with SportPesa would end after the 2019-20 season, prematurely terminating the 5 year contract with the club.[38][39]

SportPesa Super Cup

In June 2016 SportPesa announced the first SportPesa Super Cup,[40] an eight-team football knockout tournament featuring four teams each from Kenya and Tanzania. The first edition was held in Tanzania with Kenya's Gor Mahia FC emerged the tournament winner.[41] The Winner of the SportPesa Super Cup played Everton FC on 13 July 2017 in the most successful football event in East Africa.[42]

Recognition & Awards

In 2016, SportPesa won the Best African Sponsorship Award at the Discovery Sports Industry Awards (DSIA).[43] In 2017, was recognized as a Superbrand,[44] placed 13th in the ranking of the best companies in Kenya.[45]

References

  1. ^ Ochieng, Erick (3 February 2014). "Local fans to bet as new sports lottery is launched". East African Standard. Standard Media Group. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  2. ^ "Pevans East Africa Limited". Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  3. ^ "REVEALED: Multinational millionaires behind SportPesa – Nairobi News". Nairobi News. 29 July 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  4. ^ "SportPesa acquires majority shareholding in RCS Media's gambling division". SBC News. 18 July 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  5. ^ "Sportpesa: A Trailblazing Sporting Success". Bizna Kenya.
  6. ^ "SportPesa pledges to invest heavily in development of sports in Tanzania". The Star.
  7. ^ "SportPesa sponsorship: Time for Kenyan players to benefit". Goal.com.
  8. ^ "Rally: SportPesa Team Gears for First Position on This Weekend Outing". WGN.
  9. ^ "SportPesa Premier League it is! KPL unveil betting firm as title sponsors". Nation Newspaper.
  10. ^ "SportPesa Unveiled As Kenya Sevens Shirt Sponsor". Rugby15 News.
  11. ^ "SportPesa Sponsors the 2016 National League". Boxing Association of Kenya.
  12. ^ "Gambling is not illegal. It is your own right! – Kenyan Herald". Kenyan Herald. 30 August 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  13. ^ "SportPesa offers Sh35m sponsorship for Super 8 League". Red.co.ke.
  14. ^ "Super 8 Tournament Breaks Clubs Registration Record". Niaje. 21 February 2015.
  15. ^ "SportPesa Super 8 Tournament to Graduate to a Full League". Standard Media.
  16. ^ "SportPesa Becomes The Kenya Premier League Title Sponsor". Niaje.
  17. ^ "Hull City coaches eye lasting relations with SportPesa AllStars' overall squad". The Standard.
  18. ^ "SportPesa Partners with FKF to Improve Football in Kenya". SportPesa News.
  19. ^ "SportPesa All Stars to Play Hull City Tigers in February". Kenya High Commission in the UK.
  20. ^ "Hull City XI vs SportPesa All Stars". Hull City Tigers FC.
  21. ^ "Hull City beat SportPesa All Stars but Humphrey Mieno scored an historic goal". Goal.
  22. ^ "SportPesa millions for KPL Under-20 Tournament". Soka.
  23. ^ "Kenya: SJAK SportPesa Footballer of the Month Awards Launched". All Africa.
  24. ^ "SJAK, SportPesa to reward KPL player of the month". Gor Mahia FC.
  25. ^ "Gor Mahia and SportPesa officially unveil sponsorship deal". The Standard.
  26. ^ "OFFICIAL: AFC Leopards sign five year deal with SportPesa". Goal.
  27. ^ "Nakuru All Stars land five-year SportPesa sponsorship". Mediamax Networks.
  28. ^ Timothy Olobulu (19 August 2019). "SportPesa cancel all sports sponsorships". Capital FM. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  29. ^ "SportPesa - Kenya Operations". www.sportpesa.org. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  30. ^ "SportPesa announces 5-year sponsorship deal with Simba SC of Tanzania". Apantech.
  31. ^ "Yanga to reach final agreement with SportPesa". Azania Post.
  32. ^ "VPL New Boys Singida United Land SportPesa Deal". Sportpesa News.
  33. ^ "Cape Town FC signs shirt deal with SportPesa". 11 August 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  34. ^ Kalinauckas, Alex. "Racing Point explains SportPesa deal termination". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  35. ^ "SportPesa sign multi million deal with Hull City". The Star.
  36. ^ "Hull City & SportPesa Extend Partnership For Further Season". Hull City A.F.C. 4 March 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  37. ^ "Arsenal announce new partner in Kenya". Arsenal FC.
  38. ^ https://www.evertonfc.com/news/1612447/everton-to-end-its-partnership-with-sportpesa
  39. ^ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51525551
  40. ^ "Super Cup launched". The Star.
  41. ^ "Superb Gor Mahia thump Leopards to clinch Super Cup". Daily Nation.
  42. ^ "Everton confirms date with Gor Mahia". Futaa.
  43. ^ "SportPesa Wins the DSIA Awards 2016 for Best African Sponsorship Category". SportPesa News.
  44. ^ "SportPesa receives superbrand certification for 2017". The Star.
  45. ^ "SportPesa beats Google, Facebook in Superbrand ranking". Business Today.
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