Ladbrokes Launches ‘Primetime Pitches’
Author:
Megan Butler
British bookmaker Ladbrokes has partnered with Powerleague to launch ‘Primetime Pitches’. The new initiative plans to increase the number of available local pitches to footballers throughout the UK and Ireland. The collaboration, which is the first of its kind, will see Ladbrokes offer free access to Powerleague’s venues.
The initiative aims to bring the joy of playing football to local communities. ?Zac Frith/Pexels
Grassroots Football
Ladbrokes has pledged to offer free access to local pitches for budding footballers across the UK and Ireland. The leading sportsbook has joined forces with Powerleague, the UK’s top provider of small football pitches, to launch the one-of-a-kind giveaway. The initiative was arranged for Ladbrokes by M&C Saatchi and includes PR support from Finn Partners.
Ladbrokes launched the special collaboration on February 3rd. The unique initiative will offer lovers of the game access to free pitches every Thursday during peak hours. Powerleague has agreed to offer up ten of its clubs for the good cause. Head of Brand Marketing at Ladbrokes Kelly Rose was thrilled to reveal the exciting project.
Acting as spokesperson for the group, Rose said that Ladbrokes cannot wait to kick off the partnership. Ladbrokes stands to bolster its position at the heart of football culture while doing something positive for local communities. She also emphasized the fact the opportunity welcomes players of all levels.
Powerleague’s origins date back 1987, when the small-sided football specialists started out in Paisley, Scotland. Its operations have expanded significantly since then, as the group is now proud to call itself the world’s largest provider in its niche. Powerleague operates 41 clubs across Europe with the mission to bring local people together.
As well as working directly with communities to bring new sites across the country, Powerleague has collaborated with schools to develop brand new pitches. Powerleague’s pitches are perfect for anyone who wants to enjoy a game of footie. From its FA accredited leagues to providing unforgettable children’s birthday parties, its clubs have something to offer everyone.
Ten million games are played on Powerleague pitches every year. Each week, across 200 locations, it organizes five- and seven-a-side leagues for 30,000 players. The firm also arranges the fixtures, trophies, balls and FA qualified referees, so that players can focus on what they do best. Alongside football, Powerleague is also the UK’s largest netball league operator.
Bringing People Together
For the chance to enjoy free admission to a local Powerleague pitch, teams can enter the giveaway on Ladbrokes’ Twitter page. Winners will benefit from access to ￡400 worth of pitch time across a four-week period. Ladbrokes will also launch its first nationwide five-a-side football tournament. Players across the country will play to achieve the title of best five-a-side team in the UK.
In all, 480 teams are due to compete in the tournament, which takes place across four Powerleague clubs. The nail-biting finale will be held in Birmingham. Ladbrokes’ first ever national tournament promises to combine football with pop culture in a way that has never been encountered before. Speaking on behalf of Powerleague, Head of Commercial Dominic Reed described the launch of the new partnership as ‘thrilling’.
Spectators can look forward to more than just the football action on the pitch. The qualifying rounds and final will feature live music, live screenings, celebrity appearances and football talent. Ladbrokes is going all out for the tournament, and is even throwing in player access to Powerleague’s pitch camera technology. All the best moments of skill will be recorded for posterity, rewarded with prizes and shared across Ladbrokes’ social media channels.
The bookmaker has also ensured that Irish players can enjoy the benefits of the new partnership, making the ‘Primetime Pitches’ offer available at Powerleague Dublin Spawell. Its launch will be celebrated at the Dublin Racing Festival in Leopardstown with a ‘Goals in Holes’ activation. Racegoers will have opportunity to win access to a pitch by reaching the top of the leaderboard.
By teaming up with Ladbrokes, Powerleague hopes that more individuals will benefit from the boost to health and wellbeing that the sport has to offer. Reed added that Ladbrokes’ ‘We Play Together’ ethos is one that resonates strongly with the pitch provider. Customers of Powerleague and the rest of the five-a-side community can look forward to an exciting and game changing football tournament at their local Powerleague venue.
Entain Records ￡1 billion Profit
The news of Ladbrokes’ latest partnership comes shortly after owner Entain published its full year trading results for 2022. The international operator is responsible for a range of popular gambling brands, including Coral, Partypoker and Sportingbet. Entain’s annual profit forecasted was lifted following an increase in betting during the World Cup.
Announcing the results, Entain said that the last quarter set the record for both net gaming revenue and active customers. Online NGR climbed by 12% during the last three months of the year, while retail NGR increased by 10% driven by growth in betting and gaming terminals. The number of active customers during the same period grew 14% on the previous year.
Results for the full year to December 31st 2022 saw group NGR rise by 12% year on year. This positive outcome was ahead of expectations. However, online NGR was down 1%, due to regulatory changes in the UK and Germany. The subsidence of the online gambling boom during the pandemic also influenced this figure.
The business performed particularly well at the operator’s Ladbrokes and Coral high street betting shops. Retail NGR skyrocketed by 66% to volumes above pre-pandemic levels. Entain attributed this to market share gains and a broadening customer base. The overall number of active Entain customers rose by 7% on the previous year.
Entain estimates its pre-tax profit for 2022 to be between ￡985 million and ￡995 million. Previous forecasts put this figure at between ￡925 million and ￡975 million, resulting in growth of 12% on the previous year. The market responded positively to the trading update, and Entain shares rose by more than 2% on the FTSE. Entain CEO Jette Nygaard-Andersen stated:
“2022 has been another year of strong financial, operational and strategic progress for Entain. We have continued to grow our revenues in a sustainable and diversified way by expanding our global footprint, broadening our customer appeal, entering new areas of entertainment, and providing a safe environment for our customers.”
