Asian online sports betting and casino operator FUN88 has secured a sponsorship deal with the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) in cricket.
The partnership will take place from the beginning of the 2020 season, which will take place later this month.
Preparations for the month-long campaign received a major boost after a round of COVID-19 tests on Thursday.
Various benefits for CPL fans
As a part of its sponsorship, FUN88 has promised to “bring cricket enthusiasts closer to the action than ever before” and “create exciting content for fans to enjoy”. A competition will also be held to give supporters the opportunity to win a “prize of a lifetime”.
CPL Commercial Director Jamie Stewart expressed his delight at the tournament’s new partnership with the operator.
“It’s a great pleasure to welcome FUN88 as Hero CPL partners,” he said.
“With these great sites, fans around the world can ramp up the excitement levels and have opportunities to win big.”
Meanwhile a FUN88 spokesperson said that the company is excited to grow its presence over the course of the campaign.
“We are delighted to partner with the Caribbean Premier League which shares the same ethos as FUN88. We believe in collaborating and promoting sports leagues across all formats and geographies, and this partnership will deliver that message across the world.
“Cricket is a well-loved sport in many of our target markets and we hope that we will elevate and cement our presence in these markets via this long-term association. We are certain that some thrilling matches during this league will keep the fans engaged, both pre-game and in-play.”
FUN88 has also been growing its presence in other sports. Earlier this summer, it extended its shirt sponsorship deal with Newcastle United in the English Premier League. Through this, the operator’s logo will continue to feature on the club’s jerseys for the 2020/2021 football season and beyond.
CPL ready to get underway
Held annually in the Caribbean, the 2020 CPL season will begin on 18 August and end on 20 September. Six teams will participate, with the Barbados Tridents seeking to defend the title they won last season.
The league is the first cricket tournament in a ‘twenty-20’ to resume following the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the ongoing global situation, however, all games will be held behind-closed-doors in Trinidad and Tobago. These will be spread across two different venues.
On Thursday, the CPL announced that 162 coronavirus tests that had been carried out – upon landing in Trinidad – had come back as negative. Teams will now be quarantined in a hotel for 14 days, while also receiving regular testing.
