2nd October, 2017

Unibet in three-year deal to sponsor PDC Premier League Darts

Unibet, one of the largest gambling brands across Europe and Australia, has agreed on a three-year deal with the Professional Darts Corporation to become the new title sponsor of the Unibet Premier League.

And to mark the start of the partnership that runs through to 2020 the bookmaker worked in secret with PDC chairman Barry Hearn to surprise some of the biggest names in the sport in a hidden camera style video ...

Taking a wry look at the lengths some brands go to get their name up in lights, the hidden camera style video features an actor posing as a Unibet marketing executive alongside Hearn. The duo then set out to convince reigning Premier League champion Michael van Gerwen (MVG) and world number three Peter 'Snakebite' Wright to take on various outlandish and ridiculous brand initiatives.

From Unibet logo head tattoos for MVG to brand-themed dances for the two players and even walk-ons riding a horse, nothing is left on the table - all to the increasing bemusement of the world number one in particular.

The sixteen-week long Unibet Premier League will again take place across the UK, Ireland and Netherlands, but in 2018 there will also be an exciting first ever stop off in Berlin, Germany at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, leading to the Play-Offs in London in May.

Unibet are also currently the partner of the Unibet European Championship, the Unibet World Grand Prix and the Unibet Champions League of Darts, as well as the World Series Finals and Melbourne Darts Masters. Unibet has also prolonged the partnership with The Masters and European Championship until 2018.

Kindred Group CCO Ebba Ljungeru said: "Darts has been one of the fastest growing sports in our sponsorship portfolio in the UK and we are extremely excited about extending our partnership with the PDC to become the new sponsor of the Premier League. We are planning on making what we already know to be a great tournament even better.

"It's grown to become the widest-reaching event in darts and we're looking forward to sixteen exciting nights across Europe. Darts is an action-packed betting sport and we will continue to bring our best-in-class activation and offer to all the fans. "

PDC Chairman Barry Hearn said: "We're delighted that Unibet have furthered their association with us in their sponsorship of the Premier League for the next three years.

"The Unibet Premier League will be bigger than ever in 2018, with our success in the UK, Ireland and more recently the Netherlands leading to the introduction of a league night in Berlin next year, and it promises to be a special tournament. The Premier League's growth since 2005 has been a phenomenon in British sport and it's another boost that Unibet were so keen to add this prestigious event to their growing darts sponsorship portfolio".

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