Sky Bet has become exclusive commercial sponsor for All Out Football, Reach plc’s new dedicated football video channel.
Reach is one of the UK’s biggest publishers of sports news, with a portfolio of over 120 brands that includes national titles such as the Mirror, the Express and the Daily Star.
The channel officially launched yesterday (August 27) with the debut of its flagship show, In The Mixer, hosted by former England international Joleon Lescott and Olivia Buzaglo and featuring former West Ham star Carlton Cole as studio guest.
Lescott is a familiar face to football fans since retiring from playing, having been a pundit for TNT Sports as well as having a weekly football column as brand ambassador for LiveScore.
Sky Bet branding appears in the title for the new show and is prominently displayed in the studio backdrop, ensuring the popular UK sports betting app gets maximum exposure.
Striking Partnerships For Sky Bet
Sky Bet already holds one of the longest and most significant partnerships in UK sport as title sponsor of the English Football League (EFL).
The sports betting site first struck a deal with the EFL in 2013-14, becoming title sponsor for all three divisions that sit below the English Premier League.
Five-year extensions were agreed in 2018 and again in 2023 that will see Sky Bet’s name remain in place at least until the end of the 2028-29 season.
Among several initiatives through the partnership, Sky Bet and the EFL launched the Building Foundations Fund for the 2023-24 season, a £6 million, six-year project to assist all 72 EFL clubs with community projects.
Welcoming the new collaboration with Reach, Kevin Brain, Head of Content at Sky Bet, said: “We know that fans are always looking for new ways to consume the game they love, and we’ve shown a consistent commitment in backing content where we can add genuine value to the audience viewing experience.
“We’re excited to see how All out Football develops.”
The deal between the two was brokered by media agency EssenceMediacom.
Alex Jockelson, Client Partner at EssenceMediacom, said: “When Reach came to us with their All Out Football proposition, it was a no-brainer to include in our recommendation for Sky Bet’s Start of Season campaign, and beyond.
“As the first-choice betting brand for football fans, we wanted a unique and impactful partnership that would help enhance fans’ experience, positioning Sky Bet at the heart of it all.”
Mirror Football Rebranded
As part of a strategy to bring all of its football video coverage under one roof, Reach renamed its Mirror Football YouTube channel to become the standalone All Out Football brand.
That gives Reach Studio the opportunity to produce shows using talent from the company’s national and regional titles and distribute that content across its entire network.
In addition to In The Mixer, plans include a monthly documentary series giving exclusive access to clubs and players around the country, beginning with a look at Everton and the move to their new Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The channel will also feature established content creators producing a variety of shows such as Soccer Scran League, which will travel the UK to find the best food around the nation’s football stadiums.
Reach Studio Director Harrie Dumenil said: “We are excited to be launching All Out Football with Sky Bet as our lead sponsor and it has been a pleasure working with both the client and EssenceMediacom to help bring this brand new social video series to market.
“With similar audiences, SkyBet is the perfect partner to bring our new and exciting suite of football content to millions of fans.”
Jim Munro is a betting industry and gambling expert who has been a national newspaper journalist for over 30 years, predominantly at The Sunday Times and The Sun, where he wrote a weekly soccer betting column. Jim also worked on the launch of Virgin Bet with Gamesys and was subsequently head of editorial at LiveScore, the sports media and betting group.
