Aston Villa have announced a partnership with sportsbook BK8, two years after a fan revolt saw Norwich City pull the plug on a similar deal.
Norwich agreed a deal with the brand ahead of the 2021-22 season, which ended with the Canaries relegated from the Premier League. However, following fan protests over "sexually provocative" promotional material, the deal was cancelled just days after being announced.
There were also videos on the company's YouTube channel of women carrying out activities with a clear sexual innuendo on shows hosted by male presenters.
However now, BK8 will replace Cazoo as Villa's new front-of-shirt sponsor. The deal is due to cover the next three seasons, with Unai Emery's team preparing for a Europa Conference League campaign after their seventh-place finish last term.
In a club announcement confirming the deal, Villa point to BK8's past work with mental health awareness charities. The new shirt sponsor will make a contribution to a local charity for every sale of Villa's third shirt.
"We are really delighted to be able to announce our support for local charities as part of our exciting new partnership with Aston Villa," BK8 EMEA managing director Michael Gatt said in a statement. "Being able to give something back to the supporters for their dedication is a hugely significant part of the reason we want to be involved with a prestigious institution, which is what Aston Villa Football Club are.
“As a brand working in football for the last few years, we have committed to working closely with our partners’ local community initiatives and ensure we continue our commitment to delivering on our ambitions in this area. Over the next three years of this deal we will work tirelessly to make an impact in this area with a number of programmes across the region that engage with Villa supporters locally but also on a global scale.”
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Back in 2021, Norwich said they "got it wrong" when confirming the deal would be cancelled.
"The club and BK8 have taken on board feedback from its supporters and partners, and after continued discussions we have agreed to immediately end the partnership," the statement read.
"We accept that this form of marketing isn't befitting of a Premier League partnership," BK8 said at the time. "We have immediately removed all marketing material of this nature and will conduct a review of our marketing strategy moving forward."
In August 2021, two months after the Norwich statement, BK8 attempted to make amends with a pledge to identify a women's charity partner and a new female ambassador to promote support for development of women’s football. In September 2021, the brand announced they had appointed former Lionesses star Kelly Smith as an ambassador, while on their Twitter account they list another former England star, Faye White, as an ambassador.
