Aston Villa ignore fan concerns to sign shirt sponsorship deal with BK8

Aston Villa have pushed ahead with a shirt sponsorship deal with controversial gambling firm BK8.

Despite concerns from their fanbase, Villa confirmed the three-year partnership on Thursday, taking them up to 2026 when Premier League clubs will no longer promote betting companies on their shirt fronts.

Norwich City axed BK8 as their sponsor in 2021 over sexually provocative advertising.

In January this year, the Aston Villa Supporters' Trust (AVST) claimed they had been misled by the club after now former chief executive Christian Purslow said gambling firms would not be pursued as principal sponsors.

AVST said then they were 'extremely disappointed' and called for the club to 're-evaluate' their agreement with Asian company BK8.

The club met them to hear their concerns but Villa went ahead with the deal.

In April, Premier League clubs collectively agreed to withdraw gambling sponsorship from the front of matchday shirts - which has an estimated value of £60million per year - from the beginning of the 2026-27 season.

But there is nothing stopping top-flight clubs advertising betting companies on the front of their shirts until then and gambling brands can remain on shirt sleeves and on advertising hoardings in stadiums.

Match of the Day host Gary Lineker asked on Twitter after Villa's announcement: 'Thought clubs were no longer going to have gambling sponsors on shirts?'

Villa's statement said BK8 were to join as 'the new principal and front of shirt partner'.

BK8 have pledged to make a donation to a charity in Birmingham for every adult third shirt sold.

A Villa spokesman said: 'Through this partnership with BK8 we look forward to exciting collaborations together that will help to grow both brands, particularly within Southeast Asia.'

Earlier this year, the AVST released a statement in conjunction with campaign group Gambling with Lives which read: 'Our club is not holding itself to a high enough standard, especially when it comes to the ethics of sponsorship arrangements.

'Sexualising women to promote a gambling company and induce fans into betting is definitely not what Aston Villa Football Club is all about.

'While the club has acknowledged supporter concerns to the potential sponsor, we have not received any explanation or clarification of the deal.

'We remind them of their duty to protect fans from the harms of gambling and to not bring its name or reputation into disrepute.

'Sadly, this incident is not the first occasion upon which the club has entered into a controversial sponsorship arrangement.

'It is unlikely to be the last unless the club urgently acknowledges the issues mentioned in this statement and, without delay, re-evaluates its agreement with BK8.'

In June 2021, BK8 was forced to apologise for sexually provocative marketing - including simulated sex acts with a sausage - after becoming Norwich's shirt sponsor.

The club then dropped the £5m deal with BK8 shortly afterwards.

Canaries fans pointed out some of the company's marketing material online - some of which was removed.

One Instagram account that claims to belong to a BK8 'ambassador' with more than a quarter of a million followers linked directly to hardcore pornography, The Athletic reported at the time.

On BK8's Thai language YouTube channel, there was a video posted in 2019 with half a million views showing four young women simulating a sex act on a sausage. The clip was made private on Monday afternoon and subsequently taken down.

Another video showed women simulating sex but without the nudity that would have triggered YouTube's strict filters.

A Norwich spokesman subsequently said: 'Norwich City are aware of a series of marketing posts across the social media accounts of our new principal partners, BK8.

'These posts and marketing do not align with the wider Norwich City vision and values and we will be reviewing our due diligence process going forward.'

'We accept that this form of marketing isn't befitting of a Premier League partnership.

'We have immediately removed all marketing material of this nature and will conduct a review of our marketing strategy moving forward.'