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BRITISH BOOKMAKER IN TALKS WITH MALAGA OWNER

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Staff Reporter / 2010-07-22 15:17:04

British bookmaker William Hill is currently in talks with La Liga club Malaga, following reports that their sponsorship deal with the club is to be terminated. New club owner Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Al-Thani of Qatar was reported last week as planning to replace William Hill's shirt sponsorship of Malaga CF, as gambling is against the laws of Islam.

But William Hill spokesperson Kate Miller has refused to confirm reports that the Sheikh planned to replace the bookmaker with another sponsor.

"We are aware that there is a new owner of Malaga football club and we are currently in talks," she said.

"We are still the main sponsor of Malaga FC."

Abdullah Ghubn, a business associate of the Sheikh, had reportedly said: "We don’t want to turn everything upside down and cancel contracts but let's put it this way: I'm a smoker but I don’t smoke in my home because these are the rules and I want to protect my family."

William Hill's contract with the Spanish La Liga club runs until 2012, potentially raising legal issues if the Sheikh moved to sever the deal prematurely.

Sheikh Abdullah purchased the club last month for €10.5 million (£9 million/$13.5 million), which included the club’s €36 million (£30.5 million/$46.3 million) debt.

William Hill had signed a three-year deal with Malaga last August for the WilliamHill.com brand to be displayed on the front of the Malaga CF shirts and around Malaga’s La Rosaleda Stadium.

 

Tags: William Hill, La Liga Club, Malaga