In a continuation of its ice hockey focused marketing in its home sector, Fonbet has partnered with Cherepovets-based ice hockey club Severstal.

As a result of the four-year agreement, the Russian sports betting operator will become an official partner with the team, which competes in the Tasarov Division of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

“Severstal is one of those clubs that make the Kontinental Hockey League what it is today. For the past 65 years, it has been representing regional athletics with pride on the all-Russian arena,” said Alexander Paramonov, Director General of Fonbet.

“The team is home to talented players like Vadim Shipachev and Pavel Buchnevich. Dmitry Kagarlitsky, Vladimir Vorobyov and many of our other stars grew up in Cherepovets.”

The deal will also feature a fan engagement element, with Fonbet and Severstal collaborating on giveaways of ‘souvenirs and other valuable gifts’ via events at the  Cherepovets Ice Palace and across their respective social media platforms.

“Severstal is a huge part of Vologda Oblast. I have seen firsthand how the region loves and cares about their team,” Paramonov continued. “We are really looking forward to coming up with lots of exciting events for fans.”

Fonbet has maintained a strong commitment to leveraging ice hockey as a marketing tool, having partnered with the Salavat Yulaev team last month, securing prominent brand advertising across the team’s kit and arena.

More significantly, the operator has also struck an agreement with the KHL itself in what it has described as a ‘strategically valuable partnership’ due to ice hockey’s status as the national sport of Russia. 

Speaking to SBC, the firm explained: “Unlike most countries, where no other sport even comes close to football in terms of popularity, in Russia, hockey is considered the national sport. We win a lot, have lots of traditions as well as one of the strongest national teams in the world. 

“Entire regions of the country are considered major fan bases. In fact, the rating of KHL streams is often higher than for RPL matches. For us, hockey is a priority sport, and we regard cooperation with the KHL as a strategically important asset.”