SHIRT SPONSOR SUNDAY

Derby County, 32Red, 2018-Present

*DISCLAIMER* This thread is about a betting company which sponsors a football team. I am a firm believer that betting companies sponsoring football is bad, encouraging impromptu betting. I am aware this thread will 1/14

Put a betting company in the spotlight, but it's important to understand that I don't condone betting companies advertising in any way, and hopefully the thread will help you to understand why it's bad.

Anyway, on with the story.

Nine Premier League teams, and TWENTY FOUR .. 2/

In the Championship have a betting company as their main sponsor, so what's the problem if Derby join in?

Well, you have to look at when the company started the sponsorship, and a certain notable player joined the club. The Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney joined the Rams 3

In 2018, and off the back of that transfer, 32Red came in with a big money move. Perhaps you think they are just cashing in on more people watching Derby, well they are, but they are also taking advantage of the player in another way.

Rooney, when he joined, took he number 4/

32, which he still wears. You must see the link here... The highest profile player wearing the number of the betting company. But what's the problem with this? It is completely against the FA regulations on player advertising. What this means, is that the company 5/

Has used an individual in order to advertise their product further. This is the case in many sports, with cricket being the only example I can think of where it's not the same, as batsman plaster their bats in company stickers. But in this case, it's the same as a player 6/

Running around with an Apple logo stuck to their forehead. They have used the most famous player who will attract the most attention to further promote their company. The company have the audacity to deny this, saying, "The number is not important. Other players also wear 7/

The number in the Championship. I'm sure they could have come up with something more convincing than that. Well, maybe not because it is *so* blatantly breaking the advertising rules. An individual can not use their platform to promote their own product- they are 8/

Representing a governing body who might not agree.

But why is it so bad, why does it matter? Well, firstly it's against the rules - I understand that Rooney got paid extra to take the number, meaning that it's personal advertising. And secondly, its *so* immoral. Young 9/

Children idolise Wayne, and Jim Orfold, gambling expert, said, "People will start to associate the number 32 with gambling." The young children who idolise and watch him will subconsciously turn to betting, which is so so dangerous. One loss and you need to fix it, so you 10/

Bet more, and more, and more, and now, you're a teenager and betting away money you don't have, which is so very dangerous, and is all a result of the advertisement.

Personally, I don't agree with betting companies advertising football at all. If you decide by yourself you 11/

Want to bet go for it. But being subconsciously tricked into it so immoral and cruel. This is done especially by half time ads with odds on next goalscorer @ you never would have bet, but now you've seen it... Or you stick around in the pub after the game and remeber 12/

The advertising at the game, and think you might as well.

So, overall, I think this is a very low blow from 32Red, and from Rooney. A player of his power has the ability and following to prevent so much of this. This is not an attack on Wayne at all, but more on the ruling 13/

Bodies, who I think need to put an end to betting companies sponsoring sport.

Not the usual fun story, but a worthy message nonetheless, and I hope you enjoyed it. Have a good week. 14/14