London’s Wembley Stadium will reportedly, have to forego future gambling advertising revenue, while the National Football League has apparently had a change of heart regarding casino advertising.
On Monday, the Times reported that the UK government would prohibit Wembley’s new owner from signing any new gambling sponsors. The government is currently negotiating a potential sale of the iconic venue to Fulham FC owner Shahid Khan, with the outcome to be decided before year’s end.
The government’s position was reportedly spurred by the Football Association’s desire to preserve Wembley’s role as the ‘home of English football.” Last year, the FA scrapped its sponsorship deal with UK bookmaker Ladbrokes following a review of whether such deals were appropriate for a major sports body.
Khan has reportedly offered £600m to acquire Wembley but those bucks won’t buy him the right to sell the stadium’s naming rights until 2057. Khan would also be prohibited from running permanent signage promoting the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, which Khan also owns. Khan reportedly hopes to install the Jags as a semi-permanent fixture of the NFL’s annual London games.