Betano Secures AC Sparta Praha Front-of-Shirt Real Estate Across All Major Squads Until 2029
Czech football club AC Sparta Praha has officially signed a three-year contract extension with Betano, the premium online sports betting and gaming brand operated by Kaizen Gaming. Under the finalized terms, Betano will remain the club’s general partner through the end of the 2028/29 sports season. The continuation extends a relationship first initiated in 2023, ensuring the operator’s corporate logo remains prominently displayed on the front of the match kits for Sparta’s senior A-team, B-team, and flagship women’s squad.
The new contract increases the scope of the original alliance, shifting past basic logo placement to roll out expanded fan experiential tracks and infrastructural accessibility projects.
Evolution of the “Million Kick” and Fan Activation Portfolios
The multi-year relationship has historically delivered highly visible marketing campaigns within Czech sports media. The partnership originally launched with an aerial stunt featuring a helicopter flying a giant Sparta match jersey directly over the club’s epet ARENA.
On match days, the partnership’s focal point remains the “Betano Million Kick” halftime challenge. Over the first three seasons of the deal, two separate fans successfully cleared the contest hurdles to claim the grand prize of one million Czech crowns ($1,000,000 CZK). Digital video content of the inaugural winner captured global social media traction, achieving viral visibility via international sports outlets like SPORTbible. The success of the activation ultimately served as a blueprint for other global football clubs within Betano’s sponsorship portfolio, prompting trials by representatives from English Premier League side Aston Villa and Brazil’s Flamengo.
Moving into the 2026/2027 season and beyond, management plans to introduce enhanced iterations of the Million Kick alongside updated digital interaction tracks. Club fans will retain access to continuous platform benefits, including:
- The Betano Game: Dedicated match prediction contests.
- The Betano Zone: Promotional ticket draws for exclusive stadium seating areas.
- Digital Media Pools: Premium match streams and localized digital fan rewards.
Shared Commitment to Stadium Accessibility and Inclusion
Beyond commercial marketing, a primary pillar of the extended contract focuses on corporate social responsibility and inclusive stadium access. Collaborative investments directly guided AC Sparta Praha to become only the second football club globally to achieve the prestigious Access Champions certification, an international designation secured during the 2025/26 season.
To satisfy these structural inclusion parameters, epet ARENA has been systematically upgraded with specialized assistive technologies, including:
- Audio Navigation Beacons: Installed across the facility to guide blind and visually impaired visitors safely through stadium concourses.
- Expanded Wheelchair Infrastructure: Re-engineered platforms designed to maximize visibility and capacity for wheelchair users.
- Specialized Stadium Operations: Dedicated matchday tours curated specifically for fans with visual or hearing impairments, alongside active descriptive audio commentary options during live play.
Executive Commentary on Long-Term Market Investment
Tomáš Křivda, CEO of AC Sparta Praha, highlighted the collaborative alignment defining the renewal:
“The three-year partnership with Betano has brought benefits to both sides, and I am very glad that it will continue. Sparta is a brand with weight and reach in Czech sport, and the partnership reflects that. Together we are setting the standard in Czech sport for what such a relationship should look like. It does not stop at a logo on the shirts… All with a clear focus on the fan. It works because we are pursuing the same goal.”
Julio Iglesias Hernando, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of Kaizen Gaming, emphasized the deal’s fit within the operator’s macro sports marketing pipeline:
“This extension confirms our commitment to Czech sport and its fans and fits perfectly into our global strategy of partnering with elite sporting institutions that represent the very best on the international scene. At the same time, we remain dedicated to building a safe, reliable and responsible gaming environment for everyone.”
Roman Maco, Betano Country Manager for the Czech Republic, added:
“Sparta is the most storied historic club in the Czech Republic, and this extension proves our determination to invest responsibly in this market. We are extremely proud of our joint initiatives in accessibility and inclusion, which have made epet ARENA a welcoming place for all Sparta fans.”
