William Hill ends Greyhound Derby sponsorship
Operator terminates deal with British greyhound racing's biggest event after five years as the title sponsor
William Hill has terminated its sponsorship of the popular Greyhound Derby, bringing to an end a five-year deal with one of the most prestigious events in British greyhound racing.
The operator announced yesterday that last month’s Derby at Wimbledon would be the last under the William Hill banner which had been the lead sponsor after striking a deal in 2010.
The Greyhound Derby, which was originally hosted at White City Stadium until 1985, had also previously been sponsored by William Hill from 1998 to 2005, before being replaced by fellow bookmaker Blue Square.
“It has been a long and positive partnership for both Wimbledon and William Hill but having helped take the race to new levels we feel it is time to move on,” a William Hill spokesperson told eGaming Review.
“We wish the race every success and hope that Wimbledon’s future is clarified soon enabling the race to continue on its positive path.”
The Greyhound Derby first began in 1927 and is widely regarded as the biggest race in greyhound racing, featuring more than 200 dogs and a ?250,000 prize for the winner.
According to figures from William Hill, over ?15m across the industry is bet on the competition, which may soon be hosted outside of London for the first time due to the potential closure of Wimbledon Stadium.