Betfair sponsoring darts; WBX relaunch affiliate program; Media Corp re-purchase assets

news in brief 200x141Betfair has signed a deal to become the title sponsor of the World Matchplay darts. Taking place at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool from July 21-29, it pits the world’s top 16 players against 16 qualifiers from the ProTour Order of Merit in a round robin format. It’s the first time that Betfair has teamed up with the former pub game and it’s a deal that will be worth £400,000. Matt Robinson, Betfair’s International Director, added: “We’re excited to sponsor the Betfair World Matchplay at a time when darts continues to grow in popularity as a sport. It’s fast become one of the most watched events on television and we look forward to providing fans with all the excitement only the Betfair World Matchplay can deliver.”

UK exchange World Bet Exchange (WBX) has re-launched its affiliate program in conjunction with NetRefer. The company says that it will allow it to attract new customers, with Carmen Chan, online marketing manager, commenting: “Our goal is to provide our affiliates with the necessary tools and support to grow their online businesses.”

Clint Griscti, NetRefer’s business manager, added: “It is a pleasure to have a strong brand like WBX on board. Our goal is to provide top betting exchange operators like WBX with all the building blocks required to efficiently manage their own affiliate program.

Media Corp has announced that it has re-purchased certain assets that were sold back in April. According to a release they will gain ownership of a number of websites that were sold including www.onthebox.com and www.flightcomparison.com in addition to a cash settlement of £196,000. The company is of the belief that the sites can be profitable and will work to “ensure that maximum value is created from these sites in the future. Media Corp also estimate that around £80,000 liabilities will be removed because of the deal. No word on whether this will help any of the customers left out of pocket by the Purple Lounge closure.