Sponsorship is common occurrence in almost any enterprise today. Sporting events, teams, television shows, galas and parties, and theatrical events are all made possible by sponsorships from major corporations. Usually these deals are between parities who are somewhat related, (although this is not always the case). For example, a car racing team usually has a deal with a motor oil or a tire company. This is mutually beneficial deal. The sponsored receives supplies and money needed and the sponsor gets their name and endorsements in return. The online casino industry has been getting into the act as of late. In Europe several of the major soccer leagues, teams, and tournaments are sponsored by online casino companies. Online casinos are also sponsoring individual players.
The online casino, UB.com (formally UltimateBet.com), has penned the latest sponsorship deal. They have formed a partnership with professional poker player and gambler, Eric “Basebaldy” Baldwin. Baldwin has exploded onto the poker scene of the last year, and has earned over $1.5 million. Baldwin, who hails from Illinois, has played in 17 final tables winning four including the highly publicized World Series of Poker. He has also added a bright new feather to his cap, Card Player Magazine’s Player of the Year for 2009.
It is not hard to see why the online casino wanted to have his name attached to their product. “Eric Baldwin isn’t just a new UB pro, he is UB,” said consultant for UB.com, Annie Duke. The team at UB.com are particularly impressed with Baldwin’s love for the game. They have noticed that he plays to win and has gained respect amongst his peers at the tables. Duke continued, “We really couldn’t be more ecstatic to have the Player of the Year on our team!”
Eric Baldwin will be featured on the online casino site under the screen name ‘eric_baldwin’. He has stated that he is eager to be a part of the direction UB.com is taken. Players on the site can use the UltimateBuddy feature to learn where Baldwin is competing.
