You can bet the SFA were pleased to hear from William Hill, the UK’s No.1 bookmaker, as they have agreed a deal to sponsor the Scottish Cup for the next three years. The seven-figure deal means the cup will be renamed the William Hill Scottish Cup. William Hill, which operates over 300 betting shops in Scotland and a total of 2,364 across the UK and Ireland, is already the official betting partner of the SPL. The deal reaffirms their strong association with Scottish football. The agreement will also allow the bookmaker to showcase its online, mobile and retail products to Scottish football fans the length and breadth of the country.
The first round draw of the William Hill Scottish Cup will take place in Glasgow's Buchanan Galleries Shopping Centre on Monday, 29 August, at 10am. The draw will be conducted by last year's winning captain, Celtic's Scott Brown, SFA President, Campbell Ogilvie, and Kristof Fahy, William Hill’s Group Brand and Marketing Director.
Stewart Regan, Scottish FA Chief Executive, said: "We are proud to have a leading brand like William Hill as sponsor of the Scottish Cup for the next three seasons. The new 2011/12 William Hill Scottish Cup begins in just a few weeks' time and with the competition now securing a new sponsor, we can now look forward another exciting season ahead."
Gareth Davis, Chairman of William Hill PLC, said: "It seems fitting for the most established and biggest bookmaker in Scotland to be attached to the oldest Association trophy in world football and we at William Hill consider it an honour to be able to put our name to the Scottish Cup."