SportsAid is a UK charity that supports young talented athletes to continue training and developing with the hope that they may become Olympic or Paralympic athletes one day. They’ve had monumental success in this aim with stellar names like Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill. Sir Steve Redgrave, Sir Mo Farah, and Dame Sarah Storey are among their alumni.
The charity primarily provides funding to help young athletes continue to access equipment, coaching, travel and accommodation relevant to their development. They also provide nutritional and psychological support and even media training. One of their biggest patrons, Entain PLC, has recently committed to the charity with more funding.
Entain is committed to grassroots.
Entain PLC is a gaming and entertainment group in the UK and owner of several well-known companies, PartyCasino being one of the most recognisable brands on a global scale. They offer services across the world in over 27 countries, making them one of the most successful gaming groups ever.
The company has long been a patron of SportsAid and grassroots initiatives in the UK. In August 2021, they committed to SportsAid further by doubling their initial £250,000 donation over the period leading up to Paris 2024. This places Entain as one of the charity’s most significant corporate contributors. The money will be used to help develop today’s crop of young talent that will be in pole position to make the Olympic or Paralympic squads across 60 sports.
Will Entain fund US grassroots soon?
If Entain is a UK gaming company, then you would be right to question why they would consider funding grassroots sport in the US. In spite of this, Entain has already made big moves of late into North America and has set up the Entain Foundation US. This is an arm of the Entain group that has not been set up to make a profit. In fact, the Foundation’s overarching goal is to give something back to the community in a diverse number of ways. From educating industry professionals on sports betting safety to running special seminars at universities, the Foundation targets a wealth of worthy causes and initiatives.
Along with their local Foundation, they’ve also partnered with the renowned MGM Resorts to create a sportsbook off the back of sports betting legalisation across most of the US. This sportsbook, namely BetMGM, is now an official partner with the NFL and already attracting a huge sports bettor following.
There’s no question that Entain is attempting to penetrate emerging betting markets in the US and Canada, and where Entain goes, grassroots funding soon follows. You should expect to see grassroots investment in the US from Entain in the future across a wide range of sports, including volleyball. Volleyball already has several established grassroots bodies, and Entain will probably target those to make their contribution.
