Match of the Day welcomes its new hosts, Pep’s ready to return to the top and Roy Keane is still frowning – the Premier League season is officially back, which means the return of the iconic Rock and Roll Football on Absolute Radio.
As the nation celebrates the start of the football season, Bauer Media UK and sports betting site Virgin Bet are teaming up for a fourth consecutive year, with Virgin Bet once again taking the title sponsorship of Rock and Roll Football on Absolute Radio for the 2025/26 season.
The campaign launches with a brand new ‘Subs for Subs’ promotion, offering five listeners and each of their nominated friends, the chance to have all their TV sports subscriptions covered for the year.
Also, for the first time, the partnership goes beyond Absolute Radio into a multi-platform push. Virgin Bet is extending its reach to commercial radio’s most listened to station, Greatest Hits Radio, with a six-month sponsorship of GHR Sports News, marking the first-ever sponsorship of GHR’s news output and connecting the brand with a wider, more diverse audience.
Virgin Bet will be the official sponsor of the Sports News segment with sports presenter Matt Williams during Simon Mayo’s Drivetime show. The partnership features sponsorship credits that showcase Virgin Bet’s key offers, including its Bet Builder, along with broader brand messaging.
The campaign also includes the use of Illuminate, Bauer’s data-led digital display advertising solution, delivering targeted display and branded content, as well as relevant editorial in Bauer’s market-leading golf media brand, Today’s Golfer.
Illuminate harnesses rich first-party data gathered from over fifty of Bauer’s publishing and audio brands from the likes of MCN, Empire, Absolute Radio and Greatest Hits Radio, providing advertisers with exclusive access to 250+ premium audiences.
On-air, Virgin Bet remains fully integrated into the fabric of Rock and Roll Football, delivering tailored messaging, live reactive moments, and interactive listener engagement.
Simon Kilby, MD of Bauer Advertising, said: “As the nation is gripped by football fever at the start of the new season, it’s fantastic to see the continuation and expansion of this campaign. This partnership delivers a strategic, creatively integrated solution that reflects our unique ability to create impact by bringing together multiple Bauer brands and platforms. It solidifies Virgin Bet’s position as one of our most valued commercial partners and demonstrates the results we can achieve through true collaboration.”
Dominic Vye, Marketing Director, Virgin Bet added: “We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with Bauer Media into a fourth season. Our relationship with the Bauer team has evolved into a true partnership, with this year’s multi-channel strategy – from GHR Sports News sponsorship to print and digital activations – giving us the opportunity to reach new audiences and potential customers alongside our core Absolute Radio activity.”
The partnership was facilitated by media agency Bicycle London.