Mr Vegas giveaway raises cash for Sheffield Wednesday during administration crisis

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Mr Vegas helped raise vital funds for Sheffield Wednesday after donating a VIP hospitality box for a fan raffle during last weekend’s Steel City derby against Sheffield United.

The fundraising initiative comes during one of the most challenging periods in the Owls’ 158-year history, following the club’s entry into administration and a points deduction that was yesterday extended by a further six to 18. Mr Vegas, the club’s front-of-shirt sponsor, has renewed its commitment to the club while also offering additional commercial assets to help raise vital funds.

The donated hospitality package was raffled among supporters ahead of the derby, with the winning prize going to lifelong Wednesday fan Simon and nine friends. While 3-0 home defeat was hardly what fans hoped for, the raffle raised £9,000 directly for the club.

Simon said:  “Although the result on the pitch wasn’t great, the rest of the day was excellent. We loved being in a box, going down the tunnel and pitchside. Thank you to Mr Vegas for donating this to Sheffield Wednesday.”

Marco Trucco, CMO at Mr Vegas, said the decision to step up support during the club’s darkest period was clear.

“The weight of uncertainty in moments like this falls almost entirely on the fans. As a brand, you can either step up or step back – and for us, the choice was easy. We sponsor the club, not past ownership. Sheffield Wednesday’s identity is rooted in its history and its supporters, and that’s what we choose to stand behind.

“When the club entered administration, we worked with the administrators to find practical ways to help raise funds. This included giving back several VIP boxes, hospitality tickets and other sponsorship assets so they could be raffled directly to fans.”

James Todd, Head of Commercial at Sheffield Wednesday, added: “We would like to extend a huge thank you to our Principal Partners Mr Vegas. They have offered unwavering support during an extremely difficult period for the club and we truly appreciate it.

“It’s been a pleasure working with Mr Vegas over the past couple of seasons. We are delivering strong activations and engagement both in-stadia and digitally, and their continued backing has meant a great deal to everyone connected with the club.”

Mr Vegas moved from back-of-shirt sponsor to front-of-shirt sponsor ahead of this season, renewing its partnership with the club despite the growing financial turmoil at Hillsborough. The brand has also supported a wider series of fan-led fundraising initiatives through social media promotion and ticket and hospitality raffles.

Trucco added: “Sheffield Wednesday has one of the most loyal fan bases in English football. It’s a historic club and exactly the kind of community-focused partnership that matters to us. We’ll continue to do what we can to support the club and its supporters while they work towards securing a buyer and a more stable future.”

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