Who's Behind These Football Club Sponsorship Deals?
English Football Banter, as always, is pivotal in keeping you abreast of the latest football news, topics and debates. In this edition we take a step back and dive into the mud and grit to give recognition to some impressive UK sponsorship deals spanning a decade. For EFB, it's a time to reflect and give credit to sponsorship deals that have acted as supporting pillars in aiding FC clubs and the sport to thrive in recent years; deals that helped shape English football into what it is today.
As a plethora of sponsorships get penned in this game on a perpetual basis, it's often too easy to become ignorant of the businesses that aid and fund the sport.. Just what exactly are some of the entites sponsoring club football teams? Where are they located? What do they do and what role do they play? Listed below (in alphabetical order) are sample case studies giving recognition to some key businesses and driving forces behind club sponsorship deals within the English football arena.
Summary of (UK) FC Club Sponsorships:
Navigate (UK) FC sponsorship deals that interest you within the article using the anchor tag links provided here:
#1 Alpari (UK) Limited & West Ham United (WHUFC)
Official Sponsorship Details:
There's much speculation involved regarding Alpari (UK) Limited's involvement with WHUFC. Monetary details remain undisclosed to the public, but it has been rather modestly 'understated' as a major Partnership agreement. The 3 year deal was signed in July 2011 and lasts up until 2013. A timely sponsorship that seems a necessity under the current climate of WHUFC's stadium bid to host the Olympic games and a cash boost to its status due to the revenue loss suffered shortly after relegation..Suffice to say, the grounds 'West Stand' has since become the 'Alpari Stand'. Alpari's brand appears in match day programmes and the company has been given rights to promote 'money can't buy' events at the stadium as a part of its branding campaign. The Communications Director for WHUFC (Barry Webber) had this to say:“We are delighted to sign this partnership agreement with Alpari (UK). It will have a significant and positive impact on the club, and the deal demonstrates that West Ham United remains an attractive proposition to prospective partners, especially in the key world of business and finance.”
Company Description:
Alpari (UK) Limited are a global foreign exchange ("Forex ", "FX") broker founded back in 1998, currently operating in London's financial distict of Bishopsgate directly in the buzz that is the City of London. Classed as a seperate entity to the other worldwide Alpari companies (present in over 50 countries and employing over 630 people). The London based company offers financial services and utilities such as Forex brokerage, financial spreads and CFD trading platforms to independent financial traders and investors.Misc Information: Alpari (UK) Limited also have a 5 year sponsorship in the World Match Racing Tour ~ http://www.wmrt.com
(UK) Headquarters: Alpari (UK) Ltd, 201 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 3AB, UK
Website: http://www.alpari.co.uk
#2 Emirates Airline & Arsenal
Official Sponsorship Details:
This partnership between Emirates Airline and the gunners landed way back in 2006. At the time it was the largest of its kind with a record breaking whopping 15 year deal. The deal is set to expire in 2021 and Emirates has been quoted as saying that is hopes to renew the partnership agreement with Arsenal Football Club upon expiry. Publicised figures document that the sponsorship is valued at $160m / £90m GBP over the course of the 15 year agreement. The airline acquired naming rights to the 60,000 seat home grounds in North London and also gained considerable brand awareness outside of the grounds. The 'Emirates' naming rights were estimated at a value of £2.8m for every year in the10 year consectuive period of extension (£28m in entirety). £48m of the deal is estimated to have been distributed towards shirt sponsorship. Emirates truly brandished its airlines identity here as a powerful driving force to a humongous audience. Research suggests that Arsenal's worldwide fan base comprises of over 27 million supporters.Read more news from Google results: Emirates Airline & Arsenal "sponsorship"
Company Description:
Emirates is considered to be the largest airline in the middle east with 22 years of consecutive profits. Emirates has won awards for
its services including "Airline of the Year" in 2011.. Based at Dubai International Airport and having administrative offices all
over the world; the company operates at an average rate of 2,500 flights every single week to over 120 citiies in 70 different countries in
pretty much every continent besides...well...Antarctica?Misc Information:
Emirates have a consistent and impressive portfolio of football sponsorships comprising of FIFA 2007-2014, AC Milan, Asian Football Confederation, as well as the US Open Series in Tennis and more.(UK) Ticket Office: First Floor, Gloucester Park, 95 Cromwell Road, London SW7 4DL, UK
Website: http://www.emirates.com/uk
#3 Etihad Airways & Manchester City
Official Sponsorship Details:
Stirring up the football scene in July 2011 was Manchester City's ground shattering record 10 year deal for £400m with airline Etihad Airways. This event was crowned the largest single sponsorship deal signed off in sport full stop! Hence the heat it gained along the way...Tim Payton the Trust spokesman is recorded to have stated: "The deal at Manchester City stretches credulity to the limit." There is no doubt that this deal attracted immense waves of speculation, in both positive and negative spheres - to the point that UEFA were pressured to question the fairness of this 10 year sponsorship deal even after Manchester City consulted with the federation to ensure that the deal stuck to all the regulations that governed sponsorships. To say that this deal simply dwarfed the previous record set by JP Morgan Chase' is an understatement.A vast area surrounding the stadium is renamed 'the Ethiad Campus' that engulfs the training grounds, sports science centre and City Square fans' village. New and major developments are still under negotiation whilst planning applications are under scrutiny.Company Description:
National airline of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airways began commercial aviation services on route to Beirut in early November 2003. Renowned for putting in a bid for the largest aircraft purchase in the history of aviation totalling a mahoosive $8 million contract for 24 x air buses,4 x A380-800s and 4 x Boeing 777-300ER's. The company has grown immensely and now services cargo and passenger flights to over 82 destinations from its HQ operation in Abu Dhabi.Misc Information:
The airline has forged partnerships with Ireland’s Gaelic Athletic Association in February last year and has sponsorship deals with GAA Photos and in Formula 1 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. This coporation seems keen to identify strong allegions in the sporting world and encourages associations to file applications via the online sponsorship form: http://www.etihadairways.com/sites/etihad/global/en/aboutetihad/oursponsorships/Pages/eSponsorship.aspx.London (UK) Administrative Office: 200 Hammersmith Road, W6 7DL, London, United Kingdom, UK
Website: http:/www.etihadairways.com
#4 Nike & Manchester United
Official Sponsorship Details:
The Nike & Manchester United union was another hefty record breaking sponsorship back in 2002 with Man U netting a colossal £303m from the sportswear manufacturers, Man United were keeping up with the Jones' very well spreading the duration of this advertising deal over a 13 year period. Nike became the official kit suppliers and as the team's offical sponsor retain global rights to Manchester United's merchandise and retail operations. United was expected to receive 50% of Nike's net profits generated from the licensing of the club's merchandise - under the condition that they remained key players in the top half of the Premiership.Already a global brand it seems Nike can't get enough giving an estimated £23.3m a year. Nike's deal whacked Vodafone out of the equation entirely with a whopping 310% increase in sponsorship a year over the previous £30m 4 year contract that expired in August 2002.Company Description:
Let's face it - we all know about this sports wear legend and powerhouse. In fact it's hard to avoid their branding. Here's a little factoid about the company: It might surprise you to know however that Nike was previously known as BRS (Blue Ribbon Sports) and was originally founded by Philip Knight and Bill Bowerman 48 years ago. Bill coached Philip in athletics on the track at the University of oregon. Nike began trading and distributing on behalf of Onitsuka Tiger (a Japanese shoe maker).Misc Information:
The list of Nike sponsorships are so vast that it's only feasible to list a few examples in this post - for more information refer to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nike_sponsorships. Recent UK sponsorship deals include the new sponsorship agreement with Everton (A well negotiated kit sponsorship in close union with 'Kitbag' worth £10m over 3 years).London Address: Nike Id Studio 14-16 Neal Street, Covent Garden London, WC2H 9LY, UK
Website: http://www.nike.com
#5 Samsung Electronics & Chelsea
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Official Sponsorship Details:
The year is 2008 and Samsung Electronics extends and renews their multi million pound agreement (first signed in 2005) with London's very own Chelsea (owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich). Again this sponsorship deal was valued at $160m over a 10 year partnership up until 2018. The renewed agreement has had significant impact on the Samsung Electronics brand as Mr SH Shin (President & CEO of Smasung Electronics Europe) stated: "it (the partnership) has raised our premium brand awareness, which has in turn helped significantly increase our sales and market share..." and to quote his attitude towards key business areas in the UK "...our turnover has more than doubled in the last five years".There is no doubt that this sponsorship deal has been and continues to be a vested mutual affair all round. Chelsea FC lapped up a 400% increase in its global fan base since the sponsorship began in 2005 through its past successes on the pitch. This investment has enabled significant growth throughout the whole squad.
Company Description:
Samsung Electronics Europe; a subsidary flagship to the Samsung Group, are maufacturers and industry leaders in hi-tech electronics markets throughout Europe and the world. Dedicated in inventing and creating ground breaking products amidst the digital revolution the company has been in operation for over 70 years. Samsung are true pioneers of the digital age. Recent successes include the launch of OMNIA 7 (the first Windows 7 phone) and 'Winners of 5 European EISA Awards'.Misc Information:
Samsung is a bonfide sponsor of the Olympic Games through to 2016, other sports related sponsorships include title sponsorship for 'Honda UK's British Superbike team' for the 2012 season, and a 3 year deal with sports personality Maria Sharapova (the worlds top paid female athlete) which began (1st April 2012) this month.(UK) Headquarters: Samsung House, 1000 Hillswood Drive, Chertsey, Surrey KT16 0PS, UK
Website: http://www.samsung.com/UK
Where to Find Sponsorship Deals:
Clubs and sporting associations can get the visibility they need to receive sponsorship enquiries by getting listed on the aforementioned website. Companies and Coporations interested in increasing brand awareness via a wide spread audience can get feeds of the latest applicants directly via RSS for the latest in UK sports sponsorship opportunities.
Alternatively you can strtategically query search engines for such sponsorships using specific terms like: sponsor | sponsorship "proposal request form" [+ your chosen sporting field] (click link to view search result).
History of Football Sponsorship Deals in the UK
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_football_sponsorshipA vast topic to be covered in another post - perhaps a timeline infographic would be more suitable in this instance?
