U.K. Football Leads International Sponsorship Rankings

Almost 90 percent of sponsorship revenues for Premier League football hail from brands headquartered outside of the U.K., according to new research from Ampere Analysis.

The research found that two thirds of sponsorship deals for the EPL and EPL clubs are signed with multinationals headquartered outside of the U.K. This interest stems from the league’s broad global reach, with Premier League ranking as the third most popular sporting competition worldwide behind the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup.

Behind the EPL in global interest from advertisers is Spain’s La Liga, where more than half of club sponsorship deals and 83 percent of sponsorship spend are from groups headquartered outside Spain. In contrast, Germany’s Bundesliga is the most domestic-focused, with 60 percent of the value and deals coming from local brands.

Adam Lewis, researcher at Ampere Analysis, noted: “The data highlights the strength of the English Premier League in attracting global sponsorship investment. The international reach and exposure given to brands by the EPL is currently the largest of all the major domestic competitions. This makes the League and its clubs attractive to partners looking to drive brand awareness, and also those who want to connect globally with fans in a meaningful way. In general, European football leagues are successful at attracting international revenues, driven by international player bases, and in particular by the larger clubs that participate in popular regional competitions such as the UEFA Champions League. The analysis also indicates opportunities for some clubs and leagues to grow revenue from international sources, such as in Germany and Canada, with the latter able to give brands access to U.S. audiences via Canadian teams.”