With the biggest sporting events attracting interest from millions of fans from around the world, is it any wonder that the financial powerhouses of the business are all keen to get involved.
Sponsorship in sport is now common nature to supporters, with almost every major club, team and competition linked to a conglomerate in some capacity.
While these partnerships have no direct impact on sports betting markets, they can have an indirect effect on approach – with teams spending heavily in transfer markets.
Bayern Munich are the latest club to announce a multi-year deal, partnering with Adobe in a bid to create personalised experiences for fans across the globe.
Here, we look at some of the biggest football sponsorship deals in existence today. We’d be very surprised if you’ve not heard of the companies mentioned below!
PepsiCo
One of the biggest companies in the world when it comes to sports sponsorship. According to online sources, PepsiCo spend a staggering $3 billion on advertising every year – with a high percentage of that figure on sporting teams and individuals.
The company has achieved great success with sports partnerships in the past, sponsoring leagues, tournaments and signing long term deals with individual athletes.
After 17 years with Coca-Cola, LeBron James has signed with PepsiCo, which will use the Lakers star to promote the "first new drink in its energy portfolio: Mountain Dew Rise Energy."https://t.co/r8ZULxv4dX pic.twitter.com/zEeBMmLdvJ
— Sports Business Journal (@SBJ) March 17, 2021
Take LeBron James for example. He ended a 17-year partnership with Coca Cola in 2021 to become the face of PepsiCo’s Mountain Dew drink.
One of the greatest players in NBA history and one of the most marketable figures in sport, PepsiCo made an outstanding business move to acquire the basketball legend.
Red Bull
When sports fans think of Red Bull, many think of Formula One – and with good reason. Red Bull Racing have been one of the most successful teams in recent years, winning four Constructors’ Championships and five Drivers’ Championship titles.
Red Bull have been aggressive when it comes to football sponsorship. The brand purchased SV Austria Salzburg in 2005 and the rest is history – with Red Bull now owning a selection of football clubs around the world.
Avid gamers will know all about Red Bull’s football shirt sponsorship, with the famous logo proving popular on the EA Sports FIFA series.
Red Bull have also invested heavily in marketing in eSports, sponsoring almost 1,000 gaming professionals as of 2021.
Nike
According to reports, Nike spends close to £1 billion on football sponsorship deals alone. So when you throw basketball, American football, golf and tennis into the mix, you can only imagine the figure spent on marketing deals and sports sponsorship.
Nike are fortunate enough to work with some of the biggest sports figures on the planet, with the likes of Rafael Nadal, Cristiano Ronaldo and Tiger Woods on the books.
However, Nike are about so much more than individual athletes. The iconic logo is one of the most recognisable brands in sport and that has helped them to retain market leader status throughout the years.
The Nike Air Jordan brand alone is now valued at close to $4 billion and the company are undoubtedly the first name to spring to mind when you think of a sports conglomerate.
Samsung
Spending an estimated 5% of annual revenue on advertising, Samsung place great emphasis on sports sponsorship and they even have their own sports marketing and club division called Samsung Sports.
Another company with experience in the football team sponsorship market – Samsung own K League club Suwon Samsung Bluewings. In addition, the manufacturing company own baseball team Samsung Lions and basketball team Seoul Samsung Thunders.
Samsung is officially a sponsor of David Beckham’s esports team https://t.co/xF4QJLqeR2
— SamMobile (@SamMobiles) June 21, 2021
Furthermore, Samsung have entered several individual deals with some of the world’s most marketable athletes including David Beckham, Lionel Messi and Usain Bolt.
While it may seem unusual for a company like Samsung to be so heavily involved in sports sponsorship and advertising, the manufacturing giant have build their own reputation as a world leader in this sector.
Adidas
When you think of football brands, Adidas are up there with Nike. The majority of Adidas’ marketing strategy is focused on the sport – and that comes as no surprise given their role as the official sponsor of some of the most successful teams on the planet.
Adidas are involved in league sponsorship, football team sponsorship and even supply kits for some of the biggest competitions in the world of sport. For example, Adidas are secure the official kit supplier for the NHL until 2025.
Incredibly, Adidas spend more on Futsal than they do on basketball and ice hockey – a fact that shows their commitment to football.
With partnership deals to Bayern Munich and Manchester United in football, New Zealand in rugby union and individual deals with Andy Murray, Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers, Adidas are at the very top of the sporting world.
