Przemyslaw Kral’s Post

Tonight, football takes center stage at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester as F.C. København faces Manchester City Football Club in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16🏆.   During a recent conversation with FC Copenhagen CEO Jacob Lauesen, we delved into various topics, excluding football. Lauesen shared insights with me and Off The Pitch subscribers on how FC Copenhagen nearly tripled their income streams from matchdays, sponsorships, and merchandise📈. "I hope – and believe – that everyone in this organization understands that a winning team is not enough to fill the stadium and grow the club financially. We must deliver on several parameters. I think that we have all witnessed this being the reality in quite a few years after the financial crisis, where this organization probably lost some courage after taking a few financial hits. According to Lauesen, FC Copenhagen was characterized by constantly developing new ideas, services, and products. There has always been an innovative and entrepreneurial spirit in the organization. “But I guess it would be fair to say that the club probably became too defensive on the commercial side. The football team kept winning things on a regular basis, but if you look at the finances from that period, they didn’t really reflect the success on the pitch," says Lauesen. I believe that Lauesen emphasized a crucial point that some – maybe many - football executives in Europe may overlook:   ➡️Success on the field does not guarantee commercial success. ➡️Neither fans nor commercial partners are passively splashing out cash “just” because you have a few trophies to show – you need to offer them something spectacular and unique. ➡️While regular participation in the Champions League boosts sponsorship revenue, it's a robust long-term business plan that truly enhances partnerships like the ones FC Copenhagen recently renewed with brands like Carlsberg Group, Unibet, and adidas. ➡️Football clubs should prioritize social responsibility and leverage their passionate fanbase to make a positive impact in society.   Lauesen and his team are now crafting a new, even more ambitious strategy, and it will be intriguing to see the innovations driving the club's next phase of growth📃.   Full interview here👇🏻 ($): (-Easy to access 7-day free trial) https://lnkd.in/diQ2VFwY #SportsBusiness #Football #Partnership #Sponsorship #transfers #SportsBiz #Finance #Data #Tech #Intelligence #Investment #leadership #ownership

Since when did betting companies become the main sponsors of a soccer team? - (1) If you're a football fan, you've probably seen this image at least once. As a Real Madrid fan, I still think that the Bwin logo on the jersey looked better than the current Fly Emirates logo. Of course, as a child, I had no idea what bwin was. Unknowingly, a betting company like Bwin left an impression on me, and I did not realise it. So, when did betting companies start becoming the main sponsors of football teams? The first instance of a betting sponsor in sports dates back to 2002 when Fulham, an EPL team, signed a sponsorship deal with the British betting company Betfair.com. After the relaxation of regulations under the Gambling Act 2005, restrictions on the exposure of betting companies were significantly eased, leading many to rush into becoming uniform sponsors. 2006, the Austrian betting company Bwin signed a jersey sponsorship deal with the Italian football giant AC Milan. This was one of the largest sponsorship deals in Italian and European football at the time and marked the first such deal for an online betting company. Sponsoring a prestigious club like AC Milan ensured high visibility but came with significant financial risks. The deal was estimated at around 10 million euros annually, or approximately 12 billion KRW, a substantial amount at the time. Fortunately, in their first season with Bwin as their sponsor, AC Milan won the Champions League, the Club World Cup, and the European Super Cup, providing immense promotional benefits. Perhaps sensing the effectiveness of this promotion, Bwin signed a three-year sponsorship deal with Real Madrid, one of the two dominant clubs in Spain's La Liga, the following year. The contract was worth an estimated 15-20 million euros annually. This was followed by another three-year extension until 2013, with the sponsorship valued between 18-29 million euros. As a side note, both AC Milan and Real Madrid eventually signed sponsorship deals with Emirates Airlines. ·   AC Milan signed a four-year contract starting in 2010, worth 60 million euros annually. ·   Real Madrid signed a five-year contract starting in 2013, worth 39 million euros annually. Even a betting company couldn't outdo the financial power of an airline backed by oil money. To be Continued

The Ascott Limited has secured a significant four-year sponsorship deal with football powerhouse Chelsea Football Club who replace Hilton as their 1 year deal came to an end. The collaboration, spanning from 2024 to 2028, designates Ascott as Chelsea's global hotel partner. The partnership includes prominent branding at Stamford Bridge during both men’s and women’s matches, as well as across Chelsea’s extensive social and digital platforms. Chelsea and Ascott are also set to provide exclusive experiences to Ascott Star Rewards members globally, offering special access to matches at Stamford Bridge and VIP visits to the team’s Cobham training ground. In addition to this, Chelsea has been actively expanding its commercial portfolio, with recent partnerships with BingX, a cryptocurrency company sponsoring their training kit, and the renewal of ties with global analytics software firm FICO whilst their Women's team announced their new shirt partner in Three UK With ambitious European growth plans and a presence in 220 cities across 40 countries ( including London, Paris, Brussels, Berlin, and Barcelona in Europe) it'll be interesting to track Ascott's moves in the sponsorship market who hold significant support from their parent company CapitaLand. GlobalData Plc Chelsea Football Club Sportcal ⚽🏨 #ChelseaFC #SponsorshipDeal #sportbiz

What if the future of soccer is being rewritten by unprecedented transfer records and shifting sponsorship landscapes? Let's see if these dramatic changes set the stage for a new era in these high-octane sports. High-Profile Transfers in Soccer - Kylian Mbappé: His transfer to Real Madrid marks one of the largest in history at $108 million. This move not only reflects the player's immense talent but also the financial power of elite clubs in attracting top players. - Market Trends: According to Transfermarkt, the average transfer fee for top players has surged, with clubs now routinely spending over €60 million for young talents, as seen with bids for players like Désiré Doué. - Top Players' Earnings: In 2023, the highest-paid soccer players, including Mbappé, earned upwards of €100 million annually, showcasing the lucrative nature of contracts and endorsements in the sport. The Evolving Sponsorship Landscape - Sponsorship Value: The global sports sponsorship market is projected to reach $80 billion by 2025, with soccer and motorsports being significant contributors. - ESG and CSR Trends: The European Sponsorship Association identifies Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives as the top trend for 2024, reflecting a shift towards purpose-driven sponsorships. This trend is critical as brands seek to align with values that resonate with younger audiences. Emerging Stars: Lamine Yamal - Record-Breaking Debut: Yamal made headlines by debuting for Barcelona at just 15 years and 9 months, becoming the youngest player in the club's history. - International Recognition: He recently became the youngest goalscorer for Spain at 16 years and 57 days, highlighting his rapid ascent in professional football. - Market Value: Yamal is already ranked among the top 100 most valuable footballers globally. His market value has surged to around €120 million, reflecting his rapid rise in the sport and his importance to the team. -FC Barcelona recently rejected a world-record offer from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) worth €250 million for Yamal, emphasizing the club's commitment to retaining their young star. What are your thoughts on this sudden shift in the soccer world, share in the comments below! #SoccerRevolution #TransferMadness #FutureOfFootball #SponsorshipShift #RisingStars #MbappéToMadrid #LamineYamal #FootballEconomics #NextGenTalent #ESGSponsorship #GlobalFootball #GameChanger

SUNDERLAND Links to other clubs A tale of two owners - A future president and one of the youngest billionaires * Sunderland Association Football Club Limited is owned by Sunderland Limited *64% Mr Kyril Louis-Dreyfus (Swiss) *36% Mr Juan Sartori (Uruguay) Kyril Louis-Dreyfus * Kyril is one of three siblings whose father is the late Robert Louis-Dreyfus. Louise-Dreyfus Group turned over £50.6bn in 2023, Kyril net worth is around £2bn. * Robert Louis-Dreyfus previously owned Olympique de Marseille and was CEO of Adidas 1993 - 2001. * Louis-Dreyfus family still possesses a 5% stake in Olympique de Marseille * Kyril and his twin brother Maurice own Swiss based esports company Ovation Juan Sartori (Uruguay)  * Juan Sartori is an Uruguayan businessman and politician.  * Juna Sartori is the founder and chairman of Union Group which has investments agriculture, energy, and real estate. * Through Agriculture Kyril and Juan paths crossed. * Juan Sartori is a politician for the National Party and in 2019 came runner up in the party primary elections securing 23% of the votes. The national Party won the general election 2020. As a result Juan became a member of the chamber of senators in Uruguay. * Juan Sartori ownership stakes in Sunderland has increased from 20% in 2018, to 36% in 2023. * Feb 2024 Juan expressed interest in becoming club president of Uruguay premier football Club Nacional de Football * Juan Sartori father-in-law happens to be Dmitry Rybolovlev who owns 67% of AS Monaco  * Juan owns 20% of Dmitry Rybolovlev stake in AS Monaco and has a place on the main board. * Dmitry Rybolovlev has a majority stake in Belgian pro league club Cercle Brugge * 2024 The Raine Group have been instructed (by Rybolovlev) to explore the sell off both clubs. * Rybolovlev also owns Greek island ‘Skorpio’s which he is transforming into an ultra-luxury VIP & Leisure resort. Together - Kyril & Juan  * 2023 Kyril & Juan invested in SX Global an organisation responsible for promotion, development and organising world-class Super-cross events that attract top athletes.  * 2022 Mubadala Capital invested n SX Global, Mubadala Capital is a subsidiary of Mubadala Investments which is the sovereign wealth fund of UAE, a branch of ADUG thats behind CFG who intern owns the largest multiple clubs. * An integral director at Sunderland and associated companies is Igor Levin (USA) * Igor Levin is CEO and founder of Antelope Audio where Coldplay, Rihanna, and Jay-Z are clients, Hence the Beyonce concert at Stadium of Light in 2023 * Igor is also founder of venture capital firm Power Ventures (FPV Global) for tech projects. #Footballbusiness #Multiclubownership #FootballFinance #SunderandAFC

Premier League clubs should be approaching Investment/Trading firms for sponsorship. ❔ How do we know this ❓ - Investment/Trading brands are 4.7x more likely to do English Premier League sponsorship deals than any other rights holder - They account for 8.5% of Premier League-related deals, against just 1.8% of all other deals. caytoo's analysis of ~4,000 #sponsorship deals since the start of 2023 reveals which sectors are most likely to do deals around The Premier League compared to other rights holders 📈 Get in touch for the top 15 sectors 👉 Alex Burmaster Or read more 👉 https://lnkd.in/egMijRCs Arsenal F.C Aston Villa Football Club AFC Bournemouth Brentford Football Club Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club Burnley Football Club Chelsea Football Club Crystal Palace Football Club Everton Football Club Fulham Football Club Liverpool Football Club Luton Town Football Club Manchester City Football Club Manchester United Newcastle United Football Club Nottingham Forest FC Sheffield United Football Club Tottenham Hotspur Football Club West Ham United FC Wolverhampton Wanderers

Before the Euro24 started, we saw Aston Villa Football Club following up their players who were called up to their National Teams and celebrating their achievement, which included a couple of Tielemans goals against England! Even though everyone was astonished and couldn’t believe it, I personally don’t think it was so wrong. Celebrating a player performance doesn’t mean you’re also against your country. You can be proud of your player even if you’re unhappy with the result. Now that situation took me to think about how players are used for sponsorship activations. Many brands choose the right holder they want to sponsor based on their players, because even though they are not allowed to explode their personal image individually, they can certainly explode them on group of 3-5 players giving them the opportunity to link their brand to those top athletes without having to sign them as brand ambassadors. One of the main benefits of this is that brands can activate their sponsorship in different territories (as per those players nationalities) by taking advantage of those players popularity in their local country. It is, of course, much more powerful when that Club is also popular in the country as it leverage a lot more the activation, but being completely honest, there are several times where fans of a specific country are just following a club because of their national player and they are not really interested in the team. Now, this might not be very common practice when we turn the coin and we speak about sponsors of National Teams; I can’t remember any sponsor taking advantage of a player of a National team they are partnered with and run an activation on the country of the Club those players play regularly and where they are very likely appreciated and followed. For example, I have never seen a Sponsor of the CBF- Confederação Brasileira de Futebol - Brazil SOCCER activating that partnership using Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr in Madrid; or the FPF - Federação Portuguesa de Futebol sponsors activating half of their players in the UK. Do you think there might be a way to make an attractive activation of a National team on a different country? Is it too strange to promote a National Team somewhere else to make it anyhow attractive and effective? Can you remember any example of any sponsor activating a National Team abroad following this line? Please share it!

This makes for an interesting comparison with the most recent summer Olympic Games in Europe, London 2012. Paris 2024 has delivered slightly higher domestic sponsorship revenue - 1.2m Euros vs (allowing for inflation) London’s 1.1m - but from many more domestic sponsors; 64 in contrast to London’s 45. I wonder what some of the Paris sponsors who were earliest to sign up have made of the ever-increasing sponsor clutter around them. Clutter is on the rise in the summer Games. Tokyo 2020 had 68 domestic sponsors, a big rise on Rio 2016, which had around 30, and London 2012. And remember, sitting on top of these 64 in Paris are the IOC’s 15 global Olympic sponsors. A final point. At least 50 per cent of Paris’s sponsorship revenue is likely to have come in the form of value in kind (products and services) rather than cash. This is never reported or indeed understood by the mainstream media, but it is a standard feature of the Olympic Games operating model, because the Games is in effect a giant joint venture between the organisers and its business partners, in order to deliver the biggest and most complex sporting event on the planet. #Paris2024 #sponsorship #sportsmarketing #Olympicsponsorship

⚽️[Sports Biz News]🇪🇸 DANI Rejoins Espanyol as Sponsor: 30 Years of History and Future Prospects👏 La Liga's RCD Espanyol has announced a significant milestone with the return of DANI as a sponsor after a 30-year hiatus. The DANI logo will proudly feature on the uniforms of both the first team and all boys' youth teams. This partnership marks a historic reunion that not only celebrates a rich legacy but also sets the stage for future collaborations.  DANI, a renowned food processing company based in Spain, is recognized for its high-quality seafood canned and processed products. The decision to rejoin Espanyol aligns with their strategic goals to enhance brand visibility and foster deeper connections with consumers. By associating with a beloved football club, DANI leverages the emotional engagement that sports foster to strengthen its market presence both domestically and internationally. Espanyol, competing in Spain's top football league, La Liga, benefits immensely from this renewed partnership. The financial support and brand prestige brought by DANI provide essential resources for the club's growth and stability. Additionally, this sponsorship aids in the development of youth talent, ensuring a robust pipeline of skilled players who can contribute to the team's future success. This collaboration is a testament to the mutual respect and shared values between DANI and Espanyol. It underscores the importance of long-term relationships in sports marketing, where past associations can be revitalized to create new opportunities and drive strategic initiatives. The return of DANI as a sponsor sends a strong message to other potential sponsors about the value and credibility of partnering with Espanyol. It highlights the club's appeal and the potential benefits for brands looking to enhance their visibility and connect with passionate football fans. As the new season unfolds, both DANI and Espanyol are poised to achieve great things together. This sponsorship is not just a nod to the past but a forward-looking strategy that embraces innovation, growth, and shared success. The sports marketing landscape continues to evolve, and partnerships like this exemplify the dynamic and symbiotic relationships that drive the industry forward. #glocalsportsnews #sportsmarketing #sportsnews #sportsbusiness #marketing #branding #pr #brandingstrategy #marketingstrategy #prstrategy #businessstrategy #advertising #laliga #rcdespanyol #soccer #soccerfan #spain #foodprocessing

📣 Big news in the world of Football Sponsorship 1. 🇸🇦 🤝 🇪🇸 Riyadh Season | موسم الرياض has announced a partnership with LALIGA; supporting its journey towards globalisation and internationalism. The 3 year deal is set to last until 2027, during which one of seasons, Riyadh Season | موسم الرياض will feature as the Official Sponsor of the league. 2. 🏆 ⚔️ ⚖️ Manchester City Football Club City claim a partial victory over The Premier League. Judges ruled over the Associated Party Transactions (ATP’s), claiming that some of the rules are unlawful. With these rules in place, The Premier League were able to reject a new sponsorship deal for City last year, as well as a second agreement between the club and First Abu Dhabi Bank. 3. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🤝 🍺 Molson Coors Beverage Company return to Scottish Football with Carling as Official Beer Partner of the Scottish Professional Football League. The 3-year deal will run until the end of the 2026/27 season, and will see the brand feature at all league matches across Scotland’s top 4 tiers, as well as Premier Sports Cup (the league cup). 4. 📞 🤝 🏆 TIM have announced a 2-year sponsorship deal with reigning Lega Serie A Champions, FC Internazionale Milano, designated as the clubs Official Telco Partner until the end of the 2025/26 season. The deal extends to the women’s team, and TIM will also take naming rights for the Inter Youth Centre. After spending 25 years as Title Sponsor for the Lega Serie A; TIM now only exclusively sponsor both FC Internazionale Milano and AC Milan. 5. 🏚️ 🤝 ⚽ Binghatti, the leading Emirati property developer in the UAE, has announced they will be featured as Title Sponsor of Dubai football team, SHABAB AL AHLI DUBAI CLUB. Binghatti’s sponsorship is set to reflect the developer’s commitment to giving back to the community, through initiatives that promote sports, youth development and healthier lifestyles. #sportsbusiness #sportspartnerships #sponsorships #football