Sponsorship in sports brands - Marketing en el Deporte
In the world of marketing and advertising, one of the most effective strategies for increasing brand recognition and reaching a mass audience is sports sponsorship. This phenomenon has become especially prominent in soccer, as well as in other popular sports such as basketball, tennis and motorsports.
World-renowned brands have recognized the value of partnering with elite sports clubs, creating relationships that benefit both the brands and the teams. In this article, we will explain in detail how brands are sponsored by sports clubs and examine some sponsorship collaborations between clubs and companies. Sports sponsorship is a strategy in which a brand funds a sports club in exchange for exposure of its brand on various platforms, primarily on players' jerseys.
This form of sponsorship provides brands with a valuable opportunity to increase their brand visibility and establish an emotional connection with sports fans. In turn, sports clubs gain an additional source of revenue that allows them to invest in the development of their teams to achieve sporting success.
A prime example of sports sponsorship is the partnership between Real Madrid and Fly Emirates. In 2013, the Spanish soccer club signed a sponsorship deal with the airline, which included the display of the Fly Emirates logo on the team's jersey. This partnership has continued to the present day, making it one of the longest-running and most successful sponsorship partnerships in the history of soccer.
Real Madrid has gained considerable financial backing from Fly Emirates, while the airline has gained a massive global presence through constant exposure at the club's matches and events. Real Madrid has a very high audience over the course of a season, between all of its competitive matches. This allows Fly Emirates to have a partnership with the team for branding, while bringing in a very significant amount of millions of euros for the club.
In addition to collaborating with Fly Emirates, there are other companies that have sponsorship partnerships with Real Madrid. Approximately, the soccer club can earn more than 300 million euros per season. Another relevant example of sports sponsorship is the partnership between FC Barcelona and Spotify. The Catalan club signed a contract with the music streaming platform, which included the presence of the Spotify logo on the team's jersey.
This partnership allowed Spotify to connect with the passion of soccer fans and provide them with exclusive access to team-related music content. In turn, FC Barcelona gained a strategic partner in the digital sphere, allowing it to expand its reach and attract a younger, global audience. The signing of the multi-million dollar deal includes the renaming of the stadium to Spotify Camp Nou. Numerous teams have included a change in their stadium name as a condition of sponsorship.
In addition, we have sports brands such as Adidas, having sponsored several renowned soccer teams, such as Real Madrid, Manchester United and Bayern Munich. On the other hand, Nike has established partnerships with soccer teams such as FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool FC. Another brand, Puma, is known for its presence in the world of soccer. It has sponsored teams such as AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund and the Uruguayan national soccer team. Sports sponsorship continues to be an effective and lucrative strategy for brands, and its impact on the world of sports and advertising is undeniable.
Partnerships between brands and sports clubs allow for a unique synergy, in which both parties benefit mutually. Through examples such as Fly Emirates and Real Madrid, Spotify and FC Barcelona, there are certainly many brands that have been involved in sports sponsorship and have established outstanding partnerships with various sports teams and events. There are brands that are very prominent in sporting events, and are even the creators of such events to promote themselves. We have the example of Coca Cola, being one of the most recognized brands in sports sponsorship worldwide.
It has established partnerships with numerous sports organizations, such as the Olympic Games, the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Champions League. Coca-Cola has used its sponsorship to promote its brand. The beer brands Heineken or Budweiser also work very closely with their sponsorship within soccer, being the sponsors of the Champions League or the World Cup, respectively. In the case of Red Bull, being known for its focus on extreme sports sponsorship and action sports events.
The brand has sponsored events such as the Red Bull Air Race, Red Bull Cliff Diving and Red Bull Rampage, among others. It has also supported elite athletes in sports such as snowboarding, motocross and surfing. Red Bull has used its sponsorship to associate itself with excitement, adventure and self-improvement, creating a unique and distinctive brand image. If you notice, Red Bull has had an approach with more extreme brands or risky sports, looking for another kind of mentality or personality in their fans.
These are just a few examples of brands that have had a significant impact on sports sponsorship. It is worth noting that the sports sponsorship landscape is constantly evolving, and new brands are entering the market and establishing exciting partnerships with teams, events and athletes around the world.
Happy week to all!
