TOP FOOTBALL BRANDS FLYING HIGH WITH MIDDLE EASTERN SPONSORS

Brands from the Middle East now account for over 30% of the value of shirt sponsorships of the world’s top 50 football clubs by brand value, according to the latest report by Brand Finance, the world’s leading independent brand valuation and strategy consultancy. Airlines lead the Middle Eastern sponsorship pack, with Emirates supporting more clubs than any other sponsor in the Brand Finance Football 50 league table, including the football club with the second-most valuable brand, Real Madrid, as well as 8th-ranked Arsenal, 9th-ranked Paris Saint-germain, and 18th-ranked AC Milan. Thanks to their sponsorship contracts, Emirates enjoy the highest level of awareness (32%) of all the leading sponsors, according to Brand Finance’s original market research conducted among fans in China, India, and the USA. Etihad Airways sponsors 6th-ranked Manchester City, and Qatar Airways sponsors 26th-ranked AS Roma. Curiously, airlines from outside the Middle East do not sponsor any of the football clubs ranked in the Brand Finance Football 50 league table. Etihad-sponsored Manchester City had a particularly positive year of brand value growth, up 30% to USD 1,331 million. This was driven by both local and national factors, with stadium improvements increasing capacity for local attendance at games, while increased income from broadcasting and prize money was driven by their Premier League win last year. In addition, it is understood that Manchester City is preparing to renegotiate a number of key sponsorship deals, which will see the club benefit from their continued Premier League dominance and their improved brand strength rating. Bryn Anderson, Director at Brand Finance, commented:“the Middle Eastern airlines are leading the industry in their support of iconic global football clubs. Not only is this earning significant attention within the European cities where the clubs are based, but the global nature of their fan base is earning attention for the airlines from across the world. These sponsorships work because football is a truly global sport, allowing airlines with global aspirations to reach customers and potential customers around the world.”