Sports sponsorship is a global business worth an estimated $60 billion in 2021. Each week we bring the Sport for Bussiness network a look at some of the biggest deals and trends that are continually reshaping the ways in which sport and commercial partners interact.
Today we highlight major news in UK betting legislation, an exit from the SuperBowl halftime show as well as deals in cycling and golf…
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PREMIER LEAGUE BETTING SHIRST SPONSOR BAN IS LIKELY
The UK Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is currently reviewing the legislation around gambling promotion and early speculation on the soon to be released policy paper suggests that eleven current Premier League clubs will be looking to replace their shirt front sponsor from the season after next.
A ban on betting companies using the shirt fronts to promote their services is seen as a near certainty.
The mood around restrictions on gambling advertising is all one way at the moment with restrictions on advertising imposed by the UK Committee of Advertising Practice in April. Companies are no longer permitted to use sports stars or influencers in their marketing promotions though this is self-regulation at present.
The value of the gambling sponsorship market in the Premier League is currently believed to be worth around €120 million each year, while the advertising revenue for broadcast, digital and print media is also wotrth a significant element of the overall sports economy.
Restrictions are already in place across Europe though in the United States, always much more restricted when it came to sports betting, the legislative tide is moving in the opposite direction with sport now becoming much more open to lucrative betting partnerships.
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NFL SEEKING $25 MILLION FOR SUPERBOWL HALF TIME SHOW
It has been under the sponsorship of PepsiCo for ten years but this year’s Half Time show at the SuperBowl in Los Angeles will be the last for the brand.
It has renewed a deal to be the official soft drink of the NFL but the League has taken back the rights to the entertainment side of the game’s biggest day and the biggest TV audience of the year.
Reports suggest an asking price that goes north of €25 million dollars.
The average audience for this year’s SuperBowl was 112 million, an increase of 16 per cent on a year ago and the biggest viewership in five years.
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FORD TO SPONSOR TWO WHEEL EVENT IN LONDON
London Marathon Events, organisers of RideLondon, has announced that Ford has signed up as presenting partner of the festival of cycling, which takes place this weekend from Friday 27 to Sunday 29 May.
Ford will be the title sponsor of the Ford Queen of the Mountains competition for the top women pro riders in the UCI Women’s WorldTour three-day stage race, the RideLondon Classique.
As part of the partnership, the Race Director will drive a Ford Kuga PHEV (a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) for the race convoy, and the Ford Mustang Mach-E will be the Official Electric Vehicle as part of the 2022 RideLondon Classique support fleet.
Claire Killwick, Head of Customer Communications at Ford of Britain, said: “As RideLondon comes to Essex, we’re excited to lend our support. Ford is committed to achieving zero emissions in vehicle sales and carbon neutrality across its European facilities, logistics and suppliers by 2035.”
“Our Park The Car initiative is part of this and the message is simple – if your journey is under three miles, consider walking or cycling when you can.”
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UPS CUTS TIES WITH GOLFERS OVER SAUDI INVOLVEMENT
The familiar brown and gold logo of UPS was missing from the shirts of Lee Westwood and Louis Oosthuizen at last weekend’s US PGA tournament.
The brand has ended a 14-year relationship with Westwood after he announced that he was seeking an exemption from the PGA and DP World Tours to play in the first event in the Saudia Arabia backed LIV Golf Series in London next month.
UPS has an established and successful business in Saudi but it described the decision to end its deal with Westwood as a business decision which will allow it to focus on other initiatives.
It also has deep roots in golf and is a global sponsor of the Ryder cup which is one of the tournaments being used by the existing tours to hold up as being unavailable to players who choose to play on the rival LIV Golf tour.
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