adminPARIS. — The English Premier League and Spain’s La Liga led a $130 million rise in shirt sponsorship deals for Europe’s top football championships last year, according to a report released yesterday.
After booming television rights, outfit sponsorship has become a valuable new source of income for top European clubs, some of whom now even put company names on their socks.
The United Arab Emirates has become the main spender on getting their name on football shirts.
The Repucom sports data firm said income from jersey sponsorship rose more than 20 percent last year to 687 million euros ($777 million) for the leagues in England, Spain, Italy, Germany, France and the Netherlands.
“With investment in 2014-15 growing 20% over last season, the investment in shirt sponsorship has increased faster than at any time in the last 15 years,” said Glenn Lovett, Repucom’s head of global strategy. The 20 English Premier League clubs saw shirt revenue increase 36 percent to 213 million euros. Manchester United last year made a shirt deal with US car maker Chevrolet worth £47 million a year, up £20 million on their previous deal. — AFP.
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