By Paul Nicholson
January 17 – Premier League clubs Arsenal and Liverpool have both announced exclusive global sponsorship partners, while Manchester City have unveiled a regional sponsorship.
Arsenal have signed Huawei, a telecommunications specialist, as the Official Smartphone Partner of the north London club until the end of season 2015/16.
Tom Fox, chief commercial officer at Arsenal Football Club, said: “This is the first global deal we have signed with a Chinese brand, demonstrating our long-term commitment to the market through pre-season tours and sustained digital fan engagement. Huawei is a genuine leader in its field serving more than a third of the world’s population with its information and communications technology.”
Arsenal officials and players will take part in Huawei’s communication and promotional activities, while Huawei will also receive a package of content and brand presence during Arsenal matches, as well as via the club’s digital and social media platforms. It will also have access to Arsenal’s marketing database and match day hospitality for competition winners at Emirates Stadium.
Huaweil has been building a presence in Europe. Last June Huawei signed with the Spanish Football League (LFP) as its exclusive Technology Partner for Smartphones.
The two-year contract will see LFP content pre-installed on Huawei mobile phone. Huawei also has LFP image rights to produce promotional products.
No exact figure has been released for the Arsenal deal, but Arsenal say it is a multi million pound deal. Industry estimates reckon it to be about £3 million.
Liverpool’s new sponsorship with the US Dunkin’ Brands Group is reckoned to be worth a similar amount.
This is the first time Dunkin’ Brands have entered the Premier League sponsorship market and are targeting Liverpool’s fanbase globally as well as in the UK. The US company says the sponsorship will be a cornerstone of the marketing of their brands internationally.
“Dunkin’ Donuts will be our official coffee, tea and bakery provider and Baskin-Robbins will be our official ice cream provider,” said Billy Hogan, chief commercial officer for Liverpool FC.
For Dunkin’ Brands the deal with a club like Liverpool has to involve scale. Liverpool, despite not having won a League championship for 14 years (though it did win the Champions League in 2005 and the FA Cup in 2006) has maintained an international following that seems almost impervious to the requirement to win trophies.
Dunkin Brands has more than 18,000 points of distribution in nearly 60 countries worldwide, including nearly 11,000 Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in 33 countries and more than 7,250 Baskin-Robbins shops in nearly 50 countries. In 2013, Dunkin’ Brands opened 790 net new restaurants around the world, with 415 of these restaurants located outside the US.
Meanwhile, relative newcomers to the international fan-building race (and international sponsorship sales), Manchester City have announced a regional partnership with another Premier League sponsorship newcomer.
Jaguar Energy Drink UK will become the club’s first ‘Official UK and Ireland Energy Drink Partner’. No value was put on this deal but it is likely to be substantially lower than the Arsenal and Liverpool global sponsorships.
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