European Soccer Clubs Team With Warner Bros. For Licensing

Four European soccer clubs — FC Barcelona, Juventus, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain — have appointed Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP) as their Master Licensee for the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America and South America. WBCP, which has previously signed deals for the ’06 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2008, Mexican national team and AC Milan, gains the right to license, manufacture, distribute, promote and sell club-branded merchandise in the aforementioned regions. WBCP is also involved in the licensing of the “Goal” trilogy of soccer movies (THE DAILY). Warner Bros. does not release financial terms or sales projections, but WBCP Exec VP/Int’l Licensing Jordan Sollitto said soccer licensing is “going great.” Sollitto: “It’s growing into a significant business, on a par with major entertainment properties” (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 8/2).