There is no ceiling to the value of UEFA Champions League sponsorship and “not a single brand on the planet” that would not want to be associated with the tournament, according to UEFA Marketing Dir Guy-Laurent Epstein. With the '15-16 Champions’ League group games just days away, UEFA execs are convinced that the competition’s seismic growth will continue this year. The Champions League has become a juggernaut with sponsors said to be paying around £45M a year to be associated with the competition, which saw Barcelona beat Juventus in the '14-15 final in front of an estimated global audience of 180 million. Epstein believes that the competition’s long-term sponsors -- such as MasterCard and Heineken -- will continue to pay out a premium on previous deals.
ROOM TO GROW: Asked if there was a ceiling to what sponsors would pay, Epstein said, “I don’t think so. The UEFA Champions League brand equity is growing every year and I don’t know a single brand on the planet that would not want to be associated with it. Our partners are very happy with the results delivered year after year and this is also why we have long-term partners in the program.” In the U.K., BT now has the broadcast rights to the competition, pinching them from Sky and ITV, in a £299M ($461M)-a-season deal. BT sports channel does not break out its customer numbers but it is believed to have significantly less than Sky Sports' 8 million customers. However, UEFA is confident of BT’s credentials as a broadcaster. Epstein said, “BT has a strong subscriber base and will deliver a wide coverage of the competition, including the run-up to the final.”
NO FIFA FALLOUT: While the Champions League would appear to be going from strength from strength, the global reputation of the game has undoubtedly been dented by the FIFA scandal. But Epstein said the fallout over the corruption allegations and resignation of Sepp Blatter has not had a detrimental impact on UEFA’s sponsors. He said, “We are working closely with most of the UEFA Champions League partners for many years now and they know and appreciate the way UEFA operates.” And while Epstein is confident that the value of Champions League sponsorship will continue to rise, there are no plans to increase the number of sponsors. “We constantly review our business models and try to improve them," he said. "With regard to the UEFA Champions League sponsorship program, the strategy is to have a limited number of blue chip companies in the program, creating a very exclusive family of partners.”
John Reynolds is a writer in London.