Iceland’s "fairy-tale run" at Euro 2016 "made a name for the team’s traveling fans and provided unexpected payback" for its main backer -- brewer Carlsberg, according to Tariq Panja of BLOOMBERG. The Danish company, whose biggest sponsorship is its $44.5M agreement with the tournament, "also makes a far smaller contribution to fund Iceland’s supporter club Tolfan, or The Twelfth Man." The arrangement led to additional exposure for Carlsberg’s brand -- prominently displayed on many Iceland fans’ jerseys -- "at a time when the company was constrained by French laws that prevent alcohol brands from being displayed at sporting venues." Iceland was the tournament’s "Cinderella story." It was "ignored by big sponsors" like Nike and adidas. While the brewer is not a sponsor of the Iceland team, Carlberg’s Icelandic distributor "struck a deal earlier this year with Tolfan’s jersey maker Henson." Financial details have not been disclosed. London-based sports sponsorship consultant Synergy CEO Tim Crow said that the value is not "likely to be significant." It proved to be a "smart investment for Carlsberg, as French law prevents alcohol products from being advertised at sporting events." That meant Carlsberg could not "feature its brand name on billboards," and instead used one word from its slogan -- "Probably." The full slogan is "Probably the best lager in the world" (BLOOMBERG, 7/5).
