Football and beer "have always enjoyed a close relationship," according to Dan Cancian of the INT'L BUSINESS TIMES. The relationship is "also incredibly profitable." Heineken's sponsorship of the Champions League has helped the brewer "raise its profile across the world, paving the way to sponsor other major sporting events." Heineken Global Sponsorship Dir Hans Erik Tuijt said, "The deal with the Champions League is a great marketing partnership. The Champions League is shown nine months a year, from Brazil to Australia and, more importantly from a sponsor's point of view, you also get the share of revenues from TV commercials. It is the perfect partnership." Last week, the Dutch company extended its deal with European football's elite club competition until '21. The "privilege of sponsoring club football's biggest competition, however, does not come cheap." Heineken "did not disclose detailed figures of the new deal," but sports marketing consultancy IMR has calculated Champions League partners pay approximately $75M per year. The advent of social media has also revolutionized "the way companies target their audiences." In '14, Heineken kicked off a global campaign carrying a #ShareTheSofa social media tagline. As a result, the company estimated that consumer engagement "increased during each Champions League matchweek," as its advertising reached around 47 million fans (IB TIMES, 2/8).
