What makes a soccer sponsors great? Sponsors can range from big brands like Pepsi to small companies like Gazprom. Sponsorships of soccer are a great way for you to reach a wider audience and increase your revenue. Soccer teams benefit from having audience data to help guide their sponsorship decisions. A soccer team that has an active online presence is more likely attract a target audience. Consumers expect brands and retailers to have an online presence.
PUMA has been a sponsor for soccer.
It is not only the Italian football team that PUMA sponsors, that has been under attack. The Israeli occupation authorities treat Palestinian footballers in horrendous ways. A petition has been started against the sponsor and tens of thousands of people have signed it. However, the public has not responded as strongly to animal cruelty. PUMA has not yet publicly clarified its position.
Pepsi
Coca-Cola and Pepsi have announced new major league sports sponsorships. Coca-Cola has signed an agreement for sponsorship of the Major League Soccer for four years. Pepsi was the last major brand to sponsor Major League Soccer, but it has expanded its sponsorships over the past few years. Pepsi also sponsors several MLS teams including New York City FC and FC Dallas. Pepsi can also promote its brands through the partnership.
FedEx
FedEx and UEFA have partnered together to promote the sport of soccer. The deal covers the sponsorship of the UEFA Champions League and other competitions over a three year period. FedEx will also participate in the Uefa Youth League. UEFA Super Cup and Uefa eChampions League. In addition, FedEx has been a sponsor of the Europa League since 2015, and it will continue to do so into the 2020-21 season. FedEx also owns the rights to UEFA EURO 2020 as well as the finals of the Uefa Nation League.
Gazprom
Gazprom sponsoring soccer has been the topic of much controversy over recent months. A number of European football clubs have withdrawn their shirt sponsorships from Gazprom due to concerns that they support Russian companies. Schalke 04 was one such team. It pulled its shirt sponsorship from Gazprom citing UEFA’s ethical guidelines. Europe and the rest of the world are becoming more concerned about Russian-backed companies. Gazprom, a Russian company that produces natural gas, is based in Saint Petersburg. The Russian government holds the majority ownership of Gazprom and the company has a presence worldwide in the soccer world.
Hisense
Hisense, one of the largest TV producers in the world, is not unfamiliar with sponsorship. From the 2010 World Cup to the recent World Cup in Russia, the company has been involved in major events to boost brand awareness. Sponsorships have proven to be effective, increasing Hisense's global awareness by over 6%. Sponsorships are more than just sales - they help promote the company's products through local engagement and global advertising campaigns. Hisense will also enjoy video-on demand programming based upon past World Cup content. Hisense customers will have access to this content via the VIDAA smart TV platform.
Volkswagen
Volkswagen has announced a deal to sponsor the German national soccer team. The brand wants to repair its image after last year's diesel emissions scandal. They also plan to move toward electric cars. To achieve this, the Wolfsburg-based automaker is spending big money on a new soccer team in Germany's top division. Experts are questioning the logic behind such an investment given the club’s low revenues and lack of an international fanbase.