wefox launches in Italy on the back of AC Milan
February 22 – AC Milan has partnered with wefox, which becomes the club’s first back-of-shirt sponsor and the club’s Official Insurance Partner.
Football Marketing
Spurs line up pre-season tour to South Korea
February 21 – Tottenham Hotspur, who yesterday ignited the chase for the Premier League title with a stoppage time win over Manchester City, have announced they will visit South Korea for their pre-season tour ahead of the 2022/23 season.
Turkey’s SuperLig races towards $350m drop in TV deal from 2015 high point
By Paul Nicholson
February 1 – Turkish football is bracing itself for a huge reduction in its broadcast deal, a result of a number of self-inflicted wounds in one of Europe’s most emotional football markets.
AstroPay adds Crystal Palace training kit deal to Burnley and Wolves partnerships
February 18 – Online payment provider AstroPay has added a third Premier League sponsorship, with Crystal Palace joining the company’s sponsorship portfolio alongside deals with Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Trade Nation punts on West Brom as club looks to trade up
February 17 – English Championship club West Bromwich Albion, who are currently in the play-off positions and looking to bounceback to the Premier League after just a season out, have added trading services provider Trade Nation as a major commercial partner.
UEFA announces Socios.com deal but fan groups fear risks of unregulated crypto
February 16 – UEFA’s partnership with blockchain-based Fan Token platform Socios, announced yesterday, has quickly drawn criticism from fan groups who accuse the European governing body of leaving fans in the hands of “crypto-mercenaries”.
French court injunctions award power to rights holders to make pirates walk the plank
February 15 – UEFA has welcomed the ruling by a French court that has issued injunctions that will block internet providers carrying pirated streams of Champions League matches.
Sporting KC agrees new shirt sponsor; MLS seeking betting data deal
February 14 – With the MLS season kick off less than two weeks away clubs and the MLS itself are scrambling to close new partnership and sponsorship deals for the season.
Premier League TV money jumps past £10bn as international revenues exceed domestic
By Paul Nicholson
February 11 – For the first time the overseas broadcast rights revenues for the Premier League will be higher than the domestic broadcast deal.
Botafogo go crypto with Bitci fan tokens and NFT option
February 11 – Botafogo have signed a sponsorship agreement with Turkish blockchain platform Bitci, becoming the latest Brazilian club to enter the fan-token market.
Man Utd take first major crypto steps with Tezos blockchain
February 11 – Manchester United has entered the cryptocurrency and blockchain world for the forst time with a partnership with Swiss-based Tezos who will have their logo on the men’s and women’s training kits.
LaLiga keeps up the deal flow with Cabreiroá water sponsorship
February 11 – LaLiga has added another sponsor category to its fast expanding portfolio. Cabreiroá has become theofficial water of LaLiga’s three divisions with immediate effect.
Al-Khelaifi heralds new dawn of ECA/UEFA relations and the ‘tectonic shift’ of the TEAM deal
By Paul Nicholson
February 10 – European Club Association (ECA) chair Nasser Al-Khelaifi (pictured) has written to the 240+ members saying that the new three-year commercial deal agreed with TEAM Marketing and Relevent Sports Group is a watershed moment for the association.
Betway adds Chilean clubs as it expands its international sponsor footprint
February 10 – Online bookmaker Betway has again expanded its international football marketing footprint with its first sponsorship deals in Chile, signing up five clubs in the Chilean First Division.
Spotify’s €280m deal would be music to Barca’s ears
February 8 – Financially challenged Barcelona are reportedly on the verge of agreeing a €280 million shirt and training kit deal with streaming service Spotify.