Opinion | Liverpool in troubled waters with Tibet over contentious Chinese sponsorship deal
Liverpool Football Club make a splash in all the wrong ways by signing a deal with a Chinese water bottling company
English Premier League (EPL) football clubs are among the most valuable sports team brands in the world.
This year, Manchester United topped Deloitte’s global list in its annual review of football finance, with revenues of £515 million (US $674 million).
Over the last decade or so, television deals have taken over match day gate as the biggest source of income, while sponsorships have also become a lucrative source of revenue for clubs.
Sponsors’ logos are ubiquitous across the EPL. A recent rule change means a club can now sell space both on the front of its team shirts and on its sleeves.
Alongside such deals, the market has led to all manner of other sponsorships, naming rights arrangements, and commercial partnerships emerging.
For instance, following the lead set by North American sports, football clubs often now sign deals with “category partners”.
