Bet your shirt on it - How football kits continue to be prized real estate for sponsors

Manchester United & Qualcomm Snapdragon: US technology firm Qualcomm Snapdragon became Manchester United front-of-shirt sponsor this season in a deal worth £60m per year. The brand replaces TeamViewer, which has been front and centre on the kits of both the men’s and women’s teams over the past three seasons. One interesting aspect of the deal is that MUFC carved out the right to have a second sponsor on the back of the team shirt, subject to Qualcomm approval. This right was activated for the Community Shield curtain-raiser, when Microsoft CoPilot+ featured on the back. The back of United’s shirts will not be sponsored during Premier League or UEFA Europa League matches, but Microsoft CoPilot+ is also planning to use the back during the FA Cup, Carabao Cup and for Women’s Super League (WSL) games.

Leeds United & Red Bull: Red Bull replaced BOXT as the Leeds United shirt sponsor at the start of this season. The energy drink manufacturer is no stranger to sports sponsorship, having already backed several soccer clubs internationally and a Formula One team. At first sight, backing a Championship side seems like a surprising move for an international brand. But should Leeds return to the Premier League, global exposure will increase dramatically. As part of its deal, Red Bull has also bought a minority stake in the club, so it is clearly planning on being around for the long haul.

Aston Villa & Kaizen: The Premier League is preparing to phase out gambling sponsorships from the front of matchday shirts by the end of the 2025/26 season. But that leaves two seasons during which clubs can make hay. The most high-profile example at present is Aston Villa’s new deal with Kaizen Gaming, which sees Kaizen’s Betano brand take pride of place on the front of the Birmingham club’s shirts. The deal is worth around £20m a year and will run for two years. This is Villa’s biggest deal ever – which underlines how tough it will be for clubs when gambling is no longer an option.

Sunderland Women & Nuby: Women’s football has been on a roll in the last couple of years and is finally attracting some commercial interest beyond the major international competitions. This season, for example, baby brand Nuby was named front of shirt sponsor for Sunderland AFC Women, for the 2024/25 season. In the process, Nuby becomes the first baby brand to obtain a title sponsorship of any club in English football. At the same time, Nuby will be investing an additional sum, worth 20% of its sponsorship fee, to support the continued growth of women’s football.

Real Madrid & HP: Away from the UK, Spanish giant Real Madrid has done a deal to make HP the first brand to place its logo on the sleeve of the Real Madrid jersey (Fly Emirates currently has the front of the shirt). The sponsorship covers Real’s men’s and women’s teams as well as its youth programmes. In addition to the sleeve sponsorship, HP becomes the club’s official technology partner – a combined package which is costing the tech giant around £60m a year (similar to the price paid by Emirates). In this role, HP will work with Real to accelerate the digital transformation of club spaces and elevate the fan experience within the club’s stadium complex.

Inter Miami & Royal Caribbean: Signing Lionel Messi has undoubtedly transformed the brand image of both Inter Miami and US Major League Soccer. And there’s no question that the Messi effect explains why the club have recently clinched the most valuable shirt sponsorship deal in MLS history with Royal Caribbean. Echoing a growing trend towards 360 degree partnerships, Royal Caribbean acquired the front-of-shirt sponsorship rights alongside in-stadium branding, in-match content, fan zone activations, and social/digital content. With both partners based in Miami, there are also plans for local community initiatives and experiences on Royal Caribbean ships.

Key Takeaways

Football shirts increasingly look like F1 cars, with clubs seeking to maximise the revenue they can secure from brands. Alongside Real Madrid, another example of a sleeve sponsorship is Tottenham Hotspur’s deal with cryptocurrency platform Kraken.

These days, shirt sponsorships are often secured as part of a multi-pronged package – offering experiences and engagement alongside media exposure. This 360 degree approach can amplify the impact of a brand’s top-line investment.

Around 50% of elite English clubs still have gaming partners, with some new deals signed at the start of the current season. This situation will have to change by 2025/26 – or perhaps sooner if the Labour Government elects to impose a ban.

Not to be forgotten is that shirt sponsorships sit alongside kit sponsorships. Currently there are seven different kit sponsors in the Premier League with Adidas having the most clubs (7). Aston Villa and Newcastle, both clubs on the rise, switched to Adidas this season. Newcastle’s deal is estimated to be worth £30m a year.

Opportunities constantly arise in this sector, with a relatively high turnover of brands as shirt sponsors. With more sections of shirt ‘real estate’ up for grabs, the Championship and women’s football growing in stature, and gambling set to be booted out, brands that are looking for an entry point won’t be disappointed.

Still up for grabs…

Chelsea & [Your Name Here]: Chelsea has been through a rocky patch in recent seasons, but it is still one of the most exciting sponsorship opportunities in global sport. So it’s surprising that the club has started this season without a shirt sponsor. The same happened last year, when the club began its campaign without a replacement for long-term partner Three. Part of the way into last season, Chelsea agreed a £40m shirt sponsorship deal with Infinite Athletic which lasted until the 2024/25 pre-season. But that has not carried forward into the new Premier League campaign. The best guess is that Chelsea is holding out to get the right deal at the right price. Companies linked to a possible deal have included Saudi Arabian airline Riyadh Air.

Interested in entering the Football categories of the UK Sponsorship Awards? The 2025 edition of this prestigious annual event is now open for entries. For details on the awards event and how to enter, visit the UKSA website.