Home of football statistics and historyThe launch of the Premier League in 1992 undoubtedly had a transformational impact on the global reputation of top-level football in England.
The newly-branded competition ushered in a new wave of professionalism, which ultimately helped the English top-flight become a worldwide phenomenon.
Its widespread appeal is highlighted by the value of its domestic and international broadcast deals, along with the eye-watering levels of foreign investment in clubs.
Sponsorship is another primary contributor towards the Premier League’s massive financial wealth, with major brands falling over themselves to jump on the bandwagon.
With that in mind, we look at the highest value and most established sponsorships in the Premier League, before assessing current trends and future expectations.
Kit sponsorship is a lucrative earner
One of the most lucrative revenue streams for Premier League clubs is kit sponsorship – an income element which is driven by two primary sources.
The first part is income from the sportswear companies which manufacture the kits. In the 2023/24 season, eight different brands supply Premier League clubs.
Adidas or Nike have often sponsored the most clubs, but they have been overtaken by Umbro this term. They supply Bournemouth, Brentford, West Ham United, Burnley and Luton Town.
Arsenal and Manchester United are among the clubs supplied by adidas, while Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur currently use Nike kits.
Manchester United’s £90 million per year agreement with adidas is the biggest deal in the Premier League, while Manchester City’s £65m sponsorship from Puma is the second highest.
The Red Devils’ deal, which began in 2015, was extended before the start of this season until 2035 and will pour a minimum of £900m into the club’s coffers.
The longest running kit deal is between Fulham and adidas which started in 2013, while Brighton & Hove Albion’s agreement with Nike is the second longest at nine years.
Gambling industry dominates the landscape
Eight of the 20 Premier League clubs advertise a gambling company on the front of their shirts this season, continuing the trend from the past few years.
The remaining 12 shirt sponsors are from seven other industries, with the financial services sector (five) and airlines (two) responsible for most of that tally.
While the best casino online polska sites have not their way on the front of Premier League shirts, thirteen Premier League clubs had link-ups with gambling firms at the start of August 2023. These incorporated shirt and sleeve sponsorship, training wear and digital marketing partnerships.
However, the sponsorship landscape is set for a seismic shift, with the Premier League banning front-of-shirt gambling sponsorship from the 2026/27 season onwards.
Firms in the sector will still be able to advertise on other areas of the shirt, while in-stadium promotion of gambling brands will also be permitted.
While gambling industry sponsorship in the Premier League overshadows other sectors, the longest running shirt sponsorship is Arsenal’s deal with Emirates.
First agreed in 2006, the deal sees the Emirates logo featured on the men’s, women’s and academy’s kits and includes the naming rights to Arsenal’s stadium.
Premier League sponsorship set for a shake-up
The Premier League’s decision to ban front-of-shift betting sponsorships will open the door for other sectors to grab a piece of the lucrative pie.
The move bears some similarities to a previous ban on tobacco industry sponsorships, which left football and other sports wondering how they would replace the income.
However, it is worth noting that gambling advertising will still be allowed in the Premier League, which should mitigate some of the potential issues.
Given the global nature of the Premier League, there are plenty of other industries which will likely view this as a golden opportunity to muscle in on the action.
Manchester United’s recent deal with technology specialists Qualcomm is a perfect example of how big brands view the English top-flight in a favourable light.
One area where clubs will need to be careful is falling foul of new regulations which prevent clubs from inflating sponsorship deals with entities linked to their owners.
Newcastle United’s £25 million-per-year agreement with Saudi Arabian events company Sela has been highlighted as an example of this particular methodology.
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) owns the club and Sela – a factor which calls into question the legitimacy of the deal.
Despite this, clubs which can provide proof that a deal represents fair market value will be able to benefit from this type of agreement.
Regardless of the future changes to sponsorships, the Premier League looks well-placed to retain its status as the most lucrative domestic football competition in the world.
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