Business of UEFA Club Competitions 2023-24 - Property Profile, Sponsorship and Media Landscape

An analysis of the current business landscape in UEFA competitions, including a look at the current state of sponsors, media rights and club sponsorship portfolios

The Champions League has developed a following that makes it the most followed soccer competition in the world on social media, with 245.98 million across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

The Europa Conference League has struggled to build a social media following that is anywhere close to the figures of UEFA’s second-tier competition, the Europa League. Of the clubs that are participating in the three UEFA competitions, Real Madrid have the largest following on social media with a combined 313.3 million followers across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

The UEFA Champion’s League has major deals in place with some of the biggest broadcasters in the world. In the UK, TNT Sport has broadcast deal worth $514.18 million annually to showcase all three of UEFA’s club competitions. DAZN acquired the rights to the UEFA Champions League in Germany from the 2021/22 to 2023/24 season, with the deal worth between $235.06 million and $258.57 million annually.

The Champions League is expected to generate $606.33 million from this season’s competition, a sponsorship sum that makes it one of the most profitable competitions in sport. Heineken have in place the most lucrative deal with the Champions League, worth $65 million annually over a three-year period according to the publisher. The Europa League and Europa Conference League share commercial revenue, with $314 million worth of sponsorship revenue generated for this season's campaigns.

Key Highlights

Unsurprisingly the Champions League has by some distance the largest social media following. With the competition generating huge viewership for its yearly final this aligns with the eagerness of fans to regularly follow the activity of the competition across its many social media platforms. The Champions League has a total combined social media following bigger than the Europa league by over 200 million followers.

The two Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona have the highest social media followings of all soccer clubs worldwide. For decades, the two sides have dominated domestic soccer and been incredibly successful in European competitions, especially Real Madrid. Therefore, they have been able to build significant social media followings.

Liverpool by some distance are the highest followed teams of all the 32 teams who participated in the group stages of the Europa League, with roughly 111 million followers. This is over 92 million more followers then second placed Roma, who have approximately 18.9 million followers.

Fenerbahce host the largest social media following in the Europa Conference league with a combined following of over 29 million. Besiktas and Aston Villa both have assembled followings of over 17 million and 11 million, respectively.

In July and September 2022, UEFA added two new partners to their Champions League sponsorship portfolio by attracting Turkish Airlines and Oppo. Turkish Airlines have in place a one-year deal which the publisher estimates is worth $60 million annually, allowing the deal Turkish Airline brand to be visible through broadcast backdrops, extensive perimeter advertising, website, and social media. In contrast Oppo, have agreed to a two-year deal worth an estimated worth $24 million annually to serve as one of the competition’s global sponsors.

The publisher estimates that Barcelona has the largest kit supplier deal of the 32 teams who compete in the 2023-24 Champions League competition. The Catalonian club signed a five-year renewal deal with Nike in 2016 worth a staggering $169.32 million a season.

Who Should Buy

Analysts who are attempting to understand the current sponsorship and media dynamics in UEFA competitions, and who leads the way commercially.

Viewership industry professionals who want a detailed analysis on the current state of UEFA competitions, and what the next few years may have in store for European soccer.

Sports industry workers who want to further understand how UEFA is progressing and dominating soccer competitions.

Scope

• This report provides an overview of the current situation regarding kit supplier and team deals for teams competing in UEFA competitions.
• It also identifies the current state of UEFA's media landscape. This report looks at social media following, in comparison to other continental competitions.
• The report provides analysis of clubs competing in UEFA competitions, and their current sponsorship outlook.
• A detailed look at the UEFA’s sponsorship portfolio and generated revenue, as well as the challenges involved in growing UEFA's commercial profile.

Reasons to Buy

• For those wanting an in depth analysis of how UEFA is currently performing.
• General metrics for UEFA such as social media followings are included.
• The report will also be of interest to those who are interested in the kinds of brands that have sponsorship deals in place with UEFA's competitions, and its clubs. Identified are the most prevalent sectors and brands, as well as the biggest revenue generators of these aforementioned sectors.