90% of Premier League sponsorship revenue is from non-UK brands

New research from the Sponsorship team at Ampere Analysis reveals just how successful the English Premier League has become at securing international partner brands. While the major European football leagues all attract significant international investment, it is the Premier League that signs the most sponsorship deals with global brands, with nearly 90% of its sponsorship revenue now from brands headquartered outside the UK.

This success is driven by the Premier League’s global fanbase. The sporting competition is the third most popular worldwide (behind only the major global events such as the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup) according to Ampere’s interviews with over 50,000 people in 31 global markets. The international reach and exposure given to brands by the EPL makes the League and its clubs attractive to partners looking to drive brand awareness.
 
 Among the largest European markets, Spain’s La Liga is the next most successful at attracting international investment, while Germany’s Bundesliga is the most domestically-centred football competition for sponsorship, reflecting the country’s larger domestic economy but also the lower relative appeal of the Bundesliga internationally.

The North American picture is different. Most sponsors of US teams and leagues are headquartered locally,  due to the US’s powerful economy, large domestic fanbases for the major leagues, and their proportionally smaller international following. However, while Canada, has teams in the major US leagues, it also sees a highly localised sponsorship market, despite being able to offer brands access to US audiences, indicating a potential opportunity for Canadian teams to drive additional investment from non-domestic brands.