“Although The UEFA Euros Tournament Is A Continental Event, Its Commercial Reach Is Truly Global”
June 18, 2021
Connexi’s Zak Gelbier takes a closer look at some of the sponsorships at EURO2020, which is far from restricted to European Brands.
The Euros is one of the world’s biggest sporting events, but for brands it is exposure to the eyes of the world and the perfect opportunity for certain brands to align themselves with.
Although the UEFA Euros tournament is a continental event, its commercial reach is truly global and as a result a significant number of sponsors are not European, many of which being Chinese or American brands.
UEFA has sold their partnerships in three ways: Euro 2020 Official Sponsors, UEFA National Team Football Official Sponsors, and Euro 2020 Official Licensees.
- Euro 2020 Official Sponsors: Coca-Cola, Heineken, Qatar Airways, Just Eat (Takeaway.com), TikTok, Vivo
- UEFA National Team Football Official Sponsors: Alipay, Booking.com, FedEx, Gazprom, Hisense, Volkswagen
- Euro 2020 Official Licensees: Adidas, Hublot, IMG, Konami, Panini
The sponsorship portfolio that UEFA has put together shows that the consumer is at the heart of their deals. Almost all of which very much connected to the lifestyle of a football fan and the experience of the matchday.
Connexi Pick:
Coca-Cola
In September 2019, the soft drinks giant became the first official sponsor of the tournament and the official non-alcoholic beverage of Euro 2020. The deal extended a 32-year association with UEFA.
The drinks company has exclusive pouring rights at stadiums, fanzones and fan villages during the tournament, and recently its controversial presence on tables in player interviews.
FedEx
This year’s event is a unique one as it is being held across 12 cities in 12 different countries across Europe. And with that comes the increased importance of a logistics partner. As the official logistics partner of Euro 2020, the US delivery company will be invaluable in running the cross-continental tournament.
The partnership, signed in 2019, was part of a four-year multi tournament deal. 6 years with the UEFA Europa League, and most recently becoming a sponsor of the UEFA Champions League, makes it a perfect fit for this one-of-a-kind tournament.
Hisense
After the success of their sponsorship of Euro 2016, the Chinese electronics company decided to further their European outreach by becoming the official television supplier of Euro 2020. The popularity of Euro 2016 among viewers in Asia is one of the main pulling factors for Chinese sponsors.
The Euro 2016 final was watched by an average audience of more than 8 million in China and reached 17.6 million with France’s round-of-16 win against Iceland. With average audiences larger than in most European countries it is no wonder that Chinese companies want to align with the tournament.
Volkswagen
Back in August 2017, German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen became a partner for all UEFA national team football competitions running from 2018 until 2022, including being the official mobility partner for Euro 2020.
When it comes to showcasing the partnership, Volkswagen has been the most unique. The carmaker has been using miniature remote controlled cars to bring the match ball onto the pitch and to the referee prior to kick-offs. A memorable connection to the game that viewers can connect instantly to the brand.
