Sponsorship eras in the English Premier League: changing industries and globalization between 1992 and 2021

ABSTRACT

The English Premier League, the elite division of association football (soccer) in England, exploited commercial opportunities and market growth since its rebranding in 1992. The companies involved in professional football sponsorships represented a variety of industries and origins. How substantial did these representations fluctuate to indicate a periodization of sponsorship eras? This paper provides a systematic and longitudinal review of shirt sponsors within the league. The investigation of historical patterns clarified the changing playing field and the current state of play of sponsorships in English football. The remarkable patterns resulted in an interconnected periodization of five sponsorship industry eras and four sponsorship globalization eras. Future sponsorship challenges were identified regarding the corporate context, community fundamentals and the level of involvement affecting new sponsorship eras. These patterns in the world-leading football competition serve as an excellent case for decision makers in other domains to recognize the dynamics in corporate community involvement.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

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11. Ibid., 229.

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14. Thwaites, ‘Professional Football Sponsorship’, 149.

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16. Naidenova et al., ‘Football sponsorship company performance’, 129.

17. Bailey, ‘Clothing and Footwear Industries’, 180.

18. Rosson, ‘SEGA and Arsenal’, 157.

19. Cornwell and Kwon, ‘Sponsorship-linked marketing’, 607.

20. Rosson, ‘SEGA and Arsenal’, 157.

21. Cornwell and Kwon, ‘Sponsorship-linked marketing’, 607.

22. KPMG, ‘Changing face – Players’, https://www.footballbenchmark.com/library/the_changing_face_of_football_sponsorship_key_players

23. Thwaites, ‘Professional Football Sponsorship’, 149.

24. Unlucan, ‘Jersey sponsors: industry classification’, 42.

25. Ginesta, ‘Champions League clubs sponsors’, 66.

26. Unlucan, ‘Jersey sponsors: industry classification’, 42.

27. Ginesta, ‘Champions League clubs sponsors’, 66.

28. Ghemawat, ‘Refining global strategy’, 1.

29. Penn, ‘Football, nationalism and globalisation’, 345.

30. Beek et al., ‘Global Football’, 20.

31. Go and Van Fenema, ‘Place and space’, 64.

32. Nauright and Ramfjord, ‘American sporting influences’, 428.

33. Conner, ‘Global cultural flows’, 525.

34. Rookwood and Chan, ‘39th game’, 897.

35. Little et al., ‘From International to Global’, 1.

36. Chadwicket al., ‘Soft Power Sponsorship’, 1.

37. Ibid., 1.

38. Nauright and Ramfjord, ‘American sporting influences’, 428.

39. Thani and Heenan, ‘Football increasingly Arabic’, 1012.

40. Sondaal, ‘Football’s grobalization or globalization’, 485.

41. Cornwell and Kwon, ‘Sponsorship-linked marketing’, 607.

42. Yang and Goldfarb, ‘Banning controversial sponsors’, 593.

43. Olson and Thjømøe, ‘Fit construct in sponsorship’, 57.

44. Ludvigsen, ‘Premier League-globalization nexus’, 37.

45. Ibid., 37.

46. Yang and Goldfarb, ‘Banning controversial sponsors’, 593.

47. Jensen et al., ‘Sponsorships English football’, 477.

48. Wimbledon FC is included in the dataset from 1992 until 2004, when the club dissolved.

49. Overall, only 0.93% of the sponsorship observations during 1992 and 2021 had no shirt sponsor.

50. FTSE Russell, ‘Industry Classification Benchmark (ICB)’, https://www.ftserussell.com/data/industry-classification-benchmark-icb

51. Unlucan, ‘Jersey sponsors: industry classification’, 42.

52. Thwaites, ‘Professional Football Sponsorship’, 149.

53. Unlucan, ‘Jersey sponsors: industry classification’, 42.

54. Ginesta, ‘Champions League clubs sponsors’, 66.

55. Naidenova et al., ‘Football sponsorship company performance’, 129.

56. Rookwood and Chan, ‘39th game’, 897.

57. Ludvigsen, ‘Premier League-globalization nexus’, 37.

58. Sondaal, ‘Football’s grobalization or globalization’, 485.

59. Nauright and Ramfjord, ‘American sporting influences’, 428.

60. Chadwicket al., ‘Soft Power Sponsorship’, 1.

61. Thani and Heenan, ‘Football increasingly Arabic’, 1012.

62. Cornwell and Kwon, ‘Sponsorship-linked marketing’, 607.

63. Lopez-Gonzalez and Griffiths, ‘Gamblification English Football’, 404.

64. Yang and Goldfarb, ‘Banning controversial sponsors’, 593.

65. Cornwell and Kwon, ‘Sponsorship-linked marketing’, 607.

66. Jensen et al., ‘Sponsorships in English football’, 477.

67. KPMG, ‘Changing face – Trends’, https://www.footballbenchmark.com/library/the_changing_face_of_football_sponsorship_key_trends

68. Giulianotti, ‘Fans in football’, 25.

69. Go and Van Fenema, ‘Place and space’, 64.

70. Stride et al., ‘Sportswear to Leisurewear’, 156.

71. Seitanidi and Ryan, ‘Critical Review CCI’, 247.

72. Cornwell and Kwon, ‘Sponsorship-linked marketing’, 607.