Sponsorship and naming rights: Football’s most lucrative stadium naming rights deals

Football, being one of the most expensive games in the world, thrives on sponsorship. Almost every aspect of football is monetized and yields massive annual returns.

Football clubs have gotten paid partnerships with different firms from different sectors, such as airline companies, betting organisations, food firms, etc. Betting organizations seem popular in football because of their pact with the sport and how many fans bet using various online sportsbook alongside other forms of gambling.

A different but not new kind of deal that is a reliable source of revenue for clubs is the sale of stadium naming rights.

What does stadium’s naming rights mean?

Naming rights are a monetary agreement between a club and a firm, individual, or other kinds of enterprise for the right to name their facility. The primary purpose of purchasing naming rights is to promote and publicize a business name or brand. A naming rights contract has a time frame which can end after expiration or be extended based on negotiation.

Examples of clubs with naming rights include: Atlético Madrid, Juventus, Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, etc. Some clubs, especially popular clubs like Tottenham Hotspur, are yet to get naming rights for their stadiums, but they seem open to interested buyers.

Some clubs do not want their stadium names changed because they are perceived to hold so much history that fans cherish, whereas others are picky about the businesses to whom they sell their naming rights due to control and excessive advertising.

Sadly, some clubs, like Los Angeles FC of Major League Soccer, among others, lost their naming rights due to the financial strain the pandemic brought on their sponsors. However, this doesn’t deny the fact that selling naming rights to businesses and interested buyers is one of the fastest growing means of generating revenue for football clubs.

Who are the top earners from the sale of naming rights?

Here are the five top earners from naming rights in ascending order:

1. Besiktas

Turkish league club Besiktas unveiled their stadium in 2013. The stadium’s building estimate was around $120 million. They signed a massive deal worth $145 million for 10 years (that is till 2023 with a possible extension till 2028) with Vodafone, a mobile phone company.