5 most expensive shirt deals in club football right now (2022)
It is often said that the football world is full of money. With mind-boggling wages, football players are one of the highest-earning professionals on the planet. The modern world of football is filled with riches but managing the funds in the right way is no mean feat.
Money plays a vital role in a club’s expansion across all avenues. Clubs fight for trophies not just for glory, but also because they provide a source of revenue that helps in the overall development. But not every club, especially those in the lower leagues, can manage to win a plethora of trophies.
Apart from winning silverware, a football club’s revenue is mainly from broadcasting rights, stadium attendance, and sponsorships. Becoming the shirt sponsor of a prestigious club is a massive deal for businesses as they extend their reach to millions across the world. They have also become etched in memory as part of iconic jerseys over the years.
Here are five teams who have the most expensive shirt sponsorship deals in football:
#5 Bayern Munich - $283 Million
Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich have been one of the strongest teams across Europe for several decades. The Bavarian side have six Champions League titles, 31 Bundesliga titles and 20 German Cups, among other accolades. Bayern are cruising in the Bundesliga this season as well and are six points clear at the top.
Bayern first established their sponsorship deal with Deutsche Telekom (T-Mobile) in 2002. They were previously sponsored by automobile manufacturer Opel. The deal with T-Mobile is worth $283 million. Bayern have stuck with the telecom company and have an agreement until 2023.
In terms of financial value, this deal exceeds all sponsorship agreements among the Bundesliga clubs. Deutsche Telekom took over part of the operation of the Allianz Arena and started the StadiumVision project in 2015. The main feature of this deal was the installation of fiber optic cables and Wi-Fi antennas throughout the stadium.
#4 Barcelona - $324 Million
Barcelona have had a turbulent past few years, with deep-rooted issues emerging across all aspects of the club. The Catalan club were on the verge of bankruptcy and had to resort to reducing their players’ wages. They have had a commendable winter transfer window, however, which may boost their morale. They signed Ferran Torres, Adama Traore and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Rakuten became the main shirt sponsor for Barcelona in 2017 after the club ended a six-year partnership with Qatar Airways. The Rakuten partnership worth $324 million was planned for four years with an option for a one-year extension.
According to ESPN journalist @Elwood_White, FC Barcelona will look for a new jersey sponsor when the deal with Rakuten expires next year. They want to increase the value of the contract, currently worth 30m. https://t.co/3pi9yFj03t
With financial troubles already tormenting Barca, they took another blow to their bank when Rakuten announced they were reducing the money earlier offered. They were reportedly unhappy with the management of the club, and Barca now face a loss of close to $34 million. Barca will be on the lookout for a new sponsorship once the 2021-22 season concludes.