Brand Marketing Strategies for Sports Events: The English Premier

League as an Example

Peixiao He

Moray House, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9YL, U.K.

Keywords: English Premier League, Brand Marketing Strategies, Commercialization, Fan Engagement.

Abstract: With the rapid commercialization of sports, the English Premier League (EPL) has emerged as the most

commercially successful football league globally. This study explores the EPL's branding strategies and

identifies their effectiveness. The EPL has implemented global outreach through television broadcast

partnerships, international tours, and regional market development, particularly in Asia and North America,

enhancing its global popularity and revenue. Social media platforms are central to engaging fans, with video

and photo content fostering emotional connections, especially among younger audiences. Sponsorship

partnerships play a critical role, as collaborations with brands like Nike and Coca-Cola, as well as betting

companies, contribute significantly to the league’s financial success. The use of iconic players and coaches

as brand ambassadors, such as Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah, further solidifies its appeal. Emotional

marketing strategies, including fan activities and stadium experiences, strengthen fans' loyalty to the league’s

culture. However, challenges such as over-commercialization and resource allocation persist. In conclusion,

the EPL sets a global benchmark for sports branding through innovative marketing strategies, providing

valuable insights for other leagues.

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

1.1.1 Global Commercialization of Sporting

Events

With the rapid development of the global sports

industry, the commercialization of sports events is

also accelerating. In recent years, sports has gradually

become an important industry in the global market,

and more and more sports industries are promoting

their globalization and developing international

operating models (Bugaevskiy, 2011). Under this

background, branding is not only a simple marketing

strategy, but also a core driver for enhancing the

overall commercial value of the sports industry. The

English Premier League is the top league in England

and Wales, one of the most popular sports leagues in

the world, and the most commercially developed

league in Europe. In addition, the Premier League is

a very representative sports event, and the Premier

League has long invested a lot of energy, time, and

resources in branding and marketing, therefore it is an

ideal research subject (Manoli, 2020).

1.1.2 The Brand Effect of the English

Premier League

A brand is a tangible and intangible attribute

symbolized by a trademark, and proper operation can

ensure its value and influence (Todor, 2014). The

importance of sports brands has long been accepted,

as it allows teams and leagues to establish a positive

connection with supporters, thereby cultivating long-

term loyalty. Giroux et al. believe that a strong brand

can lead to more media exposure, higher attendance,

more sales of peripheral goods, and more interest

from potential sponsors (Dehdashti et al., 2012). The

Premier League attracts millions of viewers

worldwide, with matches broadcast in more than 200

countries. The league's brand value is reflected in

advertising revenue, copyright sales, sponsor

partnerships and more. The Premier League's brand

value lies not only in the event itself, but also in its

global fan base and brand identity.

He, P.

Brand Marketing Strategies for Sports Events: The English Premier League as an Example.

DOI: 10.5220/0014086800004942

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Applied Psychology and Marketing Management (APMM 2025), pages 131-136

ISBN: 978-989-758-791-7

131

1.2 Significance of the Study

As one of the most successful and popular soccer

leagues in the world, the English Premier League has

demonstrated the standard in brand marketing.

Therefore, exploring the brand marketing strategy of

the English Premier League is of great reference and

guidance for the commercialization of global sports

events. Analyzing the reasons for the success of the

brand marketing of the Premier League helps to

understand how sports events can gain sustainable

development and enhance commercial revenue

through branding. However, despite the Premier

League's remarkable success in brand marketing,

there are some shortcomings in its strategy, and by

analyzing the shortcomings of its existing strategy, it

can also make suggestions for future

commercialization development.

1.3 Research Questions

This study aims to answer the following questions:

What are the key aspects of the Premier League's

brand marketing strategies?

How does the Premier League utilize these

strategies to increase its global reach and commercial

value?

What are the implications of the Premier League's

brand marketing strategies for other sporting events?

2 ANALYSIS OF THE BRAND

MARKETING STRATEGY OF

THE ENGLISH PREMIER

LEAGUE

2.1 Brand Identification and

Characterization of the Premier

League

Brand is the most important aspect of marketing

services and the pillar of the competitive game, which

needs to be carefully managed by the company, brand

identity and brand characterization are two of the

most essential characteristics (Keshtidar et al., 2018).

Brand identity is the essence of a brand, it makes a

promise to the customer and expresses the meaning

of the brand and with the right brand identity it can

increase the loyalty of the customer to the brand

(Giroux et al., 2017). As one of the most popular and

commercially valuable soccer leagues in the world,

the English Premier League has a highly recognizable

brand, which includes the Premier League's iconic

lion's head logo, the league's color (purple), and a

uniform font design. These designs are widely used

in the Premier League's promotions, stadium signage,

media coverage and merchandising, successfully

conveying the league's brand spirit and premium

image. In addition, trademarks are one of the

company's assets that can contribute to the company's

success in the market and increase its value

(Sääksjärvi and Samiee, 2011). The Premier League's

iconic lion's head logo symbolizes strength and

leadership, and this design not only highlights the

Premier League's status as a top league, but also

enhances the brand's memorability. Through this

highly recognizable branding, the Premier League

strengthens its connection with its customers and

clarifies the league's identity.

The Premier League brand also has a distinctive

character. The Premier League is known for the

intensity of its matches and the unpredictability of the

results. Unlike other leagues, where the

championship is often dominated by one or two

teams, the Premier League's “Big 6” (Manchester

United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal,

Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur) are all highly

competitive, with the points difference between the

top few teams in the league being very small. This

competitiveness keeps the league fresh and attracts

fans around the world. Premier League matches are

fast-paced and physically intense, putting players'

physical fitness, technical skills and mentality to the

test. This high-level competitive environment

enhances the watchability of the game. In addition,

even teams ranked lower on the table can often upset

the stronger teams (e.g. Bournemouth defeating

Arsenal). This uncertainty makes every game full of

suspense and enhances the attractiveness of watching

the game. Another distinctive feature of the Premier

League brand is its high level.

The Premier League attracts many of the world's

top players, and their presence raises the overall level

and attention of the league: Erling Haaland of

Manchester City, for example, attracted the attention

of countless fans when he broke the Premier League's

single-season scoring record with 36 league goals in

the 2022/23 season. Liverpool's Mohamed Salah is a

representative figure of African players, and his speed

and skill are deeply loved. The Premier League not

only attracts top players, but also world-class

coaching teams, such as Pep Guardiola at Manchester

City and Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool. They have

provided fans with many classic duels over the years.

Although Klopp left Liverpool in 2024, his final

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Premier League duel with Guardiola attracted a lot of

attention from fans.

2.2 Branding and Media

Communication

As one of the most influential soccer leagues in the

world, the success of the English Premier League not

only relies on the high level of competition and strong

team strength, but also lies in its excellent brand

promotion and media communication strategy. By

cooperating with TV stations and media platforms all

over the world, the Premier League has spread the

game to all corners of the world and attracted a large

number of international fans. Since the top-flight

league was reorganized in 1992, the Premier League's

broadcasting revenues have been growing

phenomenally, and in the cycle of 2019-2022, the

Premier League has gained broadcasting revenues of

about £3 billion per year (Stan, 2020). In addition, the

Premier League has adopted a strategy of selling

television broadcasting rights on a sub-regional basis,

and has entered into long-term partnership

agreements with top sports media outlets around the

world, including Sky Sports, BT Sport, and NBC

Sports. In today's era of advanced broadcasting

technology, the Premier League is also looking to

partner with Netflix, HBO Go, Showtime, Spotify,

Amazon Prime, or other similar giants, and despite

the possible expenses and financial risks, the Premier

League is still looking to capitalize on such an

opportunity to bring a better viewing experience to its

viewers (Stan, 2020).

The Premier League is also actively utilizing

social media to expand its reach. In the sports

industry, social media is suitable for connecting with

fans and bringing emotions closer (Stavros et al.,

2014). The Premier League actively utilizes social

media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter,

Facebook, and TikTok for brand promotion and fan

interaction. This is mainly reflected in Premier

League clubs. For instance, Manchester United is

among the teams with the largest global fanbase. By

2019, it had over 73 million fans on Facebook. An

analysis of Manchester United’s Facebook posts

revealed that more than 50% of its content focused on

players, coaches, or game announcements.

Additionally, Premier League teams generally post

four types of social media content: text, videos,

photos, and links. Video content accounted for the

largest share, approximately 38% (Tasevski, 2019).

This highlights the Premier League’s effective use of

diverse social media formats to engage fans. Ins is

another popular entertainment platform for the public.

There is a study that shows that Instagram is the social

media that the public spends the most time on social

media and the majority of users are younger

generations (Kunst, 2022). Manchester United and

Liverpool are two of the oldest teams in the English

Premier League. They also have a high engagement

on Instagram, both teams take advantage of their

impressive track record and long history. They post

content that is mostly related to their history and their

stadiums, among other things, as a way to reinforce

their team’s brands. Both teams also frequently post

content related to charity, providing fans with a new

way of communicating with the club

(Anagnostopoulos et al., 2018). Despite the slight

differences in the proportion of different content, this

shows the consistency of what the Premier League's

big clubs are posting on social media.

The branding strategy of the Premier League is

also focused on the global market. The Premier

League regularly organizes tours for teams in North

America and Australia. These events not only provide

local fans with the opportunity to get up close and

personal with the teams and stars, but also deepen the

emotional identification of fans with the league and

teams through real brand experiences. In addition,

Premier League teams are now using more non-

British-born players, and more and more Asian

players are joining the league, such as Son Heung-

min of South Korea and Kaoru Toma of Japan, which

creates conditions for the promotion of the Premier

League in Asia.

However, the Premier League faces a number of

problems and challenges in the allocation of

broadcasting resources, with the vast majority of

Premier League trophies going to the traditional Big

6 clubs (Manchester United, Manchester City,

Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Tottenham

Hotspur). This has led to a concentration of

broadcasting resources on these big clubs, making it

difficult for some of the smaller clubs to access

funding, and ultimately leading to an increasing gap

between the league's teams (Maguire, 2024).

2.3 Sponsored Partnerships and Brand

Endorsers

The Premier League places a high priority on

partnering with sponsors and the use of brand

endorsers in brand marketing. Soccer clubs and

leagues derive their commercial revenue mainly from

sponsors (Ireland et al., 2024). The Premier League

has a large and multi-level sponsorship system,

covering different categories and industries of the

world's leading companies. These sponsors include

Brand Marketing Strategies for Sports Events: The English Premier League as an Example

133

Nike, Budweiser, Coca-Cola, HSBC, Barclays, and

others. The relationship between the Premier League

and its sponsors is a win-win situation. Nike, as the

official sports equipment supplier, not only provides

teams with matchwear and training equipment, but

also enhances the overall image of the Premier

League through its strong brand influence. As the

official ball supplier of the Premier League, Nike

enhances its brand influence through the high

exposure of the league through stadium

advertisements, brand displays and co-branded

merchandise promotion. Budweiser, as the official

beer supplier of the Premier League, enhanced its

brand presence and visibility through the exclusive

naming of the matching lounge and the post-match

best-player contest. Partnerships with betting

companies are also the most common form of

sponsorship for soccer leagues (Bunn et al., 2019). Of

the 20 teams in the Premier League, a significant

number of clubs have shirt sponsorship deals with

betting companies. Branding displays on the chest of

the jersey are the most visually appealing form of

advertising that directly captures the viewer's

attention. For example, West Ham United's

partnership with Betway and Newcastle United's

partnership with Fun88 have successfully raised

brand awareness in the global betting market by

leveraging the global reach of the Premier League. In

addition to shirt sponsorships, bookmakers are also

boosting brand exposure through advertising

placement during Premier League matches. For

example, betting companies' brand logos and

promotional slogans appear frequently on LED

billboards around the stadiums and in advertisements

on live broadcasts of matches. However, frequent

collaboration with betting companies can also have

adverse effects and may have a negative impact on

children (Bunn et al., 2019). The Premier League has

sparked controversy by partnering with sponsors

from some less healthy industries such as alcohol and

beverages. Partnering with some beverage and

unhealthy diet industry sponsors is likely to have a

bad example for children (Ireland et al., 2024). In

addition, many unhealthy advertisements are

frequently aired on televised broadcasts, but there is

no mention of the possible negative effects of any of

the products (Cassidy and Ovenden, 2017). Although

these warning signs are not always effective, such

measures should be taken.

In the brand marketing strategy of the Premier

League, brand endorsers are mainly well-known

players and coaches. They play an important role. Fan

consumption is an important part of the market and

many consumers tend to buy brands endorsed by their

idols (Chen et al., 2022). The Premier League has

many iconic players such as Salah of Liverpool,

Haaland of Manchester City and Saka of Arsenal.

These stars often become the target of major brands

competing for partnership. For example, Erling

Haaland is the face of Nike and has also been

involved in advertising with Huawei. He has also

signed a deal with sports drink brand Leisure Drink

to promote healthy drink products. Bucayo Saka

endorses New Balance and is one of the faces of the

Pepsi Cola campaign. His image is often seen in

various beverage advertisements, especially during

major tournaments. These soccer stars not only attract

millions of spectators on the pitch, but also bring

great branding effects to the league and sponsors

through their personal influence and large fan bases

on social media.

2.4 Fan Experience and Emotional

Connection

Emotional marketing is an important part of the

Premier League's brand strategy. The Premier League

aims to enhance the emotional connection between

fans and the league by creating a positive emotional

experience. As the place where fans come into most

contact with the club, the home stadium has become

an iconic symbol (Ramshaw, 2019). Stadium tours at

Premier League clubs are becoming increasingly

popular. In the 2018 season, Manchester United's

home stadium Old Trafford became the most popular

paid attraction in Manchester, attracting a total of

about 319,000 visitors. In 2019, Liverpool FC

became the most visited stadium tour and museum in

the UK, attracting a total of about 340,000 visitors to

Anfield that year. In addition, since the 2020 season,

only Crystal Palace has not opened its stadium for

tours in the Premier League. Premier League teams

have also enriched stadium tours with non-football-

related elements, such as the launch of the “Brave

Skywalk” by Tottenham Hotspur, which has become

a well-known attraction in London (Tobar and

Ramshaw, 2022). The Premier League has worked

closely with the UK Tourism Board to promote the

country of football as a symbol of the UK and attract

tourists to the UK. A survey in 2019 showed that

international football fans prefer to travel to the UK

to watch the Premier League. For Chinese football

fans, coming to the UK to watch a Premier League

match is a perfect experience (Tobar and Ramshaw,

2022). In addition, the Premier League has

strengthened its emotional connection with fans by

communicating team culture and brand stories. For

example, Liverpool's “You'll Never Walk Alone”

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spirit and Manchester United's “Red Devils” image

have become brand symbols that provide fans with a

sense of belonging and identity. However, there are

also some disadvantages due to the large number of

people visiting the stadium. Some local supporters

believe that the large number of tourists can harm the

matchday experience and cause environmental

problems around the stadium. In addition, too many

tourists may lead to excessive commercialization,

such as ticket price increases and a decline in the

quality of food and drinks in the stadium. In the

future, the Premier League needs to combine the

wishes of tourists with those of local supporters.

3 CONCLUSION

3.1 Summary of the Study

This article has found that the Premier League has

successfully established itself as the world's most

commercially valuable football league through a

series of innovative and effective brand marketing

strategies. At the same time, the Premier League has

actively promoted its globalization strategy. Through

extensive television broadcast partnerships, overseas

tours, and in-depth development of the Asian and

North American markets, the league's international

popularity and market appeal have been significantly

enhanced. The Premier League also makes full use of

social media to interact with fans. The flexible use of

content such as videos and pictures has strengthened

the emotional connection with younger audiences.

Sponsorship partnerships are one of the core

elements of the Premier League's brand value. The

league's collaborations with international brands such

as Nike and Coca-Cola, as well as the deep

involvement of betting companies in jersey and venue

advertising, have brought considerable revenue to the

league. In addition, the league has further

strengthened its global brand appeal by using star

players and coaches as brand ambassadors, such as

Haaland and Salah.

Emotional marketing is also an important factor in

the success of the Premier League. Through a wealth

of fan activities, brand stories and stadium

experiences, the league has strengthened fans' sense

of belonging to the teams and culture. However, with

the growth of the number of fans, the problems of

over-commercialization and uneven allocation of

stadium resources also need to be addressed.

In short, the Premier League has set a benchmark

for sports event brand marketing through a global

perspective, digital interaction, in-depth sponsorship

cooperation and emotional marketing with fans,

providing important reference and inspiration for

other sports leagues.

3.2 Limitations of the Study and

Future Research

This study relies heavily on a literature analysis

method, extracting information and insights from

existing literature and secondary data to analyze the

brand marketing strategies of Premier League clubs

and the reasons for their success. While this method

can systematically summarize existing research, it

also has certain limitations, such as a lack of primary

data support. To compensate for this, future research

could design fan surveys to explore the actual impact

of different marketing strategies on fan behavior and

attitudes. In addition, industry interviews could be

conducted to collect insights from club management,

sponsors and other stakeholders to obtain more

comprehensive data on marketing effectiveness. This

first-hand information will help to verify the

conclusions of the current study and provide more

compelling insights.

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