Marketing & Sponsorship

Nike nabs early lead over Adidas in Women’s World Cup gear sales

Published

2 months ago

July 26, 2023

SMI

Among the battles of the brands at the Women’s World Cup, no showdown likely means more dollar-wise than the one playing out between Adidas and Nike.

Each sees soccer as a key cog in its business, and the sport produced sales of $25 billion and $51 billion for the companies, respectively, over their most recent four quarters.

At the moment, Nike appears to be winning.

“Nike is selling out of World Cup merchandise faster and at a higher price point than Adidas,” Refinitiv director of consumer research Jharonne Martis said in an email. “The latter has been offering higher promotions for its World Cup merchandise. This suggests that Nike is better poised to gain higher profits from the Women’s World Cup.”

As of a week ago, just ahead of the tournament’s kickoff, Nike was enjoying a sellout rate on 11% of its World Cup merchandise, compared to 4% for Adidas, according to Martis’ research, which stems from a partnership between Centric Pricing, a collector of pricing and sales data, and London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), owner of Refinitiv as well as other financial services and information businesses.

Adidas is an official sponsor of the WWC, which is taking place in Australia and New Zealand. But both companies sell World Cup-related merchandise by virtue of their team sponsorships. Adidas sponsors 10 of the teams in the tournament, while Nike claims 13. (Puma is a distant third with two teams while a clutch of other brands sponsor one squad.) Teams generating the most sellouts are Adidas’ Argentina and Nike’s Brazil, England and France.

According to Martis, the research found 65% of national team merchandise on sale at Adidas with an average discount rate of 25% off list price, while Nike appears to be holding the line on prices better, with 16% of its team merchandise on sale with an average markdown of 4%.

However, discounting doesn’t tell the whole story—as any shopper knows, sometimes the list price is there just to make the actual price seem like a better deal. Such might be the case with Adidas, which the Centric-LSEG analysis says is starting with an $84 average price for shirts and jerseys—the bulk of merch sales—compared to Nike, which has an average list price of $78. The researchers tallied 846 “fan gear” items from Nike across the 17 teams it sponsors, and 354 products for the 17 “national teams” Adidas supports.

The Women’s World Cup merchandise trends seem to carry over from the men’s version of the quadrennial tournament last fall. In the first two weeks of the Qatar World Cup, Nike enjoyed a sellout rate of 23% compared to 11% for Adidas, according to a December analysis by Refinitiv done in conjunction with StyleSage. During that period Nike had a much higher average selling price than Adidas, $71 versus $46.

With both World Cups, each company sees making a big impression important both for immediate sales and long-term brand awareness. Nike CEO John Donahue told analysts at the end of June that the company saw double-digit growth in its global soccer business thanks in part to excitement about the Women’s World Cup. “Nike,” he said, “is proud to partner with more federations in the tournament than any other brand, and we’ve matched that energy with our most comprehensive women’s football collection ever.”

For his part, Adidas CEO Bjorn Gulden told analysts in early May that soccer remains a strong suit for the company. “We look very, very good for ’24 in football. Women’s football gained importance,” Gulden said. “I do think we have to own soccer around the world.”

Marketing & Sponsorship

Leicester City forge partnership with Khelraja

Published

5 days ago

September 25, 2023

SMI

The English Football League Championship unit, Leicester City have announced a partnership with Asia’s renowned real-money gaming brand, Khelraja.

Following this deal, the brand has been labelled as the official partner of the side. The association includes Khelraja facilitating predictions for all competitive and friendly fixtures played by the team for all the fans throughout the Asian continent.

In addition, Khelraja will receive exposure through online, social media and offline brand activations with Leicester City.

Speaking of the association, Viren Modi, CEO, Khelraja, said, “Over the last few years, Leicester City FC has emerged as one of the most adored clubs in the world. The team’s fairytale run, which saw it crowned English Premier League champions in 2015-16, captured global imagination and attention. Over the years, it has steadily built a strong fan base in Asia thanks to its ownership and, today, rivals top Premier League clubs such as Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool in terms of popularity in the region. We are delighted to partner with Leicester City FC as its official Asian betting partner and provide sports fans across Asia with the opportunity to pursue unique reward-based engagement with the club beyond just viewing.”

Khelraja offers a wide range of genres, including sports betting, live casino games, and esports. In around two years, the brand has established itself in Thailand and Indonesia. The brand is among the largest in its field, with licenses for significant foreign markets such as Japan and Africa on the horizon.

Prior to this deal, Khelraja also developed associations with Sevilla FC and Juventus. On the other hand, the EFL side has inked a collaboration with Marc Darcy while also signing sponsorship extensions with King Power and Parimatch.

Playing in the second division of English football, Leicester City have currently acquired the topmost position on the table with 18 points. The side will next take on Blackburn Rovers on October 1.

Marketing & Sponsorship

Amokachi, Eguavoen, Others Calls For Support As 40 Lagos Community Teams Battle For 1×BET Football Cup

Published

5 days ago

September 25, 2023

SMI

Forty grassroots football teams drawn from different communities of Lagos State are set to battle for the maiden edition of the prestigious 1×BET football competition.

The 40 teams expected to feature in the competition for non-league sides have been pooled into 5 conferences of 8 teams each.

At the glamourous and welI attended draws and unveiling ceremony held at the highbrow Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, Chief Executive Officer of Match International Limited organisers of the event, Engr. Waidi Akanni, disclosed that beyond responding to its avowed Corporate Social Responsibility programmes, the sponsors of the football competition, 1×BET, are committed to the development of Nigerian football, particularly, at the grassroots levels.

Chairman of 1×BET, Dr. Femi Babalola, was enthusiastic about the objectives of his company, as it concerns its aims, which are tailored towards a holistic development of football in Nigeria, as well as, the needs to use his company as a platform to satisfy and reward the passion of football fans across the country.

Technical Director of Nigeria Football Federation, Austin Eguavoen, praised the sponsors for taking up the initiative to support and develop grassroots football in Nigeria. The former captain and coach of the Super Eagles, regretted the lack of si.ilar opportunities and sponsorship for grassroots football during his playing days. He went on to admonish corporate organisations to join the fray by supporting the development of grassroots football in the country.

Super Eagles legendary striker, Daniel Amokachi, was particularly full of praises for the organisers and the sponsors of the competition. Even as he recalled the glorious days of Nigerian football and how much it positively impacted on the unity, love and peaceful co-existence of the people.

Present at the unveiling ceremony of the competition that is expected to begin October 3, 2023, at the popular Nitel Training ground, Oshodi, were former Nigerian international players such as Henry Nwosu, Friday Ekpo, Victor Agali, Wasiu Ipaye, Loveday Omoruyi and Taiwo Oloyede.

Others include Former Super Eagles coach and renowned football administrator, Chief Fanny Amun, Franklin Howard, Friday Elahor, Benson Edema, Akeem Ishola, David Apelete Dosu and Monday Kanu.

Marketing & Sponsorship

MTN Nigeria Named Exclusive Telecommunications Partner For NPFL Live

Published

1 week ago

September 20, 2023

SMI

Following the recent announcement of the Joint Venture between the Nigeria Premier League Ltd, GTI and Propel Sports Africa to stream Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) games live, Propel Sports is delighted to announce that it has entered a deal with MTN Nigeria for the exclusive broadcast of the games on mobile devices on the MTN Network.

The streaming will cover eight live games each weekend, which will translate to over 300 games per season.

Basil Kabbani, Chairman of Propel Sports Africa stated: “The engagement with the team at MTN has been amazing, from the Digital VAS, to the Marketing and Commercial team, their approach has been consistently professional, and their enthusiasm for the NPFL content has been infectious. From the very start of our negotiations, we knew MTN was the right partner to give our great content, the platform it deserves.”

The deal, concluded by Propel Sports Africa President, Edward Simons and MTN Chief Operating Officer Hassan Jabar, will include in-and-post-game highlights delivered in real time to MTN subscribers through the NPFL Live OTT platform.

Propel Sports Africa’s in-Country Director Victor Okobi commented, “I cannot think of a better network than MTN to showcase the best of Nigerian soccer on NPFL-Live”.

“We are excited about this opportunity to deliver entertaining content to our subscribers. It is a testament to our commitment to sports development in Nigeria. We know Nigerians love football and we are glad to partner with Propel Sports Africa and GTI to deliver Nigerian Premier League matches in high definition to our customers. We are confident that this partnership will transform the reception and appreciation of the Nigeria Premier Football League,” said Hassan Jaber, Chief Operating Officer, MTN Nigeria.

Commenting for GTI, the Group Managing Director, Abubakar Lawal stated:

“This is the testimonial of the journey of the NPFL to the global space. The partnership is very good for the football ecosystem of Nigeria as we strive to deploy technology and efficient solutions to create value for all the stakeholders and other prospective partners of the league.”

Commenting for NPFL, the Chairman Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, stated:

“The Nigeria Premier Football League is excited about the partnership potentials to elevate the league’s visibility and engagement. We are thrilled to welcome MTN as our exclusive telecommunications partner. Their expertise and commitment to innovation align seamlessly with our vision for the league.

“With MTN’s support, we look forward to not only reaching a wider audience but also enhancing the overall experience for our dedicated fans. This groundbreaking collaboration marks a significant milestone in the realms of sports and technology, promising an elevated viewing experience for football enthusiasts across the nation.

“The partnership underscores a shared commitment to bringing the excitement of football closer to the hearts of millions of Nigerians. The partnership will also redefine how football is experienced, engaging fans in every goal, tackle and victory with unparalleled clarity and convenience.”