Source: GlobalData
Heineken leads EMEA alcoholic beverage sector in sponsorship activity and spending in 2024, reveals GlobalData
Posted in Sport
Heineken is the most active and second-largest spender in sports sponsorship within the EMEA region for 2024 with 41 deals. Its major partnership is with UEFA, covering multiple club competitions through the 2026-27 season. This deal, valued at $70 million annually, underscores the Dutch brewing giant’s strategic commitment to leveraging soccer’s global reach, particularly through the UEFA Champions League, reveals GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
Reportedly, Heineken’s three-year agreement with UEFA encompasses the Champions League, Europa Conference League, Super Cup, and Europa League competitions.
GlobalData’s latest report, “Sponsorship Sector Report – Alcoholic Beverages EMEA 2024,” reveals that soccer holds the premier position in sponsorship revenue and deal volume within the alcoholic beverages sector across the EMEA region. Europe-based alcoholic beverage brands are the top spenders in the region.
Olivia Snooks, Sport Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Heineken has been a long-standing partner of the UEFA Champions League since 1994, with the partnership extending through 2027. As Europe’s premier club competition and the world’s most watched, the UEFA Champions League offers Heineken unparalleled global exposure.”
The most significant deal in the alcoholic beverages sector across the EMEA region, in terms of annual value, is the partnership between the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and Paris-based luxury fashion giant LVMH. This collaboration includes Moët Hennessy, a distinguished division of LVMH, supplying its wines and spirits for the Games’ hospitality initiatives. The reported annual value of this agreement stands at $166.40 million.
Snooks continues: “It is important to note that, as the primary arrangement was established with LVMH, the stated value, which is considerably large, does not exclusively represent Moët Hennessy’s individual partnership with the Olympic Games.”
Despite securing just seven deals across the EMEA region, Guinness ranks as the third-largest spender in 2024. Notably, the Diageo-owned brand has partnered with the Premier League, becoming the official beer of the league starting the 2024/25 season. This agreement is valued at an annual $17.19 million.
Snooks concludes: “For years, Guinness has been associated with rugby in the UK. However, 2024 sees the beer brand embarking on a new chapter by partnering with the English Premier League. This agreement marks the Guinness’ foray into soccer sponsorship, with the brand aiming to replicate the success it has enjoyed with rugby.”