How Football Shirt Sponsors Went From Local Brews to Tech Giants
Shirt sponsorship changed football forever. It started as a cheeky workaround. Now it's massive money that keeps clubs alive. Let's break it down, easy style.
Quick Hits
- First ever sponsor: Jägermeister on Eintracht Braunschweig in 1973.
- Liverpool kicked it off in England with Hitachi in 1979.
- Real Madrid held out longest among the big boys – finally caved in 1982.
- Today's top deals hit £50-70 million a year.
- Tech companies are taking over from airlines and beer brands.
When did shirts first get sponsors?
1973. German side Eintracht Braunschweig did it first. Their president also ran Jägermeister. He swapped the club crest for the stag logo. Clever loophole. Deal was worth about €50k in today's money.
England tried earlier with Kettering Town in 1976, but the FA shut it down fast. Liverpool became the first big English club in 1979 with Hitachi.
Why do football shirts even have sponsors?
Money. Pure and simple. Top clubs pull in £40-70 million a year from the chest logo alone. That pays for transfers, wages, everything.
For the sponsor? Billions watch Premier League games. Fans buy millions of replica shirts. You're basically a walking advert for the brand.
Who was the Premier League's first title sponsor?
Carling. Beer brand. £12 million over four years when the league launched in 1992. They stuck around until 2001.
After that it was Barclaycard, then Barclays. Since 2016 there's no title sponsor – just “Premier League”.
The Early Days
It all kicked off in Germany. Eintracht Braunschweig swapped their lion crest for Jägermeister's stag in 1973. Genius move.
By 1975 most Bundesliga clubs had sponsors. England was slower – the FA banned it until 1977.
Jägermeister paid roughly €50k (today's money) for that first deal.
England Joins In
Liverpool led the way in 1979 with Hitachi. Arsenal got JVC in 1981. Man United signed Sharp in 1982. By mid-80s every top club had one.
Rest of Europe
Italy jumped in quick – Juventus with Ariston in 1981. Real Madrid held out longest but finally took Zanussi in 1982.
Iconic Partnerships
Some sponsor/club combos just feel right.
Man United + Sharp (1982-2000). Liverpool + Carlsberg (1992-2010). Arsenal + Emirates (2006-now).
Those Sharp shirts? Pure 90s United dominance. Carlsberg? Istanbul 2005 vibes forever.
How the Money Grew
1970s: tens of thousands. 1990s: a few million. Now? Top deals are £50-70M a year.
| Club | Sponsor (2025) | Approx Value |
|---|---|---|
| Real Madrid | Emirates | £70M |
| Man City | Etihad | £67M |
| Barcelona | Spotify | £57M |
| Liverpool | Standard Chartered | £50M |
| Arsenal | Emirates | £50M |
| Man United | TeamViewer | £47M |
Tech Takes Over
Used to be beer, electronics, airlines. Now it's tech giants: Spotify, TeamViewer, etc. Over 40% of Premier League shirts have tech sponsors in 2025.
Why Collectors Love Sponsored Shirts
That sponsor logo instantly takes you back. Sharp = Cantona era. Carlsberg = Istanbul miracle.
Match-worn classics from big moments sell for thousands. Even replicas from iconic seasons are hot.
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