FootballcoOchs, who is head of global football partnerships for Allianz, was a guest on the podcast to talk about the company’s football strategy, why stadium sponsorship in the Premier League is set to increase in the coming years and more.
Listen to the full show below, or click here.
AllianzThe Allianz brand can be seen on seven football stadiums, including Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena (75,024 capacity) and Palmeiras' Allianz Parque (43,713), as well as more modest venues, such as Minnesota United FC's Allianz Field (19,400) and SK Rapid Wien's Allianz Stadion (28,000).
There’s currently no Allianz-branded stadium in the Premier League, but with stadium sponsorship less prevalent in the UK than the U.S. and Germany, Ochs thinks fans might start seeing more branded stadiums soon.
“It's a trend. We see also in the whole European world, let's say it's a trend and it will increase for sure, but it also depends on a lot of facts and figures as well. Also, brands here and there might not be willing or willing to risk this to name a venue because as already mentioned, it's always a thin line, especially when talking about renaming venues.
“But the thing also is in Germany, specifically, I would say is that over the last, let's say decade, a lot of new venues have been built in Germany. Let's say the last two decades, also for the World Cup in 2006 in Germany and stuff like that, the venues really have been rebuilt. With that, they lost their maybe traditional flavour here and there and the willingness to rename those venues was there for brands."
Getty Images Ochs expects to see an increase in stadium sponsorship in the UK in the coming years, but believes tradition and the strength of feeling from supporters makes it more difficult than in other countries.
However, with more and more clubs looking to build new grounds - or extensively renovate their current homes - opportunities to sell naming rights should only grow over the next decade.
He added: “England is a bit specific because I feel most of the venues there, if they get renovated, they purely renovated on their specific locations there, right? So, like talking about Old Trafford, if you will. So having been there, it's such a traditional ground. And it is there for ages. Also in the perception of the fans and the supporters, right?
"So go in there and rename that might be very, very controversial. That being said, I think brands are not willing to risk that, but I think in the future and the trend shows us as well, there will be naming partnerships also increasing in the UK for sure.”
