Horizm report highlights hugely untapped digital potential for European clubs

Digital assets platform Horizm has outlined in a new report the ‘huge untapped potential’ for digital partnerships across the European football market.

According to the report, brands activated less than five per cent of digital inventory available across Europe’s six elite soccer leagues in the 2021/22 campaign.

The ‘Brands in Football – The Digital Game’ study showed that 682 brands chose to digitally activate partnerships with teams across the Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Portugal’s Primeira Liga this season. However, brands only benefitted from a fraction of the inventory available.

Horizm found that clubs in the six leagues across England, Spain, Italy, Germany, France and Portugal delivered a combined total of €75.6 million ($114.2 million AUD) in activated value for their different partners through content shared on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Yet, that fell well short of the total digital inventory available – which the report puts at more than €1.5 billion ($2.3 billion AUD).

Video game developer EA Sports received the most activated value in total through 22 different properties, putting it ahead of Emirates Airlines and Adidas.

Sportswear giant Adidas was the most active brand by number of posts. Sports drink brand Gatorade was deemed the most efficient in terms of activated value per post.

At a league level, LaLiga clubs collectively had the highest amount of activated value with €26 million ($39.2 million AUD). The Premier League was second with €24.7 million ($37.3 million AUD) and Serie A was third with €15.4 million ($23.2 million AUD).

The Primeira Liga activated the greatest number of posts with over 14,000. Serie A activated the highest percentage of its available inventory with 12.2 per cent.

Horizm concluded that there is a huge opportunity for brands in soccer, especially when targeting content outside of match days which, although consistent and high performing, is also limited in terms of its availability.

The report added that brands can seize the opportunity to leverage the emotional connection fans have with teams through creative activation of behind the scenes content – a format Horizm notes is increasingly used for engaging younger customers.

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AFC aligns with AIAC for improved football dispute resolution

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), highlighting their dedication to fortifying football law and to providing multiple sports dispute resolution pathways in Asia.

The MoU, signed in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Monday, is a three-year agreement which aims to cultivate greater collaboration between the AFC and AIAC.

The agreement is the latest in a long running partnership for the AFC and AIAC. Since 2015, the organisations have cooperated to host seminars, conferences and training programs, focused on educating the public and officials about sports law and dispute resolution.

AFC General Counsel and Director of Legal Affairs, Andrew Mercer, expressed his excitement for the agreement via press release.

“We are delighted to formalise this important collaboration with the AIAC, who share common interests and values to promote academic and practical training in sports specific alternative dispute resolution in Asia,” he said.

AIAC Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Almalena Sharmila Johan, conveyed a similar sentiment.

“As we embark on this partnership, we celebrate the convergence of our expertise, values and dedication to raising the standards of ADR within the sporting community. The ASIAN Sports Arbitration Rules exemplified our commitment to advancing the spirit of justice in the sports industry as a whole, by providing a comprehensive framework for expedient dispute resolution that best preserves fairness and integrity within sports,” she said via press release.

This latest agreement will facilitate the AFC’s and AIAC’s desire to operate a yearly workshop or conference concentrating on sports law.

Both organisations wish to voice a plurality of opinions across Asia to explore conversations about recent sports law trends and developments across the continent and the world.

Additionally, this space would also provide an opportunity to discuss and review best law practices and alternative dispute resolution methods to find new solutions and remedies that will strengthen the future of Asian sports law.

FIFPRO Europe and UEFA sign MoU to enhance players’ influence

UEFA and FIFPRO Europe have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at strengthening players’ influence in European football governance.

As part of the agreement signed by both organisations’ leaders in Paris, a FIFPRO Europe representative will join UEFA’s executive committee starting May 2025.

UEFA has also pledged to consult FIFPRO Europe on decisions affecting players’ employment conditions and any competition reforms that could influence players’ workload.

Additionally, active players and player representatives will take part in a new UEFA Professional Players’ Advisory Forum, set to begin meeting next month to discuss solutions for collective challenges facing professional footballers in Europe.

This three-year MOU will grant footballers and their unions more influence over decisions impacting their work, including match calendar adjustments, playing conditions, and health and safety issues.

The agreement also establishes a framework for FIFPRO Europe and UEFA to work together on initiatives to advance women’s football, focusing on fair employment conditions and minimum standards.

The two organisations will also collaborate on medical research, player education, and awareness campaigns addressing doping and discrimination.

Additional collaboration areas include strengthening stakeholder dialogue at both national and European levels, exploring joint commercial opportunities involving player data and intellectual property rights, and offering support to players who are out of contract.

FIFPRO President, David Terrier, was full of positive thoughts regarding this agreement.

“This agreement is a hugely positive milestone for professional players across Europe. With player representation now anchored at UEFA’s highest level, we are securing a stronger voice for players where it matters most,” he said via press release.

“Our ongoing dialogue with UEFA is already yielding positive results, and this MoU will only strengthen our ability to shape a framework that will advance player welfare and ensure a healthier and more sustainable future for football, where the needs and rights of players shall always be at the forefront, both on and off the pitch.”

UEFA President, Aleksander Ceferin, is confident their relationship with FIFPRO will support the growth of football for all.

“This partnership represents a new era in our relationship with FIFPRO Europe. Players are at the heart of football, and their perspectives must shape the decisions taken,” he said via press release.

“By inviting them to join the UEFA Executive Committee, we are creating a more inclusive future for the game, one in which the topic of player welfare will be at the forefront. This is about making tangible strides to ensure football continues to grow for everyone.”

You can view the MOU here.

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