Premier League shirt sponsorship revenue rises 8% despite gambling ban
Summary
According to research by Ampere Analysis, Premier League clubs increased front-of-shirt sponsorship revenue by 8% to £444 million for the 2026/27 season, despite a ban on gambling sponsors on shirt fronts. Eight clubs replaced £67 million worth of gambling sponsorship deals with new agreements valued at £75 million. The growth was concentrated among the 'Big Six'—Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur—who added £46 million in combined front-of-shirt revenue, with Arsenal's improved Emirates renewal and Chelsea's new full-season deal with Circle being notable contributors. Across the wider league, the departure of West Ham and Wolves and their replacement by newly promoted clubs caused a £16 million reduction, while remaining clubs saw a £4 million increase, resulting in a net league-wide gain of £34 million. Total gambling sponsorship spending across all assets fell by £92 million to £63 million this season, with the number of betting sponsorship deals declining 21%. However, betting brands are finding alternative exposure through training-kit and sleeve sponsorships, now accounting for 57% of training-kit spending (up from 34%) and 20% of sleeve-asset spending (up from 3%). Financial services companies signed three replacement deals worth nearly £35 million, while tech companies contributed £19 million across two deals. Ampere Analysis senior analyst Adam Lewis noted the sponsorship market's resilience, with AI, payments, and trading companies appearing on shirts, but warned that the gap between the 'Big Six' and the rest of the league continues to widen.
(Source:The Economic Times)