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Barcelona is the power brand in football
Pan-European - 28 November, 2006
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Spanish Barcelona is the number one "power brand" in football, according to a list by London-based sponsorship agency Global Sponsors.
The European Cup champions went ahead of English Premier League club Manchester United.
The list, released at the Soccerex business and sport conference in Dubai, ranked Spanish Real Madrid third with English Chelsea, Italian AC Milan, and German Bayern Munich following.
English clubs Arsenal and Liverpool, and Italian Inter Milan and French Lyon round out the top 10.
The sponsorship agency compiled the list using a survey of 100 contacts and clients.
Using a points system, respondents ranked clubs on items including history of winning competitions, quality of current sponsors, matchday attendance, profile of the club's manager and the quality and capacity of their stadium.
"Barcelona's international appeal has been enhanced by global icons such as Ronaldinho and manager Frank Rijkaard, who are widely recognised," said Global Sponsors commercial director Michael Stirling. "The club has developed innovative ways of reaching a global audience."
That Manchester United was rated high surprised some.
"Manchester United were perhaps an unlikely candidate to finish so far up in the survey given the lack of success in recent times and widespread negative publicity the club has suffered since the hostile (Malcolm) Glazer takeover," Stirling said. "However, respondents acknowledged that it is not easy to build a truly global brand and United were well on their way to doing so before the distraction of the takeover."
Stirling said recent success on the pitch had improved perceptions, while players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney enhance brand value and recognition.
"No club can compete with the success of Real Madrid's sporting success of winning the European Cup nine times, which entitles it to finish in the top three," Stirling said. "Its purchases of world class players or at least world class marketing icons such as David Beckham, Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo, has brought with it a global fan base."
The European Cup champions went ahead of English Premier League club Manchester United.
The list, released at the Soccerex business and sport conference in Dubai, ranked Spanish Real Madrid third with English Chelsea, Italian AC Milan, and German Bayern Munich following.
English clubs Arsenal and Liverpool, and Italian Inter Milan and French Lyon round out the top 10.
The sponsorship agency compiled the list using a survey of 100 contacts and clients.
Using a points system, respondents ranked clubs on items including history of winning competitions, quality of current sponsors, matchday attendance, profile of the club's manager and the quality and capacity of their stadium.
"Barcelona's international appeal has been enhanced by global icons such as Ronaldinho and manager Frank Rijkaard, who are widely recognised," said Global Sponsors commercial director Michael Stirling. "The club has developed innovative ways of reaching a global audience."
That Manchester United was rated high surprised some.
"Manchester United were perhaps an unlikely candidate to finish so far up in the survey given the lack of success in recent times and widespread negative publicity the club has suffered since the hostile (Malcolm) Glazer takeover," Stirling said. "However, respondents acknowledged that it is not easy to build a truly global brand and United were well on their way to doing so before the distraction of the takeover."
Stirling said recent success on the pitch had improved perceptions, while players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney enhance brand value and recognition.
"No club can compete with the success of Real Madrid's sporting success of winning the European Cup nine times, which entitles it to finish in the top three," Stirling said. "Its purchases of world class players or at least world class marketing icons such as David Beckham, Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo, has brought with it a global fan base."
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