At the Heart of Everyday Team Life: How Training Wear Partnerships give brands genuine access
Published on
by Mara Kottke
A Hidden Champion of Sponsorships
More and more international football teams are featuring different sponsors on their training or warm-up kits than on their traditional match shirts. In Germany, however, this form of sponsorship has been largely overlooked and underutilised so far, despite offering companies and rights holders numerous advantages.
In this Insight, we explore the strategic and economic significance of sponsoring football teams' training wear, how it is already being successfully implemented internationally, and the opportunities it offers to Bundesliga clubs.
In this Insight:
In the early 2000s, football clubs’ training wear did not feature dedicated sponsors - but since then, this space has become an integral part of sponsorship assets, especially for international clubs.
The catalyst for this change came in 2011 from none other than Manchester United, who brokered a groundbreaking deal: Logistics company DHL paid around £40 million for a four-year partnership on training wear - more than almost any shirt sponsor in the Premier League at the time, and just under half of what ManU received annually from its main sponsor, Aon.
The Value of Training Wear Deals
A training kit has a much broader scope than just the matchday warm-up. While the matchday kit tends to attracht the most attention, the training kit is typically used six days a week. This means:
Continuous visibility: Training sessions, press conferences, and behind-the-scenes footage give brands a presence that extends far beyond the game.
Exclusivity of content: Training footage usually belongs to the club, rather than the league or TV broadcasters. This makes it particularly attractive to sponsors, as clubs can use this content freely and without restrictions on social media.
Authenticity: Training wear partnerships offer brands a genuine platform on which to convey values such as community, motivation and passion, which are often associated with football.
Best Cases from the Premier League
Manchester City x OKX
The crypto company OKX was the Citizens' exclusive training wear partner in the 2022/23 season. The logo was visible at every training session and across numerous social media platforms. Special fan activations, such as 'Mixing in the Metaverse' (a DJ set by Oliver Heldens and Jack Grealish), helped to forge an emotional connection with the global community.
Chelsea FC x Trivago
The online travel portal was a sponsor on the Blues' training kit until Summer 2024, reaching up to 90 million club followers through logo placement alone, not to mention the additional exposure gained through the players' accounts, which reached almost 200 million people. According to OMR, one of Germany's leading platform for digital economy, the market value of the advertising space on the training jersey was up to €40 million.
Manchester United x Tezos
Since 2022, the blockchain company Tezos has been present on the club's training and warm-up clothing. As well as branding on the training shirts, the partnership includes digital experiences for fans based on Tezos' blockchain technology, and the Manchester United Foundation is supported by the tech company, too.
Increased Interaction Through Training Wear
The presence of a training wear sponsor extends well beyond the pitch. Clubs and players post photos and videos of training sessions on social media, reaching countless people. These native extensions, in particular, increase reach and provide authentic content outside of match days. Having a local presence at the training ground also increases brand visibility for fans and visitors.
Training content on social media is a great way to create added value for fans, particularly during the week. Clubs often use formats such as exclusive insights, highlight clips or player challenges, which automatically focus attention on training clothing. Such a partnership can offer even greater added value if the content tells a consistent story in line with the values of the training sponsor.
Potential for German Clubs
Although some European clubs are already using this opportunity, the field remains largely untapped in Germany. Sponsorship of training wear on training day is not regulated by the DFL (German Football League), giving companies and clubs creative scope.
The situation is different on Bundesliga match days: Here, the applicable regulations clearly define the additional advertising space for training and warm-up clothing. Depending on the item of clothing, sponsor logos can be placed in different areas. In addition to the kit, sleeve and jersey sponsors, an extra partner can appear on the warm-up clothing.
The Bundesliga rights holders have several options for marketing the logo space on the training kit. For example, the current main sponsors could be offered this opportunity as an upgrade. Alternatively, potential new shirt sponsors could be convinced to become main sponsors, given the large social media reach that comes with appearing on the training kit.
Another option would be to allocate the space on the training kit to an additional main partner, who would be featured mainly during training sessions throughout the week, as well as during warm-up and cool-down on match days. This would give the sponsor a dual media presence, through the social media activities of the players and the club during the week, and through visibility on TV on match days.
Conclusion
Sponsorship of training wear is much more than just a ‘niche’ - it is one of the most exciting and authentic brand partnerships in modern football. Thanks to its exclusive visibility, direct access to clubs’ social media reach, and special activations, it offers sponsors and clubs particulary high added value. In the Bundesliga, there is untapped potential for both companies and clubs to discover.
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
Frequently Asked Questions
In modern sports, several different types of partnerships exist, all of which can generate significant value.
Sponsorship deals are perhaps the most common form of sports partnerships. Companies invest in sports teams or events in exchange for advertising and brand exposure. These deals provide financial support to the teams and help sponsors connect with their target audience.
Strategic alliances involve two or more sports organisations coming together to achieve common goals. This could include sharing resources, facilities, or even talent. Such partnerships can lead to improved facilities, enhanced scouting networks, and ultimately, better performances on the pitch.
Successful sports teams recognize the importance of engaging with their local communities. Community partnerships involve initiatives such as youth sports programs, charity events, and education. These partnerships not only create goodwill but can foster a committed and engaged fan base.
In today's digital age, media collaborations are key. Sports teams and media outlets often join forces to collaborate on engaging content, including exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and live broadcasts. These partnerships boost visibility for both parties.
Sports sponsorship lets brands create emotional content and become an integral part of fans’ daily lives. Every year, over 58 billion euros* are invested in sports sponsorship around the world as a way of reaching and acquiring customers through fan engagement.
€58bn* global volume in sports sponsorship in 2018
Choosing the right sponsorship for your goals involves strategic consideration of your brand objectives and target audience. Follow these steps:
Define Objectives: Clearly outline your marketing and business objectives for the sponsorship, whether it's brand visibility, customer engagement, or community outreach.
Know Your Audience: Understand your target audience and align sponsorship opportunities with their demographics, interests, and behaviours.
Relevance: Choose sponsorships that align with your brand values and resonate with your audience, creating authentic connections.
Evaluate Opportunities: Assess potential sponsorships based on factors like reach, engagement potential, and the alignment of the sponsored entity with your brand image.
Budget Considerations: Evaluate the financial aspects, ensuring the sponsorship aligns with your budget while delivering significant value.
Negotiate Terms: Work with the sponsored entity to negotiate terms that meet your goals, ensuring a mutually beneficial partnership.
By aligning sponsorships with your brand objectives, audience demographics, and values, you can choose opportunities that effectively contribute to the success of your marketing and business goals.
Partnership marketing is an important part of the sports industry. It involves collaboration between a sports team, league, or event and a brand or company. This collaboration can take many forms, such as sponsorship, product placement, or joint promotions. The goal of partnership marketing is to benefit both parties by increasing exposure, revenue, and brand recognition.
By partnering with a sports team or league, a brand can reach a large audience of fans who are passionate about their sport. This can lead to increased brand recognition and customer loyalty, as well as increased sales of particular products. Additionally, by offering special promotions or experiences, teams and brands can create a more memorable and enjoyable experience for fans.
When selecting the right type of partnership, teams and brands should consider factors such as brand values, fan demographics, and the overall image of the sport, to ensure it remains authentic whilst still connecting with the target audience.
A brand partnership is a mutually beneficial agreement between two or more businesses. All parties agree to help one another by promoting and sponsoring each other or creating content together.
Brand partnerships aim to increase brand recognition and ultimately boost sales and customer loyalty.
In sports, co-branding exists, where two or more companies jointly promote their brands, services, and products through cross-marketing efforts.
This can include anything from social media posts, advertisements, and commercials to events and appearances by high-profile athletes and celebrities.
