The Brand Finance List, cited here in the Telegraph, has released its list of the ‘World’s Most Valuable Football Brands’ for 2015…
It’s based on a club’s ability to monetise its brand in the most effective manner.
We’ve made the top 10 again, nestling in between PSG and Arsenal.
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10) Tottenham – $360m
Spurs are the first of five Premier League clubs in the top 10, although they haven’t won anything since 2008. They’re a selling club too – as the departures of Luka Modric and Gareth Bale in recent seasons prove.
9) PSG – $541m
The French were only formed in 1970, but thanks to their billionaire owners, they’re dominating French football right now, and recently completed a domestic treble.
8) Liverpool – $577m
We’re in at eighth, exactly as we were in the same report last year. Our position as a Premier League side helps us above the likes of Juventus and Borussia Dortmund though, although to really get close to the top, we need consistent Champions League football.
7) Arsenal – $703m
The Gunners come in ahead of us, due to their world-class recent signings and swanky new stadium.
6) Barcelona – $773m
It’s very surprising to see Barcelona so low down this list, considering the fact that three of the four best players in the world start for them up top. “As glorious as Barca’s record may be, it simply has not been able to harness its brand to the same extent as rivals Real Madrid (whose brand is $100 million more valuable) or the rapidly growing English teams,” said the report.
5) Chelsea – $795m
The distinctly unlikeable Chelsea’s brand value has rocketed roughly $300m from last year’s table, mainly due to their title win and their £40m-per-year sponsorship deal with Yokohama Rubber.
4) Manchester City – $800m
It’s surprising to see City so high, considering they can’t even fill their stadium on Champions League nights.
3) Real Madrid – $873m
Arguably the world’s biggest club, Real Madrid boast marquee players, marquee signings, and an enormous global fan-base. For this reason, it’s pretty unforgivable that they’ve only won La Liga once in seven years.
2) Bayern Munich – $933m
Down one place from last year’s top spot, Bayern are easily the biggest club in Germany, and in Pep Guardiola, they arguably have football’s second most recognisable manager, behind Jose Mourinho.
1) Manchester United – $1206m
United are the first billion dollar football brand, apparently. Still, if they splash all of their wealth on players like Luke Shaw, while picking anti-footballer Marouane Fellaini instead of Angel di Maria, they’re hardly using it wisely.
