Red Bull to top sports sponsorship spending in EMEA in 2023, says GlobalData

Over 270 non-alcoholic beverage brands, which include many globally recognised brands, have active sponsorship deals in place with sports properties based mainly across Europe, as of October 2023. Many of these deals are highly lucrative, with seven non-alcoholic beverage brand deals worth over USD 5 million annually. Among these brands, Red Bull is the biggest spending brand in the Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region, with over USD 63.31 million being invested by it in 2023, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s latest report, “EMEA Non- Alcoholic Beverage Sports Sponsorship Landscape,” reveals that Red Bull is estimated to have 10 deals in place that are worth USD 1 million or more annually. Its deals include many esports teams such as OG, Team Spirit, and G2 eSports.

Tom Subak-Sharpe, Sport Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Red Bull across the EMEA region is the biggest spending non-alcoholic beverage brand thanks to many lucrative deals, which include a primary front-of-shirt agreement with soccer club RB Leipzig. The brand’s investment in Leipzig has contributed massively in allowing the club to be one of the best-performing clubs in German soccer over the last 10 years.”

Red Bull’s biggest spending rival in the sector is Coca-Cola. GlobalData estimates the brand will spend nearly USD 60 million on sponsorship deals across the EMEA region in 2023. The brand’s biggest annual deal in the region is with FC Barcelona. Its one-year deal with the Spanish soccer giants is estimated to be worth USD 5.25 million.

Subak-Sharpe concludes: “In 2023, Coca-Cola continued to be associated with many athletes, with current deals ongoing with Neymar, Blake Griffin, Anthony Davis, Kris Bryant and Justin Barcia. Of these five deals, the one with the Brazilian soccer player Neymar is the most lucrative. Over a long period of time, Red Bull has associated itself with some of the world’s most recognisable athletes. These associations are not expected to decline, with the brand constantly identifying new top talent to partner with.”