What is the next step? The champions league clubs and their sponsors. From Bwin to Qatar Sports Investment

Abstract

European Champions League has become one of the most important sporting competitions in the world. For this reason, many firms want to associate their brands with the organizations which take part in that competition. This article analyses which type of firms invest in European football using a sample of clubs taking part in the knockout phase of the 2010/2011 Champions League championship. This article shows how betting houses and non-profit organizations, such as UNICEF and Qatar Foundation, have become important for football business. On the one hand, online gaming found in football is a perfect sport to make its business tangible; on the other hand, non-profit organizations use football and its celebrities to make their projects visible or legitimize them.