With foreign interest in British sport growing all the time, fans are increasingly interested in the owners of their teams and the sponsorship of sporting athletes. Sport has transformed from a passive spectator activity to something that fans want to participate in and that has massively impacted the industry. Fans want to bet on more captivating content, watch more exciting games at more upmarket stadiums and be closer to the action. All this and more requires funding and one way in which sport businesses are achieving their goals is through sponsorships and funding from investors elsewhere in the world, specifically the Middle East.
Investors in Middle Eastern countries are increasingly funding companies around the world to diversify their portfolios and put their stamp on global businesses. In the world of sport, more and more developments have occurred in recent years, seeing stakeholders align their interests and ambitions with some of the most renowned sporting assets from around the world. As a country, England remains one of the football champions of the world and this hasn’t gone unnoticed within Middle Eastern investors who have gained more of an influence over club football — especially the English Premier League.
Blending massive investments, huge wealth and ambition, the Middle East has a great influence on global sport, whether it’s investing into sport properties or bidding on major sporting events or deals that result in greater power over clubs. Nations such as Qatar and the UAE are key global players in this industry now and with more than 380 million people living in this region, it’s a useful backing to couple with a thriving sports industry. While many clubs in various countries are government-backed, there’s increasing potential going forward for private investment.
There has been an increase in the region’s involvement with football teams, both through the acquisition of controlling stakes and through sponsorship deals from major companies like Emirates and Etihad. It’s the continual association with top players and world-class managers within football that helps to fuel the profile of Middle Eastern owners and sponsors. In fact, Middle Eastern involvement in British sport, particularly within football but also with other sports such as investments in horseracing, is making events more popular, more competitive and is making more money for companies in the local area. Websites such as TimeForm who make money off of horse racing events has also extended to the acquisition of broadcast rights and hosts the world’s largest football event in 2022.
Sponsoring sport properties gives investors the opportunity to access engaging content more easily, from the players and athletes to the managers and behind-the-scenes action. All this leads to better and more diverse revenue streams for the future, making sports a sound investment. But, following Brexit, how has this impacted British sport? English Premier League clubs have become easier and cheaper to buy due to the fall in value of the pound, plus the uncertainty that Brexit has created has given investors an opportunity to make offers on clubs.
Investors have begun to look beyond just the top-performing players and teams in search of better deals, which is encouraging to fans who dream of wealthy Middle Eastern backers investing more cash and bringing prosperity to lesser-known, poorer parts of the country. A post-Brexit Britain is open to striking deals from those looking to invest and buyers from the MENA region are certainly interested in ploughing money into the sporting market.
