Arsenal FC - The Premiership’s Fastest Growing Football Brand
Latest research shows that Arsenal FC is the fastest growing football brand in the Premiership1. Granada Ventures, the media agent and licensing management company for Arsenal, has released figures that show the size and scale of the Arsenal brand last season and makes projections for the forthcoming 2005/2006 season.
Granada Ventures is predicting a big year for the Arsenal brand in 2005/2006, which will be the last at Highbury before the move to Emirates Stadium, the new home of Arsenal. Retail turnover of Arsenal branded products through the club’s own channels is forecast to increase by 20 per cent, according to Granada Ventures – this is double what it was worth in 2000.
Last season also saw huge increase in revenue for Arsenal branded merchandise, with an overall increase of 82 per cent. Video and DVD sales increased by 196 per cent; the official Arsenal annual sales increased by 80 per cent and calendar sales increased by 300 per cent in 2004.
Arsenal replica sales also had a good year and sales doubled year on year in the 2004/5 season and with the one off commemorative kit already selling impressively for 2005/6, Arsenal is set to have its best ever replica sales.
Arsenal is now one of the biggest clubs in the world. It has an estimated global fan base of 27 million people of which two million are in the UK, 11 million in Europe, 12 million in Australasia, two million in Africa and two million in North America.
Twenty per cent of all live matches broadcast in the UK (note: 2003/04 season) feature Arsenal and eighty nine per cent of people who support a Premiership football team say Arsenal is one of the top three most successful clubs ever. And Thierry Henry is ranked as the favourite Premiership player among all people who support a Premiership club.
To accommodate this new success, Arsenal will be moving to its new home, Emirates Stadium, for the 2006/2007 season. The naming rights of the stadium represents the biggest ever club football sponsorship deal.
Charlie Donaldson, head of licensing at Granada Ventures comments:
“Arsenal is a massive brand, probably one of the biggest in worldwide sport. Research by Ipsos RSL in February 2005 shows that Arsenal has the fastest growing support in the Premiership. The fan base has increased from three per cent of the population in 2002 to four per cent in 2005.
Arsenal’s fan base is young and affluent which is good news for the future of the brand and its licensing potential. Fifty three per cent are in the ABC1 demographic category and half of Arsenal’s fans are in the 16-34 age bracket.”
Granada Ventures is predicting a big year for the Arsenal brand in 2005/2006, which will be the last at Highbury before the move to Emirates Stadium, the new home of Arsenal. Retail turnover of Arsenal branded products through the club’s own channels is forecast to increase by 20 per cent, according to Granada Ventures – this is double what it was worth in 2000.
Last season also saw huge increase in revenue for Arsenal branded merchandise, with an overall increase of 82 per cent. Video and DVD sales increased by 196 per cent; the official Arsenal annual sales increased by 80 per cent and calendar sales increased by 300 per cent in 2004.
Arsenal replica sales also had a good year and sales doubled year on year in the 2004/5 season and with the one off commemorative kit already selling impressively for 2005/6, Arsenal is set to have its best ever replica sales.
Arsenal is now one of the biggest clubs in the world. It has an estimated global fan base of 27 million people of which two million are in the UK, 11 million in Europe, 12 million in Australasia, two million in Africa and two million in North America.
Twenty per cent of all live matches broadcast in the UK (note: 2003/04 season) feature Arsenal and eighty nine per cent of people who support a Premiership football team say Arsenal is one of the top three most successful clubs ever. And Thierry Henry is ranked as the favourite Premiership player among all people who support a Premiership club.
To accommodate this new success, Arsenal will be moving to its new home, Emirates Stadium, for the 2006/2007 season. The naming rights of the stadium represents the biggest ever club football sponsorship deal.
Charlie Donaldson, head of licensing at Granada Ventures comments:
“Arsenal is a massive brand, probably one of the biggest in worldwide sport. Research by Ipsos RSL in February 2005 shows that Arsenal has the fastest growing support in the Premiership. The fan base has increased from three per cent of the population in 2002 to four per cent in 2005.
Arsenal’s fan base is young and affluent which is good news for the future of the brand and its licensing potential. Fifty three per cent are in the ABC1 demographic category and half of Arsenal’s fans are in the 16-34 age bracket.”
For further information please contact:
Greg Moore or Margaret Flanagan at Four Communications plc
T: 08709 420 3217 / 0870 420 3252 E: gvpress@fourplc.com
About Granada Ventures
Granada Ventures is the merchandise, licensing and publishing division of ITV plc. Established in October 2003 following the merger of Granada and Carlton, its remit is to drive secondary revenue streams for the corporation by moving brands beyond broadcast. The company currently licenses almost 1,000 products and 500 dvd titles across 200 household name television, film and sports brands.
1Research sources
Ipsos RSL in February 2005
Official Premier League Figures 2004
TNS Sport research in response to the question “What team do you follow?” June 2004