Manchester United become football’s most valuable brand worldwide

Manchester United have become football’s first billion dollar brand.

The Premier League giants have jumped ahead of Bayern Munich, even though they have gone two years without any silverware.

United’s brand value is put at $1.2billion according to the Brand Football Finance survey, conducted by strategy consultants Brand Finance.

David Haigh, of Brand Finance, said: “Manchester United’s success has been masterminded by Ed Woodward, the Ronaldo of football’s commercial sphere.

“As Sir Alex Ferguson developed United’s world-beating reputation, Woodward (and United’s owners the Glazers) capitalised on the brand’s growing power to establish a worldwide fan-base and a range of sponsorship deals unrivalled in their number and value.”

Chief executive Woodward has helped engineer a £47m-a-year shirt deal with Chevrolet which is double the previous contract with AON.

Adidas have also agreed a new 10-year kit deal worth £750m, triple the previous tie-up with Nike.

They have also seen the club’s share price go up after the Premier League negotiated the £5billion TV deal.

United have made a 63 per cent jump thanks to the deals and TV contract which puts them ahead of Bayern, Real Madrid and even newly crowned European champions Barcelona.

Premier League clubs Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham are all in the top 10 in the survey.

Premier League sides in general continue to rise thanks in part to the record-breaking deal for broadcasting rights from 2016-19.

Indeed, Southampton have the fastest growing brand, with their challenge for Champions League football seeing them increase 89 per cent on 2014.

Having faced administration six years ago, their brand is now worth $183million (18th overall) while they'll be in the Europa League qualifiers in July.

Elsewhere in the top 25 lie Everton (15th), West Ham (16th), Aston Villa (21st) and Newcastle (22nd).

The highest new entry into the top 50 are Ligue 1 side Monaco (17th), helped in large part by their run to the Champions League quarter-final.

 

The world's most valuable football club brands - Top 50

   1. Manchester United (Eng): $1206million

   2. Bayern Munich (Ger): $933million

   3. Real Madrid (Spa): $873million

   4. Manchester City (Eng): $800million

   5. Chelsea (Eng): $795million

   6. Barcelona (Spa): $773million

  7.  Arsenal (Eng): $703million

   8. Liverpool (Eng): $577million

   9. Paris Saint-Germain (Fra): $541million

   10. Tottenham Hotspur (Eng): $360million