World’s best-performing sports clubs ranked by commercial attractiveness

Real Madrid players celebrate scoring a goal in a past match [Courtesy]

Spanish footballing giants Real Madrid are the world’s best-performing sports club ranked by commercial attractiveness in 2018.

This is according to a study done by Euromonitor International, a world leading independent provider of strategic marketing research, which creates and analyses data on thousands of services and products around the world.

Here are the top 10 best-performing clubs, ranked by how well they do commercially: (Data provided by Euromonitor International)

Real Madrid is the most followed sports club globally with over 226 million followers on Social media platforms. The club continues to invest heavily in growth markets, inking broadcast deals in India and seven new South Asian countries.

FC Barcelona is the runner-up in this ranking with a record total ticket spend of USD91.9 million and one of the highest average attendances in football as well as the second highest social media following globally.

Manchester United boasts a history of success both locally and internationally. The Red Devils are one of the strongest professional sports brands globally, ensuring lucrative broadcast and commercial revenues for the club.

Arsenal is placed second in the Premier League ranking with a strong performance in total ticket spend and total attendance. In the 2017-2018 season the club managed to rank first in total ticket spend in Premier League as its average price for a home match increased from USD57 to USD74.

Bayern Munich has become synonymous with success on the pitch, as well as in the commercial sense. Unlike many of its European peers, the club has generated profits for over 20 consecutive years.

Chelsea is one of the most recognisable sports properties in the world. The club ranks fourth in digital following among all sports clubs globally with a footprint of over 78 million fans at the end of 2018.

New York Giants’ strength lies in the potential of New York City as an economic hub. A mammoth local fanbase is consistently complemented by the sustained flood of tourists to the city.

San Francisco Giants is the highest-ranked Major League Baseball (MLB) team. The Giants benefit from a high purchasing power and the people’s willingness to spend on activities, such as sports and entertainment.

New England Patriots show a high winning percentage and won two Super Bowl titles in the last decade. The Pats are one of the top NFL franchises and make it into the top 10 ranking.

Manchester City’s vast financial backing for multimillion signings comes from City Football Group – a sporting powerhouse that also owns New York City FC and Melbourne City FC.

“Football clubs in Europe claim the top spots in the Global Club Attractiveness Index. Those clubs contain the key factors of success, from strong local support to extensive digital media footprint globally, guaranteeing a high return on investment for sponsor companies,” said Sports Analyst at Euromonitor International Egle Tekutyte.