Advertising on football kits: A story of evolution and revolution

On the pitch, where every pass, every dribble and every goal counts, football has always been an amalgam of passion, strategy and emotion. But beyond the sporting exploits, there is another game being played behind the scenes, a game that has transformed the way sport is perceived and consumed in the modern world: the game of marketing and advertising. And one of the most visible arenas of this transformation has been advertising on football kits, a practice that has evolved from modest beginnings to become a fundamental pillar of contemporary football.

The history of football kit advertising begins in an era when sport was much more about community than commerce. For much of the 20th century, football team shirts were simple, with no logos or sponsors, reflecting an era when the game was played for the pure love of it. However, as football's popularity grew and its audience expanded, things began to change.

The turning point came in the 1970s, when football clubs began to look for new ways to finance their operations and improve their infrastructure. In 1973, Eintracht Braunschweig, a team in the German Bundesliga, made history by becoming the first club to display a sponsor logo on its shirt. The sponsor was the Jägermeister company, a liquor brand, which paid the club 100,000 German marks to have its logo where fans would see it most: on the players’ chests.

This move was revolutionary. Until then, the use of jerseys for commercial purposes was taboo, seen as a form of sacrilege that undermined the purity of the sport. However, for Eintracht Braunschweig, the decision was both an economic necessity and a strategic opportunity. The idea was simple but powerful: transform football jerseys into a mobile advertising platform that would travel across the country, reaching millions of fans.

Eintracht Braunschweig’s boldness did not go unnoticed. Shortly after their groundbreaking deal, other German clubs, and subsequently clubs in other European countries, began exploring the idea of ​​including advertising on their shirts. It was a trend that not only quickly gained traction, but also changed the financial dynamics of football forever.

In England, advertising on football shirts came a little later, with Liverpool FC being one of the first to adopt the practice in 1979, when it signed a contract with Hitachi. Initially, Football Association restrictions limited the display of these logos on television broadcasts, but over time, these rules were relaxed, allowing clubs to maximise sponsorship revenue.

The 1980s saw a boom in shirt advertising, with clubs around the world signing lucrative deals with brands ranging from car manufacturers to telecoms companies and banks. These deals not only brought in money, but also helped clubs expand their fan base by associating themselves with internationally recognised brands. Thus, football shirt advertising became an integral part of the business of sport, merging two worlds that, until then, had existed almost in parallel: sport and commerce.

The explosion of advertising on football kits coincided with another phenomenon that changed the sport forever: the television revolution. With the arrival of satellite television and the subsequent globalisation of football, clubs began to realise the true value of broadcasting rights. Football shirts, now bearing sponsor logos, became shop windows for brands seeking to reach international audiences.

This new global environment not only increased the value of sponsorships, but also introduced new negotiation dynamics. International brands sought strategic partnerships with clubs that could provide them with global visibility. Thus, the biggest and most successful teams, such as Real Madrid, Manchester United and FC Barcelona, ​​began signing multi-million-pound deals with main sponsors.

In the 21st century, advertising on football kits has reached an unprecedented level of sophistication. Jerseys are no longer just items of clothing; they are strategic assets that form part of a club’s identity. Today, advertising on jerseys is not limited to a single logo on the chest. Clubs have diversified their revenue streams by incorporating multiple sponsors on different parts of the jersey, such as the sleeves, lower back and even the shorts.

In addition, sponsorship deals now include a range of digital and social media activations, with brands and clubs collaborating to create content that resonates with fans. This evolution has led to more creative marketing campaigns and deeper partnerships between brands and teams.

Clubs are now faced with the challenge of balancing the need for revenue with ethical and social responsibility, considering the impact of their commercial partnerships on their communities and on their younger supporters. This debate has led some clubs to re-evaluate their sponsorship policies and seek partnerships that align more closely with their values ​​and mission.