ESA Unveils 2012 Figures For European Sponsorship Market

The European sponsorship industry in 2012 was worth €25.9 billion, a small drop of 2.2% on the 2011 total of €26. billion according to recently released figures from the European Sponsorship Association (ESA).

The Association reported that 2012 was a year of mixed sponsorship stories across Europe. While the UK benefited from hosting the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games - revenues which stimulated general growth in home-grown sponsorships - many markets saw very little movement in revenue and others saw a decline, including Spain and some Eastern European markets.

Karen Earl, Chairman of ESA said: “Some Western European countries, such as France, Spain, Italy and Greece experienced quite steep declines and the boost from the 2012 European Championships and other sponsorship activity in Eastern Europe was not quite enough to balance it out. 

“We don’t see the decline as a new trend but more as a one-off glitch as both France and Spain are again showing growth”.

The small decline mirrors that of the advertising industry which saw a 2.7% drop in spend across Western Europe in 2012, compared with 2011 (source: ZenithOptimedia).

The sponsorship market in Europe continues to benefit from other global platforms including Formula 1, as well as having the advantage that many International sporting federations are based in Europe. 

Looking ahead, the Association forecasts that 2013 is likely to see a decline in revenues for the UK as the London 2012 local deals are concluded but that increased revenue will be seen in the market with the Winter Olympics Games in Sochi in 2014. This growth is already beginning to take effect.