Perfect match: summer of sport gives big boost to wine

First the Euros, then the Olympics, and now the Paralympics — forget Brat Summer, 2024 has played host to the summer of sport. Eloise Feilden investigates the value of wine sponsors and partnerships.

Brits gave pubs and bars a spending boost this summer as they headed out to catch must-see sports events.

Individual spending at pubs and bars in the UK rose 11% during what has been dubbed the ‘summer of sport’, compared to the same period last year, according to new research from payments company Dojo.

The data also showed a 9% increase in the number of transactions across hospitality venues and pubs among UK cardholders. This marked the first significant spike of support for UK hospitality since the rising cost of living, as consumers prioritise memorable experiences in the first summer with no Covid restrictions for many tournaments.

Across the channel, Paris hosted the 2024 Summer Olympics. The games didn’t just spell success for the medal winners; according to Kantar, wine sales were up 35% on the Friday of the Opening Ceremony in Paris, compared with the previous week.

One brand which worked to consolidate a connection with the games was Nyetimber. The English sparkling wine brand was named the official sparkling wine of Team GB, having competed against Champagne houses and other English brands for the partnership.

CEO and owner Eric Heerema told db the partnership is one of many sports deals for the brand. “As a proudly British brand, we collaborate with sports organisations, teams, events, and even individual athletes,” he said. Nyetimber recently signed a five year agreement with the Henley Royal Regatta starting in 2024, and has sponsored the LTA since 2019, for both of which it is the exclusive sparkling wine.

So what benefit do deals like these offer drinks brands?

“Our sports sponsorships enable us to bring the Nyetimber brand to life in new and dynamic ways,” Heerema said. Team GB House was open to the public for the first time at this year’s Paris games, creating an opportunity for the sparkling wine brand to widen its reach. “Each sponsorship is unique; we take the time to understand the audience, ambition, and brand alignment, always developing a bespoke partnership plan to maximise the benefits for both our partners and ourselves,” Heerema said. “Typically, we look to connect with the very best of British, those organisations at the top of their game, with a strong track record of excellence.”

England fans also roared on The Three Lions as the men’s UEFA European Football Championship Final reached its closing stages. Kantar data revealed that £10 million was spent on beer on the day of the final, the most spent on a Sunday in more than three years.

Beer has for decades dominated the football space. But a number of factors are creating new chances for wine brands. For one, football fans are diversifying, and the women’s game is helping to recruit a new audience to the sport. Consumers are also diversifying in terms of their drinks preferences, and the clubs are cottoning on. Arsenal for one has just signed a deal with an alcohol-free beer brand for the first time in its history.

Concha y Toro-owned wine brand Casillero del Diablo was ahead of the curve with its sponsorship of Manchester United FC which began in 2010. Sebastián Aguirre, the brand’s global marketing manager, told db the demand for wine at games has only grown since then.

“Historically football was more related to beer, but we’ve been impressed by how much football fans are connected to wine – we sell a lot of wines every game at Old Trafford,” he said. “Wine has become more important there,” Aguirre argued, noting that increased brand awareness among fans has directly increased annual sales. “Of course there have been many other external influences in that time, but we see that in the markets when we activate the partnership, it’s a really strong sales increase.”

Partnerships with Premier League teams in particular mean “great visibility”, Aguirre said, as matches are “shown on TV worldwide and followed globally”.

“It gives us a chance for additional visibility; a different angle to reach consumers and to connect with them as well,” he said. In terms of sales, it gives us a possibility to run promotions which can have a positive impact.”

Now in September, the summer of sport is quickly coming to a close. But the rate of new partnerships is by no means slowing. Tuscan producer Vallepicciola has inked a deal to introduce the Vallepicciola Wine Club at A. Franchi Stadium in Florence as part of an ongoing collaboration with ACF Fiorentina, which was first announced in December.

French drinks giant Pernod Ricard is also investing heavily in partnerships with sports teams and events. Its latest pairing has been with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). The global partnership, the first of its kind for Pernod Ricard, features the entire portfolio of premium brands and will cover all of PSG’s professional teams, men’s and women’s football as official partner and handball, as an official provider. Pernod Ricard will be the sole Champagne and spirits provider to the club from now on.

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