COVID-19 had a tremendous impact on the sports world with many leagues needing to suspend and then restart their leagues in difficult situations. The football world was not immune to this as many clubs saw their revenue streams and brand value affected. Despite the pandemic, according to data presented by Safe Betting Sites, Manchester United’s brand value reached up to $1.46B in 2020 – the most in the English Premier League (EPL)
Manchester United Most Valuable Brand Out of ‘Top 6’ – $1.46B, Arsenal lowest at $796M
The EPL is widely considered as the most competitive league out of Europe’s football leagues. With more money coming into football, the competition has intensified even more with the traditional ‘Big 4’ replaced with what is now considered the more appropriate ‘Top 6.’ Although performances on the pitch and the league table often depict a far different picture than the term suggests, many are in agreement as to which clubs the term refers to and the list of most valuable brands reflects the same ‘Top 6.’
The most valuable brand in the Premier League was Manchester United with a brand value of $1.46B beating out their arch rivals on the pitch Liverpool which takes 2nd place on the list with a brand value of just under $1.4B. The blue half of Manchester takes 3rd place on the list with Manchester City’s brand worth $1.245B. The remaining three spots are filled by London clubs with Chelsea, Tottenham, and Arsenal rounding out the top 6 with brand values of 1.05B, 868M, and $796M respectively.
Strong Performances on the Pitch See Liverpool Overtake City
In what was one of the most dramatic EPL seasons in history, albeit due to non-footballing reasons, Liverpool FC won their first Premier League title in 30 years ending a historic drought. The season prior the Reds also won their 6th European Championship in club history making the last couple of years one of the most successful in Liverpool’s recent history.
Liverpool’s recent success saw them increase their brand value despite the pandemic while Manchester City experienced a decline of 11% in their brand value.
Tottenham Hotspur More Valuable than North London Rivals for 1st Time
Arsenal FC meanwhile has experienced their worst run of final league positions in the last two decades and have been missing out on the lucrative Champions League positions since 2017. Arsenal’s struggles are compounded even more considering their North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur have been going through what many call their “golden age,” producing highly competitive squads that regularly compete for silverware. In 2019 Tottenham also introduced their new world class home, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which is comparable with any of the best sporting venues around the world.
With different fortunes both on and off the pitch, the tables have turned in North London for the first time as Tottenham was rated as the more valuable brand of the two football clubs, putting yet another twist in their already heated rivalry.
