Serie A clubs are projected to earn a record sum from shirt sponsorships as the new season gets underway.
According to Calcio e Finanza, a whopping €190m is the total amount to be earned by twenty clubs operating in the Italian top flight, out of which three clubs – Lazio, Spezia and Salernitana – do not have an official front shirt sponsor.
Revenue from TV and broadcast rights for Serie A is projected to decrease in 2021/22 and the departure of star names in Romelu Lukaku and Cristiano Ronaldo from the country only adds to the loss.
However, revenue from sponsorships, from shirt sponsors in particular, is expected to rise by a staggering €21m from the previous season.
The main change to the revenue is brought by Inter, who cut their historic ties with Pirelli, in what was an iconic partnership formed over the period of 26 years. They have now paired with crypto-token operator Socios.com and are projected to lure in about €30m, including from Lenovo, who are the back shirt sponsors.
Companies have invested heavily in shirt sponsorships this season as clubs have taken the opportunity to bring in more income and revenue after suffering through the pandemic woes.
Only five clubs use all available sponsor slots (main sponsor, second sponsor, sleeve sponsor and back sponsor) on their shirts – Atalanta, Bologna, Cagliari, Empoli and Torino.
Juventus’ is paid the highest – a gigantic €52.5m from car manufacturers Jeep, followed by Inter, Fiorentina, Sassuolo, Rome and Milan.
Fiorentina and Sassuolo are the surprise entrants in the top five, thanks to their respective deals with Mediacom and Mapei.
Here is the full list of twenty Serie A clubs and their projected earnings –
- Juventus – €52.5m
- Inter – €29m
- Fiorentina – €26.1m
- Sassuolo – €18m
- Rome – €15m
- Milan – €14.5m
- Naples – €11.5m
- Atalanta – €6.2m
- Turin – €3.65m
- Cagliari – €3.1m
- Bologna – €3m
- Verona – €1.5m
- Udinese – €1.45m
- Empoli – €1.35m
- Sampdoria – €1.05m
- Lazio – €1m (no main jersey sponsor – only sleeve sponsor)
- Genoa – €800,000
- Venezia – €700,000
- Spezia – no main sponsor
- Salernitana – no main sponsor