Liverpool FC and AS Roma just provided the world with one of the most memorable and exciting UEFA Champions League ties in history. With Liverpool edging past Roma 7-6 in the semifinal round, it was in fact the highest scoring UCL tie in history.
Both sides raised their global profile during this compelling home and home series, and their respective brand values are on the rise as well. Brand Finance, a valuation and strategy consulting company, does an annual study of the world’s 50 most valuable football brands, and the 2018 edition was released just hours ago.
Liverpool placed 6th, with a brand value of $1,204 million. That’s good for three spots higher than 2017, in which the Merseyside club came in 9th. While moving up three spots may not sound all that outstanding prima facie, it’s pretty difficult to move up once you’re in the top ten, because it’s such rarified air. Thus, moving up three slots is a pretty big deal.
Liverpool’s league and local rival Manchester United held the top spot, with the Premier League comprising six of the top ten and 18 of the 50 long list.
“The English Premier League remains the most visible and most intensely marketed football league worldwide, hence its heavy presence in the Brand Finance Football 50,” Bryn Anderson, Director at Brand Finance
“Although all member clubs benefit from strong broadcasting revenues and high levels of stadium utilization, there is a huge gulf between the very top and the rest of the league. Furthermore, the reliance on broadcasting creates some vulnerability for the clubs and the challenge will be to successfully introduce a more balanced revenue mix in the future.”
As for Roma, they jumped a whopping 7 spots, to #24, up from 31 last year. They are now the fourth most valuable Serie A brand, with only Juventus and the two Milan clubs ahead of them.
Other rapid risers were Premier League side Burnley FC and Dutch club AFC Ajax, both of which increased 17 slots.
For a visual summary of findings, view the Brand Finance Football 50 infographic.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging community Chicago Now.
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