According to SportsPro’s inaugural list of the World’s 50 Most Marketable, FIFA World Cup is the most marketable property in global sports. The International football competition was ranked ahead of the Summer Olympic Games and the National Basketball Association, while Spanish soccer giants Real Madrid and Barcelona placed fourth and fifth, respectively.
International sports properties such as leagues, teams, governing bodies, and major events are considered in this study to make the final list. As per SponsorPulse’s Opportunity Score, one unit allows decision-makers to instantly compare properties based on seven key metrics such as engagement, intensity, momentum, passion, excitement, purchase consideration, and favorability.
SponsorPulse’s methodology is based upon surveys of over 30,000 people per month. These surveys study the perception of consumers across 18 largest markets worldwide. It also considers the emotional perception of consumers towards sports properties and sponsors collaborated with these properties. More than 250,000 people between the ages of 13 and 64 had a big say in the final list that covered 185 sports properties.
Soccer is the most favored sport, accounting for nearly seven of the top 10 and 13 of the top 20 sports properties. League of Legends is the top-ranked esports property in the list, finishing above the likes of Formula One, the Los Angeles Lakers, the National Football League, WWE, and all four tennis Grand Slams. Indian Premier League (IPL) claims 38th spot in the rankings.
As per this report, the top ten most marketable properties are FIFA World Cup, Summer Olympic Games, NBA, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Winter Olympic Games, UEFA Champions League, UEFA European Championship, Manchester United, and Premier League.