The Brazilian soccer club, Clube de Regatas do Flamengo has announced a new partnership with a global sports marketing agency, SPORTFIVE.
SPORTFIVE will provide services such as the development of the club’s international strategy, English-language digital audience development, asset development and commercial sales services, as well as experiential and live event production as part of the comprehensive internationalisation partnership.
The collaboration, which was secured with the help of Jochen Lösch’s JL Sports Investment, will focus on English-speaking countries, most notably the United States, but will also include a focus on international markets outside of Brazil.
Flamengo is one of Latin America’s most successful and popular soccer teams. Since its inception in 1895, the club has won numerous championships, including two Copa Libertadores titles, a FIFA Club World Cup, eight Campeonato Brasileiro Série A titles, three Copa do Brasil titles, and a record 37 Campeonato Carioca titles, and has more than 40 million fans worldwide.
Flamengo intends to build on its success and popularity to expand its brand, engage with fans, and expand its commercial prospects around the world.
Flamengo benefits from SPORTFIVE’s expertise in rights-holder international marketing and its long-standing presence in North America and Europe. Flamengo will be provided with a dedicated team based in New York and Hamburg that will be fully integrated into the agency’s global network and operations. The sports marketing agency provides sponsorship, marketing, digital, and media solutions to an extensive roster of rights holders globally.
Gustavo Oliveira, Flamengo’s Vice President of Marketing and Communications, said, “We are entering this partnership with a global company that understands, as do we, that Flamengo is a global brand and that it has a huge potential to grow even more around the world. We will work a lot around Flamengo’s spectacular and successful history and the great passion of our fans. That will certainly make our international popularity and engagement grow, expanding our name and commercial prospects to many countries around the world.”
Christian Koller, Head of Rights-holder Internationalisation at SPORTFIVE, commented, “We are thrilled to partner with Flamengo, an exciting brand with strong international potential, as it represents two leaders in the world of sports becoming united by a shared long-term vision. Together, we want to grow and engage the international fanbase of the club, with a special focus on the North American market, and create an engaging global platform for fans and brands alike.”
Karim Fathi, Vice President, Digital, Americas at SPORTFIVE, said, “Flamengo is one of the most popular sports teams in both South America and globally, which makes this an extremely exciting partnership for us. We will work closely with the club to further expand its large, passionate, and incredible fan base and following worldwide.“