In a significant move, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has confirmed its switch from Team Marketing to Relevent Sports agency as the exclusive commercial rights-holder for its men's club competitions. This change will come into effect from 2027-28 and last until 2033.
The deal was officially unveiled by both parties following initial news in mid-February that an exclusivity period had begun. Relevent, a US-based firm backed by Stephen Ross, owner of the Miami Dolphins NFL franchise, will replace long-standing UEFA partner Team Marketing. The loss of this contract is a considerable setback for Team.
UEFA stated that Relevent "presented an innovative, dynamic, and forward-looking vision" for its club competitions and demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of how to maximize value for all stakeholders.
Appointment by UC3
The appointment was made by UC3 - a joint venture between UEFA and the European Club Association (ECA). It covers various prestigious tournaments including: UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, Super Cup, UEFA Youth League, and Futsal Champions League.
Guy-Laurent Epstein, co-managing director at UC3, said:
“Building on the success of the new UEFA men’s club competitions, we see a need to keep innovating and bringing new approaches and fresh ideas to the market. We are confident that our already flourishing partnership with Relevent will be a part of taking us to the next level, creating significant incremental value for the competitions, partners, and fans.”
These events are also organized by UEFA and will be under Relevent’s purview for six seasons between 2027-28 and 2032-33. Media rights, sponsorship deals, licensing rights are included in this agreement. Sales processes for these packages are expected to launch during the European summer this year.
The tender process to select a new commercial rights partner began last June with options available either as three-year or six-year deals through 2032-33; it was the latter option that Relevent chose. Relevant is now set to build out a vehicle with the exclusive remit of commercializing the UEFA club competitions.
End of an era
Team Marketing has held these rights globally since the inception of the top-tier UEFA Champions League in 1992, marking the start of modern-era pan-continental competitions.
However, this monopoly was broken in 2022 when Relevent acquired rights for US-specific broadcasts. Despite this, Team retained rights in all other countries. Three years ago, when Team lost global rights for the first time and Relevent swooped in on US territory with a $250 million offer for that specific package.
After securing rights for the 2024-27 cycle, Relevent concluded a broadcast deal for Champions League matches in the US with Paramount worth $1.5 billion over six seasons (2024-25 through 2029-30). This shift to Relevent marks a new era not only within UEFA but also within sports marketing as it signifies an innovative approach towards maximizing value from sporting events.
