Rangers FC set sights on sponsorship deals to drive global expansion

Rangers FC has appointed a global partnerships director to find global sponsors that will help grow its 5 million-strong worldwide fanbase.

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Misha Sher has been appointed to the newly created role, with the mandate to grow the football club’s revenue streams from strategic partnerships in markets such as North America and Australia.

Rangers FC, whose existing sponsors include Europcar, Coca Cola and Tennents, is looking to follow in the steps of fellow football club Manchester Utd, whose official sponsors include Nigerian telecoms company Globacom and Asian beer brand Singha.

Sher will work from the football club’s new London office as it looks make the UK capital the hub of its commercial deals, according to Ali Russell, chief operations officer at Rangers Football Club.

“Rangers is an international brand and we are focused on maximising all opportunities to build our brand in overseas markets.

He adds: “As part of that strategy, we identified the benefits a London office would bring so we set out to find the right person for the job.”

Alongside sponsorship deals, the club will be looking to ramp up its mobile and social activity as well having the club compete in international tours says Sher.

“The strength of Rangers FC fanbase domestically means that we can focus not just on sponsorships but also how we look at mobile and TV rights in other countries where we have a solid base to build on.

“We’re also looking into social media and all the different ways we can leverage the social networks out there to connect with the 5 million global fans.”
Prior to joining Sher was business development director at Soccerex, the Football business company.

Brands are increasingly turning to sponsorship, according to research from IFM Sports Marketing Surveys, as marketers are looking for new ways to drive emotional engagement at a time when marketing budgets are under scrutiny.

Read this week’s cover feature about how sport needs to be about strategic partnership

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