Ronaldo and the role of corporate sponsorships in Sports

Let me start by saying that I have tremendous respect towards Cristiano Ronaldo and everything that he has achieved. His level of discipline, grit and dedication to being and staying at the peak of his game is highly admirable and enviable. Being a self-confessed health freak, he obviously keeps a close eye on his health, fitness, diet, and sleep.

Hence, his action of disdainfully casting aside 2 bottles of Coca-Cola at a recent EURO 2020 press conference does not come as a surprise.

While I admire his stand, I would also question if this was the right thing to do. Coca-Cola is a major sponsor for the European Championship, along with Alipay, Booking.com, FedEx, Heineken, Hisense, Socar, Takeaway.com, Vivo and Volkswagen. The expectation of these sponsors would obviously be that their brands are to be prominently displayed on-and-off the pitch and possibly on-air as well.

Now, which companies and/or brands Ronaldo chooses to endorse on a personal level is entirely up to him. However, when participating in championships and tournaments, players should be cautious when dismissing or brushing aside products or brands that they do not support or resonate with. What makes Ronaldo’s actions all the more ironic is that the main sponsor of the Portugal national team since 1993 is Sagres. Sagres is a brand of beer produced by Sociedade Central de Cervejas, a Portuguese brewery that is now controlled by Heineken. So, this begs the question - is beer OK and Coke not? Or is it OK so long as there is no visible association with the players, especially during press conferences? I do not know…

What I do know is that that we simply cannot ignore or dismiss the role of corporate sponsorships in the world of sports. Aside from ticket sales, TV/broadcast rights, transfers and prize money, sponsorships provide a much-needed source of revenue to clubs, leagues, and tournaments. For smaller clubs, netting a decent sponsorship deal, especially in the post Covid-19 world can make the difference between surviving another season or liquidating the club, leaving legions of fans down and disenfranchised.

But this then raises yet another question. Considering the deep emotional link and impact of brands in the minds of spectators and content consumers, are there any companies or brands that should not be permitted into the world of sport sponsorships? This is a rather controversial area. While alcohol and tobacco sponsorships are frowned upon, they still make up the lion's share simply because of their deep pockets and highly effective lobbying power. We have recently seen that betting firms have also started crowding into this space. For example, 8 of the 20 top flight Premier League clubs have signed betting firms as shirt sponsors. If one happens to be a long-term fan of Newcastle United or West Ham, is he to ditch the team simply because of his personal beliefs against games of luck and chance? That is highly unlikely, for most of us are rational human beings.

All said, I am heartened that Coca-Cola has responded that "everyone is entitled to their drink preferences" with different "tastes and needs". There has been no indication of further action on their part, which I am sure they are entitled to. UEFA has also acknowledged that without the support of brands like Coca-Cola, "we could not organise a tournament with such success for players and fans, nor invest in the future of football at all levels.". That said, I believe it would be timely for FIFA, and perhaps the governing bodies of other sports to come up with definitive guidelines on the do’s and don’ts for players in such circumstances. In the meantime, while we must hold brands and companies accountable, let us do so responsibly and not by killing a vital bloodline to games and sports that we love and closely identify with.