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Real Madrid and Barcelona neck-and-neck as world’s most valuable football brands in the face of COVID-19
- Real Madrid remain world’s most valuable football brand, but Barcelona narrow the gap to just €6 million
- COVID-19 causes total brand value of top 50 clubs to decrease for the first time in 6 years – €751 million or 3.7% is knocked off
- English clubs dominate the ranking with six brands in top 10 and 19 in top 50
- Liverpool inches two spots up into 4th place, following historic Premier League win
- Bundesliga’s 1. FC Köln is this year’s fastest-growing brand, followed by Leicester City and RB Leipzig – all recording over 40% growth
- Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium takes top spot in Buro Happold’s Venue Performance Rating
Real Madrid remain the most valuable football club brand in the world for 2020, according to the latest edition of the Brand Finance Football Annual. Boosted by winning the LaLiga title for the first time since 2017, the club retained its position at the top of the table in the football industry, but against a backdrop of economic and social disruption, caused primarily by the COVID-19 pandemic, Real Madrid’s brand value has declined by 14% to €1,419 million.
Real Madrid’s disappointing on-pitch performance prior to 2019-20, which saw an earlier-than-normal exit from the UEFA Champions League in 2018-19 and a second successive season adrift of LaLiga champions Barcelona, eroded the club’s dominance of the Brand Finance ranking. The situation was exacerbated by COVID-19, along with a lack of stability around the management of the team. Barcelona, Real’s fierce rivals, are just €6 million behind Real with a brand value of €1,413 million, supported by strong and diverse revenue generation and continued domestic performance in Spain.
COVID-19 knocks off €751 million of brand value
Real Madrid is not the only club to see a drop in brand value this year. COVID-19 has caused the total value of the top 50 football brands to decrease for the first time in 6 years. Through its effect on the three main revenue streams – Matchday, Broadcasting, and Commercial – €751 million or 3.7% has been knocked off the cumulative brand value of the world’s top 50 most valuable football clubs.
The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged professional football worldwide and across all levels. Matchday income for the 501 games remaining in the big 5 leagues dropped to zero, but it is often the smaller clubs and leagues which are more reliant on this revenue stream – in Scotland it makes up 43% of total revenue, compared to only 13% in England.
There have been some positive signs, as Southampton vs Manchester City on BBC broke the Premier League TV audience record with 5.7 million viewers, but the longer-term damage to the game’s economic structure has yet to be revealed.
Richard Haigh, Managing Director of Brand Finance, commented:
“Top-level football has been confronted with the largest existential threat since the Second World War. Loss of income, coupled with health concerns about mass gatherings, have raised question marks about the future of the industry and the financial resilience of clubs across all levels. The full damage of the COVID-19 crisis has yet to unfold and it is not inconceivable there will be casualties in the form of club bankruptcies and changes in ownership.”
Despite the huge implications of COVID-19 for football clubs and their financial results, the majority of the brand value is secured by the clubs’ long-term future – provided they can survive the initial shock. For example, only 21% of Real Madrid’s brand value is delivered by the next five years’ financial results.
Premier power
Real Madrid and Barcelona are followed by a cluster of English Premier League clubs in the Brand Finance Football Annual 2020 ranking, with Manchester United in 3rd position after their brand value fell by 11% to €1,314 million. Liverpool, who won their first league title since 1990 in runaway style, are in 4th spot jumping above Manchester City in terms of brand value, rising from €1,191 million in 2019 to €1,262 million, a 6% increase. Chelsea dropped one place in the table to 8th after their value fell for the fourth consecutive year to €949 million. This was arguably due to the club being absent from the UEFA Champions League and also suffering a transfer ban after being charged with breaking Financial Fair Play Regulations.
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OddsMatrix, EveryMatrix’s sportsbook and odds feed business, has further enhanced its premium sports content offering by partnering with micro-markets provider Kero Gaming.
The collaboration will see OddsMatrix integrate Kero’s suite of traditional and contextual football led micro markets into its sportsbook and feed coverage, with basketball, baseball, and American football to follow later this year.
These rapid micro-markets will broaden OddsMatrix’s coverage of 170,000+ monthly live betting events and 650+ bet types across its ‘always-on’ sportsbook.
Kero content will supplement OddsMatrix’s existing multi-sport Fast Markets product offering sportsbook and odds feed customers real-time, instant betting options across a variety of individual game moments.
By blending its proprietary Fast Markets with Kero’s micro-betting output, OddsMatrix will further empower its growing, global tier-1 client base with a differentiated and dynamic live betting offering.
Tor Skeie, CEO, OddsMatrix, said: “Integrating with Kero Gaming adds another layer to our comprehensive premium sportsbook and feed coverage.
“Kero have been fundamental figures in the growth of micro-betting and we are thrilled to integrate their content into our ‘always-on’ sportsbook.
“We’re passionate about empowering our loyal customers with technology, tools and content that enable them to differentiate, and this partnership will help support that goal.”
Tomash Devenishek, CEO, Kero Gaming, said: “Collaborating with EveryMatrix is a natural fit for Kero, as both companies share a commitment to delivering best-in-class solutions for operators and bettors alike.
“This partnership enables us to integrate our cutting-edge micro-betting technology with EveryMatrix’s powerful platform, creating new opportunities for engagement and excitement.”
The post OddsMatrix grows micro-market coverage with Kero Gaming integration appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Rapidly Expanding Content provider takes players on a trip to Wonderland in Alice WonderLuck
Popular iGaming content provider BGaming is thrilled to announce the launch of Alice WonderLuck. Inspired by the whimsical world of Lewis Caroll’s iconic novel, Alice Wonderluck invites players to conjure up some magic on the reels.
Alice WonderLuck plunges players into a vibrant reimagining of Wonderland, where a series of familiar characters are given a fresh, digital makeover. The classic tale’s creative and slightly off-kilter atmosphere has been brought to life perfectly with an enchanting soundtrack.
Adding to the slot’s immersive experience, Alice is positioned by the reels and will react to in-game events. She is on hand to support players whenever they need it, helping to drive engagement and keep them in the thick of the action.
The fantastical world of Alice in Wonderland is renowned for its mystery and surprises, and BGaming has tapped into this with the game’s Mystery Symbol feature. The symbols can land during any base game spin, heightening anticipation and creating suspense. They can also turn into Golden Mystery symbols, triggering the Coin feature with different multipliers and Collect symbols.
At the start of the Free Spins round, players enter the Choose Card round. Here, they encounter 16 face-down cards and can turn a select number over to uncover additional features, including extra spins, low Mystery symbols, high Wilds, or multipliers.
Alice WonderLuck emphasizes player choice, offering two differently priced bonus buy features for an improved entertainment experience. For 100x their stake, players can trigger the spins with at least three extra features, and for 250x, they will be triggered with five.
Players who enjoy high stakes will also love the optional Try Your Luck game before the Free Spins game.
While many of these gameplay features may appear familiar, the beauty of Alice WonderLuck is that it provides a new perspective on them.
If the captivating gameplay isn’t enough to lure players down the rabbit hole, then the game’s powerful math model will be. Alice WonderLuck conjures up a maximum win of 10,000x of the stake and an attractive 97.00% RTP.
Yulia Aliakseyeva, Chief Product Officer at BGaming, said: “We are all huge fans of Alice in Wonderland at BGaming and have wanted to create a slot around the theme for a long time.
The magical world of the story lends itself perfectly to online slots, and it has allowed our team to get creative with the gameplay. We’ve blended familiar features with a fresh perspective, creating an enchanting game with some brilliant winning potential.”
The post Dive Into the Rabbit Hole with BGaming’s Alice WonderLuck appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Step onto the Court with “Hoop Champion” A Revolutionary Basketball-Themed Game from Gaming Corps
Gaming Corps introduces a brand new, innovative mechanic X-MY-WAY™ in the adrenaline-fueled Hoop Champion
Gaming Corps, a publicly listed game studio based in Sweden, is proud to announce the release of Hoop Champion. This new game also marks the debut of the innovative new X-MY-WAY™ mechanic.
Get ready for an action-packed gaming journey like no other as Gaming Corps invites players to step into the vibrant world of basketball with Hoop Champion, a revolutionary new game. Crafted for casino lovers and online gamers, this title fuses thrilling basketball action with unmatched gambling mechanics, providing a truly distinctive and exciting gameplay experience.
Hoop Champion isn’t just another game, it’s a next-level experience that puts players on the court where every move counts.
Hoop Champion allows players to take charge of their gameplay through the innovative “X-MY-WAY” mechanic. They can select their strategy, whether opting for safe midrange shots or daring high-reward three-pointers for a chance at substantial payouts. Each position on the court brings its challenges, offering different payout opportunities that keep the game engaging, similar to a real basketball experience.
With the possibility of a 1,000x multiplier, players can aim for impressive rewards. The decision lies with them: they can choose to go for the 25x multiplier right away or take a more cautious approach with smaller multipliers like 1.1x. Players have control over how their multiplier grows with just a few clicks, deciding when to cash out or continue for that big 1000x win. This adaptability and personalisation ensure that the experience fits their strategy and risk tolerance, allowing them to play at their own pace.
Connor Blinman, Head of Games at Gaming Corps said: “Hoop Champion is our fresh take on a game blending skill and decision-making with good old-fashioned luck.
“This revolutionary mix allows players to feel more involved in the gameplay, making every decision impactful and we can’t wait to see how players respond to this fantastic new title from our superb games team.”
The post Step onto the Court with “Hoop Champion” A Revolutionary Basketball-Themed Game from Gaming Corps appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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