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Real Madrid and Barcelona neck-and-neck as world’s most valuable football brands in the face of COVID-19

Published

6 years ago

July 30, 2020

George Miller

Reading Time: 3 minutes

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 4^th 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 3^rd 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 4^th 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 8^th 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.

Arizona Lottery

Scientific Games rolls out Momentum systems upgrade for Arizona Lottery

Published

17 minutes ago

July 10, 2026

Wladimir P.

scientific-games-rolls-out-momentum-systems-upgrade-for-arizona-lottery

New central gaming and retailer management systems support expanded draw game features across the Lottery’s 3,600 retail locations.

Scientific Games said a new suite of systems technology is now powering the Arizona Lottery’s statewide sales, including updates to its draw games portfolio. The rollout is based on Scientific Games’ Momentum ecosystem, incorporating a central gaming system and a retailer management system.

Arizona Lottery Executive Director Alec Thomson said the technology and game changes are intended to modernize operations and refresh the draw game lineup. “Our teams have been working hard behind the scenes with the Scientific Games teams, and we are thrilled to see this project come to life. The changes to our draw games will give our players bigger value, more ways to play and even more chances to win,” Thomson said. “Ultimately, the advanced technology ecosystem modernizes our operations and positions the Arizona Lottery for future growth.”

The Lottery’s draw game changes include an update to The Pick featuring an automatic multiplier on every play and an add-on called The Pick PLUS, the addition of a daily midday drawing for Pick 3, the launch of a new Pick 4 game with midday and evening drawings, and the addition of Powerball Double Play.

Scientific Games said it also upgraded its gem | suite software to support the expanded draw portfolio and to manage retailer licensing, communications and business intelligence across the Arizona Lottery’s network of 3,600 retailers. “As the Arizona Lottery’s systems technology partner since 2015, Scientific Games is focused on readying the Lottery for long-term sustainability through advanced systems and software, and exciting new products that engage players and drive proceeds to the good cause programs that benefit Arizonans,” said John Schulz, President, Americas & Global Instant Products.

Scientific Games has supplied products and services to the Arizona Lottery for 45 years, including Scratchers games and licensed brands, and supports the Lottery from a Phoenix location, according to the company.

The post Scientific Games rolls out Momentum systems upgrade for Arizona Lottery appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

2026 FIFA World Cup

Flashscore: UK World Cup traffic hits 2.35M users ahead of England vs Norway

Published

17 minutes ago

July 10, 2026

Wladimir P.

flashscore:-uk-world-cup-traffic-hits-2.35m-users-ahead-of-england-vs-norway

Flashscore says England vs Mexico is its fourth most-watched match globally so far, drawing 17.5M live followers on the app.

Flashscore reported a lift in UK fan engagement ahead of England’s World Cup quarter-final against Norway, citing new usage data from its tournament coverage.

The company said it has recorded 2.35M unique UK users and 387.7M views across its World Cup content so far, spanning live scores, match centres, previews, articles and audio.

Flashscore also pointed to deeper “second-screen” consumption patterns in the UK during the same period, including 1.6M match preview views, 1.23M article views and 147K audio plays.

In global terms, Flashscore said England ranks seventh for team profile opens. England’s Round of 16 match against Mexico at the Azteca Stadium was the fourth-most popular match of the tournament on the app, attracting 17.5M live followers and generating 53.2M views.

On player interest, Flashscore said England captain Harry Kane ranks 20th globally for player profile opens, with 3.9M—just behind Brazil’s Vinicius Junior on 4.0M. Norway striker Erling Haaland is eighth, with 5.7M profile opens.

The post Flashscore: UK World Cup traffic hits 2.35M users ahead of England vs Norway appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Amusnet Italy

Amusnet Italy Enters into Partnership with Entain

Published

17 minutes ago

July 10, 2026

Wladimir P.

amusnet-italy-enters-into-partnership-with-entain

Amusnet Italy has launched its premium gaming portfolio on Entain’s prominent online casino brands, bwin and Gioco Digitale, marking a significant step in strengthening its presence within the regulated Italian market.

Through this strategic partnership, local players will gain access to the provider’s premium casino content, known for its exceptional reliability, captivating mechanics and top-tier design. This launch marks the beginning of a phased rollout, with a fully certified portfolio consisting of 174 high-performing titles from Amusnet’s catalogue.

The initial release, which went live on July 1, features the majestic slot Extra Crown Classic Buy Bonus. This royal, fruit-themed game masterfully blends a traditional aesthetic with modern video slot dynamics, featuring expanding Crown Wilds and dual Scatter symbols. It elevates excitement with an innovative Buy Bonus option for instant action alongside Amusnet’s signature 4-level mystery Jackpot Cards bonus game, providing a truly immersive player experience.

“Partnering with premium brands like bwin and Gioco Digitale is a major milestone for our growth in Italy. Launching onto Entain’s platform allows us to reach a wider audience and bring high-quality entertainment to Italian players,” said Polina Nedyalkova, Amusnet Italy Director.

Both bwin and Gioco Digitale are premier online casino brands operating under the global sports betting and gaming giant Entain, utilising a shared platform to deliver secure and cutting-edge gaming experiences. By aligning with these highly trusted brands, Amusnet is well-positioned to leverage their robust market positioning and extensive, loyal user bases to drive long-term engagement and growth.

With this strategic alliance, Amusnet Italy reinforces its commitment to driving growth in the local iGaming market alongside top-tier operators.

The post Amusnet Italy Enters into Partnership with Entain appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.