How the "small" equipment manufacturers try to exist in front of the behemoths

In a particularly competitive sponsorship market, "second zone" brands attempts the bet of the premises, in order to stand out from the Nike, Adidas, Puma trio.

According to a study carried out by the footpack site in May 2020, in the 5 major European championships, "only" 44 clubs out of 98 are equipped by Nike, Adidas and Puma.Behind these three behemoths, the Italian Macron and the Spanish Joma make a place in the top 5.This shadow equipment manufacturers work hard to attract remaining football clubs and why not encourage to dissociate major brands.In a European momentum for ecology and national primacy, the Faire-Local seems to be a key to success for equipment manufacturers.Here is an overview of the four brands that have embarked on this path.

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Macron

No Macron, it is not only the name of the French president but also that of an Italian equipment supplier created in 1971."We are, with a young, modern, dynamic image, and we are European fervents.He could very well be our ambassador "has fun the CEO Transalpin Gianluca Pavanello.Through his slogan "Work Hard, Play Harder" (working hard, playing even harder), Macron advocates the quality and technicality of their products.Its two huge warehouses in Italy allow you to deliver quickly throughout Europe.Stunning to be a multisports brand, Macron linked to the round ball in 2001 with the signing of the Bologna FC 1909, a house sponsor.

The recent partnership with the Unione Calcio Sampdoria signed in August 2020, confirms the status of the largest sponsor of Serie A clubs (5 in total).The brand has one time ahead of the other Italian representative, Kappa.After working at its beginnings for the Adidas and Nike giants, the Bolognese company sees greater (comes from the Greek "makros").Today the "Macron Hero" logo is also established outside "La Botte" with more than 50 clubs around the world to its record.Among them, the OGC Nice which since July 2016 has trusted Macron for his jerseys.

Comment les

What gave ideas to FC Nantes last summer, by committing to the next five seasons with Macron.The Italian firm adds a new string to its arc thanks to its recent participation in the Tekpas (TOP Executive Program Kit Scheme) program of UEFA.Indeed, she made "small" European nations for personalized jerseys.A great exhibition during the Dams of Euro 2021 with selections like Armenia, Cyprus or Luxembourg.

Joma

During the Franco dictatorship, the founder Fructoso Lopez is inspired by his son José Manuel, to create his sports brand in 1965, called Joma.Its head office is located in Toledo, a city listed as UNESCO's heritage for its architecture.The Spanish equipment supplier has bet on the innovation and signing of great players to develop its notoriety.The legend of Real Madrid Emilio Butragueno opted for the brand at Grand J in 1988.In the 1990s, their campaign "Color in football" revolutionized the world of football shoes where black is king, through two former Madrid and Marseillais attackers...

Thus, for the first time in the history of football, Fernando Morientes wears red shoes while his compatriot Alfonso Pérez Chausse du Blanc.In parallel, Joma claims to be the first to have used nylon for sports shoes.Getafe CF, Sociedad Deportiva Eibar, Villarreal CF and Club Deportivo Leganes (resident of Liga 2) succumbed to the brand's sirens who proudly claims her Hispanic identity.A brand that knows how to export international with more than 300 sponsored football teams, including the Atalanta Bergamo which has made beautiful European campaigns since 2019.The summer Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021 will certainly offer good visibility to the official equipment supplier of Spain.

In addition, these two equipment manufacturers already installed for many years, new brands hope to conquer the hearts of athletes, clubs but also amateurs.Focus on two of them that focus on the dissemination of their values.

Castor

It is surely the rising star of the season, the British equipment supplier Castor founded by two brothers, Tom (former professional football player in League Two) and Phil Beahon (semi-professional cricket) in 2016 in 2016.They are inspired by the Castor and Pollux twins who dared to challenge the hegemonic Zeus.It is first outside football that the Beahon siblings is talked about.British tennis player Andy Murray joins the Castor team in 2019 and even becomes a shareholder, so seduced by the project.The high -end, personalization, quality, lightness and the environment are the marketing assets of the company.Upon counterattack of the United Kingdom, Tom and Phil bet on Europe with Italian fabrics and manufacturing in Portugal.

That same year 2019, a first recognition comes from the American magazine Forbes which joined them in the classification of the 30 more promising entrepreneurs under the age of 30.A welcome help to integrate professional football because at the beginning of 2020, Castor obtained 7.5 million pounds sterling of private investor funds."My brother and I were born and grew up in Merseyside, a region of the world where football is a religion, and we have always had the ambition to enter the football market" they confide.From May 2020, their dream became reality.Their first take is called the Glasgow Rangers trained by Steven Gerrard, with a contract of 25 million pounds sterling to five years.

The winged logo brand does not hide its ambitions: "We will associate ourselves with 3 to 5 major Premier League, Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A for the next 18 months," said ISobel Bond, the marketing manager.Despite the failure to enlist AS Roma, Castor would be in great way to finalize the contracts of two Premier League clubs, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Newcastle United for the 2021-2022 season.Be careful not to burn your wings too quickly, dealing to follow.

Bilcee

After Adidas, Nike and Macron, the club of Istanbul Başakşehir Futbol Külübü has teamed up in this European season with a Turkish brand, named Bilcee.The Stambouliote brand focuses on the aura and the euphoria transmitted by individual sports.A way to color life, eliminate toxins and purify the body according to them.The C1 campaign was a great exhibition for the 3rd jersey, to say the least original of the Turkish Champions 2020.This olive green kit symbolizes a desire to raise awareness of ecology.

In accordance with a local start-up "Ecording", for each jersey purchased, supporters using a QR code will be able to follow the evolution of their sowed seed.Following the forest fire that occurred last October south of Turkey, in Hatay, the club graciously donated 2014 Seeds, date of its acquisition and its second ascent in Turkish Super Lig.The long -term goal displayed by Bilcee is to become one of the 10 best sports clothing brands that the world knows, loves and uses.The choice to also dress the volleyball club of rival Fenerbahce and the failure of the failed season of Başakşehir could taint, or at least delay, the boom of the Turkish brand.