LONDON—Worried that their reputations will be tarnished by their links to Fifa, major sponsors are demanding that soccer’s global governing body clean up its act, with Visa even warning it is prepared to jump ship. Coca-Cola also made it clear it is unhappy with the scandals rocking the organisation, which saw the head of European soccer, Michel Platini, urge Fifa President Sepp Blatter to step down yesterday.
Platini’s call came a day after seven officials were arrested in a dawn raid at a luxury hotel in Zurich as part of an American investigation into soccer corruption that involves bribery allegations over decades. Swiss prosecutors have also opened criminal proceedings into Fifa’s awarding of the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 tournament to Qatar.
The shockwaves rippling through soccer’s corridors of power have prompted some of the sport’s most prominent commercial backers to demand action. Visa provided the most acute criticism, saying it expected Fifa to take “swift and immediate steps to address” its issues. “This starts with rebuilding a culture with strong ethical practices in order to restore the reputation of the games for fans everywhere,” it said in a statement. “Should Fifa fail to do so, we have informed them that we will reassess our sponsorship.”
Coca-Cola was also among the companies to take a harder stance. “This lengthy controversy has tarnished the mission and ideals of the Fifa World Cup and we have repeatedly expressed our concerns about these serious allegations,” the company said in a statement. Most of the companies involved with Fifa and the soccer world are household names. For most, the association with the world’s biggest team sport has paid handsome dividends, so any decision to bring that to an end won’t be taken lightly.
Fifa can’t ignore the criticism, as the sponsors provide almost a third of its revenues. Recent figures showed the organisation generated $5.7 billion in 2011-2014, which encompassed the Brazil World Cup, with sponsors and commercial partners contributing almost $1.6 billion. Paul Smith, the CEO of New York-based sports and entertainment intelligence firm Repucom, said the sponsors should avoid a “knee-jerk” decision to ditch their connection with Fifa, arguing that the most prudent path is “a wait-and-see approach.”
As well as Coca-Cola and Visa, Fifa has other long-term partners, including Adidas, which has provided the match ball for every World Cup since 1970. The partners have the right to use official Fifa trademarks in their advertising campaigns, exposure in and around stadiums and protection against ambush marketing.
There are second-tier sponsors, too, such as Budweiser and McDonald’s, who pay to be involved during and around the World Cup tournaments themselves. Beyond those corporations, there are companies that make deals with national soccer associations—Nike, for example, has paid for the right for Brazil to wear its shirts since 1996.
AP