It’s been a few trips for Spanish soccer dynamo Girona, and there are more to come.
Despite a heavy 4-0 reverse at Real Madrid leaving La Liga title destiny in the capable hands of Los Blancos, Girona still have an outside chance of glory this season. Regardless, making the new-look Champions League for the first time would be a huge achievement for the Catalans. That result was easily achieved less than two years after it was placed sixth in Spain’s second tier.
Alongside the immersed fans that fill the Estadi Montilivi and the growing awareness of the team’s progress from afar, there is a unique commercial impact. Rarely does a team go from the periphery to the public glare in an instant—an outcome its main shirt sponsor, local pet food company Gosbi, is used to.
Gosbi specializes in natural products for dogs and cats and has been Girona’s main sponsor since 2021—when the club was still competing for promotion to Spain’s top echelon. Back then, it was a logical deal for both sides: Gosbi benefits from its ties to a community hub while Girona joins forces with a neighboring ethical brand, perfect for creative marketing campaigns. As it turns out, the partnership has produced both positives and negatives, with the chance that it won’t last beyond this year.
From Girona to the World
In short, Girona’s massive rise has led Gosbi to receive greater exposure than it could have imagined through television coverage and highlights, social media output, and newspaper stories. Every time striker Artem Dovbyk went home or Sávio went home in celebration, the business in the red and white shirt was there for all around the world to see.
In a city where people usually sway towards Barcelona—or sometimes Spanish—Girona’s colors are now trendy. Continued success for several seasons, quite possible due to the smooth operation of the club under the supervision of the City Football Group, and the Girona jersey could become more visible in other countries. And, therefore, everything in the shirt, too.
As many world-beating soccer clubs see value in deals with betting companies, airlines, and big overseas businesses, an adorable animal-focused business—based just a half-hour drive from home stadium—has a certain charm. It also reflects the engagement of several Spanish teams with local sponsors, such as Villarreal and Pamesa Cerámica, a nod to the small town’s rich history of ceramics, and enabled by billionaire owner Fernando Roig.
Deal so good?
Unfortunately for Gosbi, the sporting success of the unruly Girona grew more than it expected when the side was lower down the pecking order. Although such companies can attract eyeballs, especially in Spain, businesses like this are often not ready to scale up and profit from the attention.
“A brand has to be ready for that extra exposure and all the opportunities that can bring,” Philip Rouwenhorst, a sports sponsorship expert and consultant, told me in an interview. “If a brand is not ready, you can have all the awareness but little or no impact on the brand.
“By impact, I mean what it does to your brand’s commercial funnel. Will more people consider your brand? Will more people recommend your brand? Will more people effectively buy your brand in the end? And then stick to your brand? That’s a little more complicated.”
Sadly, such targets concern a business that does not have its purpose embedded in the name. What happened to Gosbi? With this amount of publicity, the partnership is a net gain but it may not be fully leveraged.
Girona also misses a trick. Financially, at least. Top in Europe, title contenders Real have earned serious dollars from shirt sponsor Emirates, earning €70 million ($75 million) per season. Although Girona’s status is still a shadow of Real’s, Los Blanquivermells generate just a fraction of that from Gosbi each term—in the thousands and millions at best. It can ask for more now that it is competing in a different stratosphere.
Admission is offered
Assuming coach Míchel and his players qualify for Europe’s premier competition, it’s likely that brands from all corners will flock to attach themselves to Girona and possibly oust Gosbi—especially if this season was more than a flash in the pan. Rouwenhorst certainly thinks so.
“You want to work with a rights holder who you can tell the story of your campaigns and activations,” he adds. “It’s all about storytelling through your sponsorship.
“How great is this story? The team was in the Segunda two years ago and (maybe) in the Champions League next season. So, you can build your whole brand around talent, dreams, and aspirations. You can of great campaigns and stories—using Girona as the vehicle.”
As the side prepares for more commercial opportunities, the rocky world of Girona shows anything is possible in the sponsorship game. Depending on the team, its fortunes, and when the two parties make a deal, affiliate businesses can grow tenfold, lose, or both.
Note: Gosbi did not respond when contacted for this story
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