Who are Brighton’s shirt sponsors and what do they do?
American Express have long been associated with both the city of Brighton and Hove and the Albion themselves.
The company’s United Kingdom headquarters are based in Brighton and Seagulls supporters need no reminding that the Amex Stadium bears their name, or that they’ve been the club’s lead shirt sponsor since the start of the 2013-14 season.
Last summer, American Express and the Albion signed a new record breaking 12-year sponsorship deal said to be worth a cool £100m to the club.
But who are American Express and what exactly do they do?
Who are American Express?
American Express were founded in 1850 and have since become one of the most recognisable names in the world of finance. They are one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and are responsible for over 20% of the total credit card spend in the United States.
In 2018, Fortune Magazine ranked American Express as the 14th most admired company in the world. Forbes ranked them as the 23rd most valuable brand on the planet.
While other Premier League teams sign sponsorship deals with far-East bookmakers who many of us in England have never heard of, Brighton are one of the few outside of the big six to have attracted a genuine global brand who are recognised across the planet.
Why are American Express so well known?
American Express are so well known because they facilitate the transfer of money around the world in a way that few other financial companies can match.
Their online wire transfers are fast, reliable and secure and can be carried out with a couple of clicks, allowing account holders to send money anywhere in the world.
This is a particularly helpful method of transfer for those doing business with companies in emerging countries. American Express allows payments to be made in all major currencies and many minor ones with the ability to lock in exchange rates, meaning that there are no nasty surprises further down the line.
American Express credit card holders can pay for goods in store and online via credit card with some very generous rewards on offer, including airmiles, enrolment in various airport lounges and car rental gold clubs. They have a booming travellers cheque business.
Account holders are able to carry out easy balance transfers and American Express can also be used as an online payment methods for ecommerce and as a payment method in an online casino, which can then be withdrawn at a later date.
What does having American Express as a sponsor mean for Brighton?
Recognition, for one thing. The American Express logo is famous across the planet and seeing it emblazoned on the shirt of the Albion gives the club an instant gravitas with the watching world, which is particularly important in the Premier League where games are beamed into homes and bars around the globe.
Paul Barber has spoken before at the Albion’s aims of breaking into the American market, particularly on the East Coast. The Albion Deputy Chairman said at the annual fans forum in August that the club were hoping to undertake a pre-season tour in the summer of 2020 to New York to tie in with the new American Express sponsorship deal and the club’s kit manufacturing deal with Nike.
American Express for their part get their name emblazoned on the shirt of a club in the most famous league in the world, improving their brand recognition.
They also benefit hugely from the stadium sponsorship; in the same way Emirates and Etihad have become words that have entered every football supporters daily lexicon through their sponsorship deals with Arsenal and Manchester City’s stadiums, so too have American Express with Brighton’s home ground affectionately known as the Amex.
