Hummel Inches Back Into Asia’s Football Sponsorship Scene

Danish sports apparel brand Hummel has scored a landmark deal with Indian Super League (ISL) franchise Hyderabad FC.

Hummel, which is the kit sponsor for the Denmark national team as well as English Premier Clubs Everton and Southampton, is poised to be the the official team kit partner for Hyderabad FC for the upcoming 2021/22 season. Industry commentators believe the Danish brand’s latest move is just the start of a push into Indian football.

Soumava Naskar, Director, India and SEA, Hummel, said, “Football is ingrained in our brand DNA. We come with a rich heritage in football and global partnerships with multiple renowned football clubs. It gives us immense pleasure to take this legacy ahead in India with Hyderabad FC.”

According to ASN data, Hummel has a delicate toehold in the Asian sponsorship market, with a mere 0.4% share of its category (~US$4.5m spend) in the past three years. Singapore (39.4%), South Korea (39.2%) and India (15.9%) take up the bulk of the brand’s spend in the region. The ISL deal is a reversal in Hummel’s otherwise muted first half of 2021, which saw a downturn in sponsorship activity: namely endorsement cancellations with Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryan, and the Singapore Premier League team Tampines Rovers FC.