Following today’s news (Wednesday 8th December) that Mercedes-Benz F1 have terminated their partnership with Kingspan;
Conrad Wiacek, Head of Sport Analysis at GloblaData, a leading data and analytics company, offers his view:
“It is no surprise to see Mercedes-Benz F1 terminating its partnership with Kingspan following the recent backlash to the deal — especially after Lewis Hamilton was dragged into the row. We have seen ‘fan activism’ becoming much more prevalent in sports, with two examples being the ethical concerns around the recent spate of cryptocurrency sponsorships, and Bayern Munich fans revolting against the club’s $16.13 million-a-year partnership with Qatar Airways.
“The discussion around the ethics of sports partnerships is going to continue to 2022. There is no doubt that the World Cup being hosted in Qatar next year will become a flashpoint for further fan protests, putting hundreds of millions of dollars at risk as brands assess the impact on their reputations.”
