Thanks to Amr for sharing his vast experience (Vodafone, Cisco, Barclaycard, Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, Oracle), now working at Avery Dennison
Amr, you have a fruitful and relevant experience in the technology industry (Cisco, Oracle, etc.) as well as in the sport industry, mainly in football (Tottenham Hotspur Football Club). Now, at Avery Dennison, you are the Senior Marketing Director – Aftermarket. Taking into account all this incredible experience, what have been the main changes in the sport industry (mainly, football), over the last 10-15 years?
Over the last 10-15 years, the sports industry, particularly football, has undergone significant transformation, driven by shifts in fan behavior and rapid advancements in technology. Fans today are no longer passive spectators; they want to have control over how they engage with the sport. They demand more interactive, immersive experiences, wanting to choose their own camera angles, access live data, and dive deeper into the performance analytics behind what they see on the pitch.
Technology and data have transformed not only how sports are played but also how they are consumed. Fans are interested not just in the outcome, but in the insights driving player and team performance. This shift has changed the narrative of sports consumption, with real-time data and advanced statistics becoming a key part of the experience.
Additionally, the development of Smart Stadiums has revolutionized the fan experience, bridging the gap between the physical and digital worlds. Fans now expect seamless connectivity and access to digital content whether they are in the stadium or watching from home. At Smart Stadiums, fans can interact with the game in real time, accessing AR/VR experiences, live stats, and even participating in social or gaming experiences during the match. At home, the use of technology allows fans to engage in similar ways, making them feel part of the action, regardless of where they are.
Furthermore, in today’s experience economy, sports organizations are no longer just competing against other teams but against all forms of entertainment—whether it’s movies, gaming, or other digital platforms. To stay relevant, sports brands have embraced innovation, focusing on delivering fan-centric experiences that go beyond the traditional game, meeting their expectations for personalized, on-demand content, and deep engagement.
Avery Dennison is a very relevant and diversified company, encompassing industries such as advertising, ticketing, automotive, food, retail, transportation, logistics, etc.. Can you summarize for all of us what is the added value that Avery Dennison brings to the sport industry?
Avery Dennison is a global leader in materials science and digital identification solutions, offering a broad range of branding and information services across industries, including sports. In the sports industry, we provide unmatched value through our end-to-end solutions, which optimize labor and supply chain efficiency, enhance sustainability and transparency, and create deeper connections between brands and consumers. As the global leader in Team Sports Embellishments, we uniquely harness the power of combining the physical and digital worlds to meet industry challenges.
Our key focus is helping teams and fans forge stronger connections, providing shared, elevated experiences both in-venue and online. Avery Dennison supports leagues, teams, brands, sponsors, and licensed retail operators with solutions that increase operational efficiency, optimize inventory management, and elevate the overall fan experience.
We offer a full suite of E2E (end-to-end) solutions that include a broad range of embellishments for sports apparel, meeting diverse needs across use cases and price points. With dynamic inventory management, we ensure that every product works seamlessly on any garment, delivered either at the source or for domestic decoration. Our white glove service includes design capabilities and project management, ensuring seamless execution from concept to delivery.
What sets us apart is our use of digital triggers—NFC technology and other data collection tools that enhance fan and partner engagement. These solutions not only increase fan acquisition and loyalty but also improve in-venue and hospitality experiences. We empower sports brands to boost retail revenue with real-time inventory management and in-venue customization, offering fans more personalized experiences.
Moreover, we help rights holders and sponsors unlock additional value by providing innovative tools to enhance partnership programs. Whether it’s through custom fan engagement, VIP experiences, or sponsorship activation, Avery Dennison’s solutions drive efficiency, elevate fan loyalty, and maximize revenue opportunities.
Amr, your area of responsibility within Avery Dennison is, basically, the sport industry and how to add value by generating additional content to maximize the experience (digital or physical) of the fan and the sponsor. Can you granulate a little bit more for us what are the products and services that you provide to the sport industry?
At Avery Dennison, our focus is on delivering innovative, high-performance solutions to the sports industry through our Embelex™ portfolio, which is designed to enhance both the on-field performance and the off-field fan experience. Embelex™ is our premier team sports offering, providing performance-driven trims that stand up to the rigors of professional play. We supply names, numbers, team crests, sponsor logos, and more across all levels of team sports, from professional leagues to grassroots organizations.
As the leading global supplier of specialty trims for the world’s largest sports clubs, teams, leagues, and federations, our solutions are at the forefront of technology and sustainability. Our proprietary advanced printing and automation systems enable us to streamline processes, increase efficiency, and significantly reduce waste across the supply chain. For instance, our Heat Transfer Label (HTL) product line includes a sustainable option made with 70% recycled content, a true differentiator in the market, verified by third-party certification.
Our digital embellishments are where physical meets digital, empowering consumers to interact with products in new ways. Whether it’s through NFC-enabled badges or QR codes, fans can access exclusive content, participate in promotions, and even get digital care instructions. This creates a deeper connection between fans and their favorite teams, while also providing valuable data to brands and sponsors.
For example, our partnership with LaLiga demonstrates how we bring teams to life through our cutting-edge solutions. We supply the league’s sleeve badges with hidden QR codes that allow fans to scan and win exclusive prizes, while capturing consumer data that helps drive future engagement. Similarly, for events like the Premier League Mornings Live fan festival, we’ve designed NFC-enabled jerseys that give fans access to unique content through a simple tap of their badge.
At Avery Dennison, we believe that team badges and embellishments are more than just design elements—they are symbols of unity, spirit, and identity for both players and fans. Through Embelex™, we are dedicated to helping sports brands not only elevate their apparel but also create immersive experiences that resonate long after the final whistle.
Over the last 10-15 years (and with a greater intensity within the last 5 years), the sport industry has evolved very rapidly, also in terms of the equipment, garment, fabrics and the fan experience. Can you share with us a couple of real case studies you have been involved in as Avery Dennison in the sport industry?
Avery Dennison has played a pivotal role in driving this transformation by delivering innovative, technology-driven solutions to elevate both fan engagement and team operations. Here are a couple of real-world case studies that highlight our involvement
Premier League Morning Live Event:
We supply for the Premier League the Names and Numbers, you can watch this video to learn more. We also know that the Premier League is looking to grow their fan base Internationally, soI in collaboration with the Premier League, we were involved in designing a special jersey for the "Premier League Mornings Live" event using our creative services team. The badge on the jersey was NFC-enabled, allowing fans who purchased these limited-edition jerseys to tap into the badge and access exclusive content, such as behind-the-scenes footage or player interviews. This case exemplifies how we connect the physical and digital worlds to deliver immersive experiences. Additionally, we provided an end-to-end solution, partnering with the Premier League on the sourcing of garments, demonstrating our flexibility to either work with team suppliers or provide a comprehensive solution ourselves
LALIGA Fan Engagement and Data Collection:
As the official provider of the LALIGA sleeve badge, we leveraged hidden QR codes to engage fans. Soccer fans at LALIGA matches could scan the badge on their official shirts for a chance to win limited-edition signed posters. This activation not only offered a unique experience but also helped LALIGA collect valuable consumer data, such as names, social media handles, and team allegiances, which can be utilized to drive future fan engagement strategies.
Real Madrid and Spanish Federation Name & Number Design:
Each year, we work closely with Real Madrid and their kit sponsor suppliers to design the Names & Numbers (N&Ns), making sure that there is a perfect matching between jersey and N&Ns Similarly, for the Spanish Federation, we designed the N&Ns used during the Euro Cup. The inspiration for this design came from the Clavel, an element featured on the team’s Adidas jerseys. It’s worth noting that we are the official supplier of the Spanish Federation's N&Ns, contributing to their Euro Cup-winning journey.
Karim Benzema’s 2022 Ballon d’Or Special Edition:
To celebrate Karim Benzema’s 2022 Ballon d’Or win, we created a special gold Name & Number set featuring Smart Embellishment. Fans who purchased this exclusive kit could access digital content related to the Ballon d’Or event, showcasing how our embellishments enhance fan engagement through interactive experiences
Mbappé Signing Supply Chain Management:
Another noteworthy moment was Kylian Mbappé’s signing, which created a massive demand for his jersey. We worked efficiently with clubs and retailers to ensure that fans received their jerseys in record time, demonstrating our ability to scale quickly and meet high consumer demand during peak moments in the sports industry.
Gold Bar Whiskey Partnerships:
In collaboration with Gold Bar Whiskey, the exclusive whiskey partner of the San Francisco 49ers, we developed an NFC-enabled iron-on patch as part of their Joe Montana Collection. Fans could tap the patch to register their emails for future marketing campaigns, showing how our technology bridges the physical product and digital engagement, even in partnership with non-sports brands.
These case studies showcase how Avery Dennison has been at the forefront of innovation, delivering solutions that combine creativity, cutting-edge technology, sustainability, and personalization to transform the fan experience and operational efficiency for sports teams, leagues and sponsors, to deliver more connected experience by connecting the physical and digital worlds.
According to your vast experience and knowledge about the sport industry (and mainly, in football), how do you envision the sport industry by 2030? What are the main challenges? And the main opportunities?
By 2030, I envision the sports industry—particularly football—becoming even more dynamic, connected, and digitally integrated. The convergence of technology, sustainability, and fan engagement will reshape how the sport is consumed, managed, and commercialized. However, this transformation will bring both significant challenges and opportunities.
Main challenges:
Sustainability and Circularity: One of the key challenges for the sports industry by 2030 will be balancing commercial growth with environmental responsibility. Increasingly, fans and stakeholders demand that brands and teams adopt sustainable practices. From materials used in merchandise to the environmental impact of large-scale events, the industry will need to prioritize sustainable sourcing and circularity. Technologies like RFID and NFC can help track the lifecycle of products, but integrating these innovations at scale will be complex and expensive.
Counterfeiting and Brand Protection: With the rising prices of official merchandise and the proliferation of counterfeit goods, brands face a continuous battle to protect their intellectual property. Advanced technologies such as blockchain for product tracking, RFID smart labels, and NFC chips for real-time authenticity verification will play a critical role in addressing these challenges. The ongoing fight against counterfeit goods will be pivotal in safeguarding both revenue and fan trust.
Shifting Fan Preferences and Digital Disruption: Younger generations, especially Gen Z, are consuming sports in fundamentally different ways. With the rise of e-sports and virtual entertainment, traditional football faces stiff competition. Fans now demand interactive, on-demand, and immersive experiences. This shift will require teams and leagues to adopt advanced technologies to deliver augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and personalized fan experiences, both in-venue and at home.
Main opportunities:
Digital Transformation: The biggest opportunity lies in digital engagement. By 2030, the use of NFC chips, QR codes, and digital triggers embedded in merchandise will enable fans to interact with their favorite teams and players in ways never before imagined. We will see further integration of data analytics, allowing fans to access real-time statistics, performance metrics, and personalized content. Teams can leverage this data to build deeper connections with their fan base and offer more tailored experiences.
Immersive Fan Experiences: Smart stadiums and in-venue customization will become the norm, allowing fans to personalize their experiences without waiting in line. Fans will expect more interactive and immersive environments, where they can engage with digital content, exclusive offers, and even social gaming elements in real-time while attending a match.
Sustainability as a Value Proposition: By incorporating sustainable materials and circular designs into team apparel and merchandise, brands can capitalize on the growing demand for environmentally responsible products. This creates a unique opportunity for teams to differentiate themselves and build brand loyalty. Fans are increasingly willing to support teams and brands that align with their own values, particularly around sustainability.
Globalization and New Revenue Streams: The continued globalization of football offers enormous potential for growth, especially in emerging markets across Asia, Africa, and North America. Leveraging digital platforms, teams will have the opportunity to reach wider audiences and create new revenue streams through digital content, sponsorships, and partnerships in these regions.
Conclusion: By 2030, the sports industry will likely be a fully integrated ecosystem where the physical and digital worlds are seamlessly connected. The challenge will be managing the pace of this transformation while addressing sustainability, protecting brand integrity, and keeping up with rapidly changing fan expectations. The opportunities for growth, however, are immense—particularly through digital engagement, immersive experiences, and sustainable innovation.
To thrive in this future, sports organizations will need to focus on partnerships that drive both sustainability and digital transformation, ensuring they remain relevant to an increasingly demanding and digitally savvy fanbase.