The gesture of Cristiano Ronaldo, who withdrew from his desk two bottles of Coca-Cola on Monday probably inspired other Euro 2020 players. Tuesday evening, it was Paul Pogba who dismissed a bottle of Heineken 0% after the victory of France against Germany.
On Wednesday evening, after his success against Switzerland, the Italian Manuel Locatelli also removed the two bottles of the American soda with the red logo installed on his desk.
A series of gestures which raise questions according to the economist of sport Jean-Pascal Gayant, professor of economics at the University of Le Mans and author of "Economy of Sport", who recalls that "the players are contractually obliged to remain in the advertising environment that is imposed on them.
When you participate in a competition like that, you agree to appear with all of these sponsors, ”emphasizes the economist.
Jean-Pascal Gayant also recalls that part of the commercial rights are redistributed at the end of the competition to the participating teams, “but there are also sums donated to other smaller teams in Europe and which have not took part in the Euro ”.
Read alsoEuro 2021: UEFA calls the teams to order after the gestures of Ronaldo, Pogba and Locatelli with the bottles
On Wednesday, UEFA announced that Ronaldo would not be penalized for his gesture.
But on Thursday, she reacted again in an article to read on our site, specifying that she had since "reminded the participating teams that partnerships are an integral part of the course of the tournament and make it possible to ensure the development of football through the 'Europe, including for young people and women'.
An “infantilization” of the players?
The presence of sponsors directly on the desk where the player speaks can be perceived as "excessive", believes Jean-Pascal Gayant.
"We can understand that the players feel infantilized by this use of their image (which) is associated with brands for which they do not necessarily have a particular sympathy".
Coca-Cola's market capitalization fell by $ 4 billion on Tuesday, with no link to Ronaldo's move being made. "It is worrying, but I find it hard to imagine that this gesture produces a stock market cataclysm for Coca-Cola", tempers the economist. “Afterwards, if we start to have viral phenomena from players who put aside drinks on the pretext that they are too high in calories (…) or by denominational pretext, then we may have financial concerns”, adds Jean-Pascal Gayant. On the side of Coca-Cola, the slogan was, this Thursday afternoon, not to react.
