What Spotify’s Barcelona takeover tells us about budget allocation

When Spotify renewed its deal with FC Barcelona, it didn’t just sign up for another logo placement. It doubled down on owning almost every major asset the club has to offer, the men's and women's front of shirt, the training kit and the stadium naming rights. In sponsorship terms, this partnership is a complete takeover.

That raises an interesting question for marketers: is it better to spread your investment across multiple teams, leagues or events, or pour all your resources into one perfectly aligned partner?

We recently debated a similar points, whether brands should aim to be the big sponsor of a small team or the small sponsor of a big one, similarly is it better diverse your sponsorship portfolio or concentrate all efforts in a single category? The Spotify–Barça example invites the same thinking. Would you rather have smaller visibility with 5 different teams, or total dominance with one?

A common approach in media

In media, the analogy is a complete website takeover, when a brand occupies every ad slot on a homepage. It’s not subtle, but it’s effective. It creates immersion. A complete takeover in sponsorship does the same: instead of sharing space with ten other brands, you become synonymous with the property itself.

Of course, total concentration only works when there’s genuine alignment. That’s what makes the Spotify–Barcelona relationship interesting. Both are global entertainment brands, powered by youth, creativity and culture. Both trade in content that moves people, whether it’s music or football. Both value digital innovation and community. And both have stars that cross borders, from Lamine Yamal on the pitch to artists on Spotify’s charts.

The risk of going all in

However, total focus brings total exposure and that includes risk. Putting all your eggs in one basket means your brand’s reputation and performance become tied to the fortunes of a single partner. If results dip, scandals break, or sentiment shifts, there’s nowhere to hide. A diverse portfolio of smaller partnerships can act as a hedge; a single, dominant one demands conviction. The reward can be immense, but it comes with pressure to stay relevant and continuously activate the partnership in new, engaging ways.