THE WINNERS AND LOSERS OF EURO 2020
Credit: SportBible
So football went Rome instead of home, but who were the real winners and losers of Euro 2020? The Space Between Co-founder Adam Raincock investigates
What do the Euro’s and game theory have in common?
On the surface very little and you’re probably wondering why I’m talking about this just a few days after our footballing pain continues on and off the field. Look closer though and Sunday’s match is a classic definition of a zero-sum game. To have a winner you must have a loser, and the spoils went to Italy – simple. Big tournaments, however, are far richer than a single game or behaviour of a small group of fans – they are cultural moments that play out across media, politics and society, creating a multitude of winners and losers. They are by definition a non-zero-sum game. So rather than focus on Sunday we’ve given our take on who has won and lost from the Euro’s and a promise that this is the last we’ll talk about maths.
The Winners
The England Team
Yes, we have lost of penalties again and football has been shown as a platform for the worst of our nation but the way the team carried themselves in defeat is a triumph. Gareth Southgate and the players have shown strong values, a great team ethic and a better class of role model for the younger generation, which is arguably a far bigger victory than being crowned European Champions. I still have ‘something in my eye’ seeing Mason Mount hand his semi-final winning shirt to young fans Belle, this must be the lasting image of this team. They have united the nation (albeit for a short period of time) and given buckets loads of joy and beer – both of which we have a great thirst for. So, while we drown ourselves in shame let’s also remember what has been achieved.
Sporting Narratives
This is why we love sport – the unexpected narratives that have to be witnessed to be believed. All great sporting movies are centred around overcoming adversity and the story of the Denmark team was no different. Tragedy struck in the first match when Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch and was taken to hospital and ruled out of the tournament. The team then lost their first two matches, but like Rocky rising from the canvas, they dusted themselves off to get within minutes of the final and became everyone’s second team in the process.
Brands
Tik Tok proved that sponsorship is alive and kicking for the next generation of brands. Their ability to carry the Euro’s to new audiences and give a unique angle on the tournament is invaluable for football. It also shows that the apocalyptic rhetoric around traditional media being dead is premature as they plastered themselves all over TV and OOH. The marketing mix has evolved for brands but let’s be clear, traditional channels are not dead no matter what anyone tells you.
Other campaigns worthy of a mention are Snickers ‘Bothlands’ campaign, BT’s brave Hope United campaign, the simple brilliance of Bud Light’s England work and the Specsavers ‘It’s coming home’ reactive OOH.
Pundits
The battle of the pundits has been almost as fierce as the action on the field. I’m not going to get into the BBC vs ITV debate but would like to focus on the pundits. For me, the winners have come from unexpected places with Micah Richards and Emma Hayes as new stars. Richards brings barrel-loads of humour and joy to the job, while Emma Hayes brings enough meticulous preparation and tactical acumen to the role to have Gary Neville looking over his shoulder. Expect to see more of these two in the near future. A special mention should go to the nations un-official pundit Rob Beckett. If you haven’t been following Rob Beckett’s Instagram stories you’ve been missing out.
The Losers
Hate
Hate will never win.
The England team used their platform take to the knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, an unarguable message, and they deserve great credit for doing so. To see their actions get conflated with political ideologies of Marxism and nationalism has undermined the message, and rather than discussing the problem we’re discussing the appropriateness of taking the knee thanks to the likes of some small-minded platform-hogging politicians. It has shown the deep divide that existed before the Euro’s and consequently erupted only moments after Saka missed his penalty. But, when Marcus Rashford’s mural was defaced in Manchester with racist graffiti within hours the local community had smothered it with messages of love and respect. We can never let hate win.
National Anthems
There is just no need to boo them. Ever.
UEFA
While the tournament on the field has been a success, UEFA itself has had a difficult time off it. Their handling of the Pride issue has been widely criticised and seen sponsors use their own marketing to rebel against the UEFA party line. They have also faced the Ronaldo ‘Cokegate’ which has seen athletes rejecting certain brand associations. I think this could be only the start of athletes questioning the brands that sponsor major tournaments and will signal a broader rise in athlete activism.
Multi Venue Format
It’s been great for England but has felt like the tournament lacked an identity and clearly favoured certain teams. It feels more than a coincidence that all four semi-finalists played all their group games in their home nation. Looking forward to normal service being resumed in Germany in 2024, with a single host nation creating a European carnival atmosphere.
Germany
What is German for zero sum game?