From the paddy fields of Palakkad to the training ground of Arsenal FC, this is a great journey of PNC Menon. The name synonymous with Sobha.
That is how it was known in Kerala during the 1990s and early 2000s, when Sobha Realty where taking the nascent steps into the Indian market. When people enquired about Sobha , are they good builders ?, etc., the usual reply was ‘oh , that is by Mr. Menon and they have done quality work in middle east’.
For those who are not aware about the connection between Kerala (India) and Middle East (the Gulf region): the first go to place, from the 1960s, for work for Keralites aka Malayalees is the Gulf region.
Mr. PNC Menon who was born in Palakkad, a district towards the central part of Kerala went on this similar route and reached Oman. In 1976 Mr. Menon started an interior designing company in Oman and it did not take much time for the company to get going in the Middle East region.
The 1990s had seen a drastic makeover in the investment space across sectors in India. PNC Menon entered the Indian real estate segment with the entity named after his wife’s name, Sobha.
In the last four decades , Sobha group has grown at a steady pace. The way in which Mr. Menon and the team at Sobha have developed the brand over the years is in itself an amazing story. From humble beginnings to towering structures in the heart of international cities.
Sobha group now has the expert guidance of Mr. Ravi Menon, son of Mr. PNC Menon, who is now the Co Chairman.
The Premier League , since its inception, has become a global brand of football. The teams associated with Premier League have a great legacy going back to the last 1800s.
Arsenal Football Club, started in 1886, a consistent top performing club in the premier league and other competitions has attracted interest from brands across the globe. The money involved in Premier League and the earnings of clubs from television broadcasting has been one of the biggest contributor towards the earnings of the clubs. One another key component is the brand associations / sponsorships signed by the individual clubs. This depending on the branding opportunity, positioning, etc. can vary from 4-5 Millions to 60-70 Millions USD.
Sobha Realty announced their first association with Arsenal FC in September 2023. The below press statement also detailed out the opportunities.
“This multi-year agreement designates Sobha Realty as Arsenal’s Official Global Real Estate Partner. The partnership enhances Sobha Realty’s visibility at all domestic games played at Emirates Stadium, elevating the fan experience for local and international spectators. Additionally, Arsenal and Sobha Realty will collaborate on initiatives to advance the sports industry in Dubai, including youth football clinics, tournaments, and seminars.
Notably, Sobha Realty gains naming rights to The WM Club, Emirates Stadium’s premium match-day hospitality suite, now known as ‘The WM Club, Presented by Sobha Realty.'”
Taking this association one step further, Sobha Realty has got into a historic deal with Arsenal FC. From the 2nd of February, 2024 , the training ground of Arsenal FC will be known as Sobha Realty Training Centre. This is the first time a brand has taken up the naming rights of Arsenal FC training ground which was known as London Colney until today.
This is indeed a historic moment for the club.
Mr. PNC Menon who started his journey from Palakkad to Thrissur to Oman and the humble beginnings in Middle East, this definitely will be a momentous and joyous occasion for him. Yes, brand association definitely involve spending money to get all these said rights, deals, and so on; however the vision of the Sobha Realty deserves applause.
The best part of this brand association for me is in the way Sobha Realty have used the brand persona of Arsenal FC and Sobha Realty in their partnership announcement. A very detailed work done by the people involved to maintain an elite subtle branding tone.
Sobha Group is also giving it back to the society through their various programs. The group is
I am really excited to see the football connection going back to Kerala. I feel this might nudge the brands from Kerala to look at similar opportunities in Premier League, La Liga, Series A, Bundesliga, etc. It will be interesting to watch this space to see if brands will start realising this global reach potential and look at country specific leagues as well, which might come at a lower cost.
The content source for this article, courtesy Arsenal FC website and Sobha Realty website:
An article which I had written 5 years ago :-
PAC Talks 
Informative article. Good one. Keep writing.
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