Chris Protheroe is obviously a great believer in the efficacy of licensing agencies when it comes to promoting sports brands. He does, however, admit that there are times when keeping the licensing push in house can make sense.

“With apologies to fans of Brentford, Accrington Stanley and Yeovil, most teams outside the top tier have an appeal that is likely to be very local and we tend to work with brands that are at least regional,” he says. “Similarly, although England Rugby is one of our most popular sports brands, even the biggest English rugby clubs are too localised to merit national or cross-regional licensing campaigns.”

That said, the MD of CPLG Sport firmly believes that there’s never been a better time to be licensing sports brands. Awareness of major sports, like football, rugby, cricket and golf, is greater than ever, thanks to multi-platform, multi-venue access. And of course that awareness is further enhanced by events such as the rugby, football and cricket World Cups, major golf and tennis tournaments and the Ashes, all of which have brought sport to a massive audience of both sexes and all ages. In the next three years the Football World Cup, the Rugby World Cup, England’s defence of the Ashes in Australia and the London Olympics will boost that audience even further.

The opportunities for sports licensing have grown alongside sport in general. That’s why companies like CPLG have a specialist business devoted entirely to sport. That’s also why some clubs and events have their own in-house licensing operations. It’s not an uncommon practice. So why does Protheroe feel that some of the bigger names may be missing a trick by keeping licensing to themselves?

“Firstly,” he says, “most in-house sports licensing is typically handled by someone who isn’t normally involved in licensing as a day-to-day job; traditionally the department in charge of retail would have licensing added to its workload. Even if its members have a licensing background that department is, by definition, dedicated to one brand only, and may fall into the trap of being reactive rather than proactive.”

But surely that means a more focused approach? Far from it, apparently. “The job should be as much about the effective practice of licensing as it is about the brand. CPLG as a whole talks to licensees and retailers of all sorts of brands – not just sport – all day, every day, understanding what they want and applying it to their business. What agencies like ours learn, the relationships they form, the databases they compile, benefit not just a specific brand but all the brands in their portfolio – including sporting brands.”

Of course CPLG Sport’s portfolio itself is diverse, covering football, rugby, cricket, golf and motor sport.  And that’s useful too, says Protheroe. While a dedicated licensing operation can’t expect to see a major supermarket every week, CPLG Sport is in regular dialogue with relevant sectors of retail and licensing, with all that means in terms of keeping its clients’ names in the forefront of retailers’ thinking. “And,” he adds, “the fact that our clients include England Football, England Cricket and England Rugby does mean that we get to see people you couldn’t see if you were just working on licensing for an individual club.”

It’s not just about retail or licensees either. The marketplace for sport has become very complex as more people buy into sports brands. Protheroe points out that rugby is now played by hundreds of thousands of kids on a Sunday morning through mini-rugby. It is also supported by 85 year-olds who’ve followed it all their lives, armchair fans and those who take an interest only during the World Cup and will seek out merchandise at that time. “It’s not one market,” he says, “and if your bread and butter is targeting different social, gender and age groups but also understanding where one or more groups may have overlapping interests, I would argue that you have an insight into market segments that a specialised operation cannot have.”

Given that insight, even the apparent difficulties of licensing regional rugby can be overcome, he suggests. “We certainly feel that with access to all the clubs in, say Rugby League’s Engage Super League or Union’s Guinness Premiership, there is a regionally based programme in the waiting,” he points out.

If past experience is anything to go by, the omens are good. The England Football brand can be found everywhere from Halfords to Clintons. England Rugby is in M&S, John Lewis and Debenhams. CPLG Sport’s biggest football club brand, West Ham United, is now a fixture, if you’ll pardon the pun, at many branches of Tesco and available though numerous other retailers, online and in-store.

West Ham United is an interesting example of the power of even a regional sporting brand: it has a fan base extending across East London and Essex to Kent and beyond, a high level of name recognition and is also many people’s ‘second team’. Of course, thanks to online access, going to Argos, Tesco or Kitbag.com for a West Ham duvet is possible anywhere in the country. “So,” Protheroe says, “even Hammers fans in Newcastle needn’t feel neglected”.

Which is a reminder that not all brands have the same retail network. Protheroe points out that England Cricket relies just as much on the independent sport shop, county ground store and e-commerce as it does on department stores as outlets for licensed products. “To ensure that all levels of retail are served and the needs of the fanbase met, the licensing agent works in close partnership with different stakeholders, including the various retailers, licensees and, of course, the rights owners, the ECB,” he points out.

Such market knowledge is, he says, another reason why more and more big sporting brands now understand the power of licensing and the importance of licensing agents in harnessing that power. England Football as a brand extends to 40 licensees producing hundreds of products – not just apparel and sporting goods, but motorcycle helmets, adult swimwear and even iPod speakers.

Protheroe is especially keen to point out that an iconic golf brand – St Andrews Links – has embraced licensing (through CPLG Sport, of course) for the first time in its 600-year history.

It’s a shrewd move for one of the oldest names in sport, he feels. “Golf has what many would see as a traditional golf club member base,” he says. “However, there are also many players around the world who are not necessarily members of clubs but who play when they can. The may not define themselves as traditionalists but their passion for the game is unmistakable – and you can be sure their friends and family are aware of it. That’s why the gift and accessory categories are such a strong prospect for a golf-loving target market.”

St Andrews Links, however, brings up an interesting point. Surely if the licensing agent aims to get the widest possible exposure of the brand into the marketplace, that could upset traditionalists?

Protheroe doesn’t think so. “Part of our job is to enable fans at every level of involvement – from season ticket holder to casual viewer – to buy into sporting brands if they wish. However, we aim to enhance a brand without undermining its core values – which in sport means history and heritage – by over-licensing it.”

So, as they say in sporting circles, what makes licensing agents the team to beat? Protheroe is unequivocal. “Years of experience in all areas of licensing, understanding of markets and market segments, and a wide range of contacts give us an edge that an in-house operation cannot offer.” But is that enough? “Well,” he says with a grin, “you absolutely have to have a genuine love of sport. Even if, like me, you're a long suffering supporter of Reading FC…”