Curnow’s words of encouragement for the sports marketing industry during the economic downturn were reflected by other speakers at Sports Marketing 360, an annual event held in London.
But the positive outlooks were accompanied by repeated advice that the relationship between sponsor and sports property had changed, and that each side now had to work harder to show the benefits they could bring to the other.
Ian Ayre, commercial director at Liverpool FC, which recently signed a new new shirt sponsorship deal with insurer Standard Chartered, worth a reported £80 million, said he was “very optimistic about the future of sports sponsorship, despite the recession.”
“The days of straight shirt sponsorship are gone,” he added. “You cannot go out to market with the same package for everyone. You should be aiming for a true partnership, where your sponsor is an active partner in promoting your brand alongside their own.”
Other speakers advised sports properties not to sell rights, but to create benefits for their sponsors, and advised sponsors to understand the sport, keep faith in athletes’ performances, and activate the sponsorship and bring something unique to fans.
