Sponsorship & Marketing
Features
R&A keeps faith in sponsors and strategy in turbulent year
The R&A’s maintenance of event cancellation insurance “slightly eased” the burden of lost income from the cancellation of this year’s Open and Senior Open
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Nostalgia, internet, and investment | How Covid-19 fueled a sports trading card boom
Jason Howarth, Panini America's vice-president of marketing, tells SportBusiness how the industry has looked to capitalize on the rising popularity and value of trading cards
Murray Barnett | Five reasons why the future’s bright for women’s football
Murray Barnett, former chief commercial officer for World Rugby and head of partnerships for Formula 1, explains why women’s football is sure to recover the commercial momentum lost as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Stevenage FC tries to build on the success of innovative Burger King gaming partnership
Stevenage FC were pleasantly surprised when news arrived of Burger King's interest in becoming its main sponsor. SportBusiness speaks to Stevenage chief executive officer Alex Tunbridge to hear about the journey the club has been on since the association with Burger King began in July 2019.
Williams Racing commercial director on reshaping motorsport’s sponsorship model
Tim Hunt, commercial and marketing director at Williams, wants sponsorship platform to focus on “the USPs of being an F1 team”
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Klein: Mondelēz International activation to be among largest in Bundesliga International era
The German Bundesliga’s newest sponsorship deal, with multinational confectioner Mondelēz International, will help “promote the league to a broader audience” and the activation plans are significant, accord…
Suzuki extends with 2020 NRL champions Melbourne Storm
Australian National Rugby League (NRL) club Melbourne Storm has extended its long-standing association with Japanese automotive brand Suzuki for another two years
Eurosport, Ford create motorsport content series in digital marketing tie-up
International sports broadcaster Eurosport has teamed up with Ford to launch ‘Bring on Tomorrow’, a new digital content series that will investigate future innovations in motorsport as part of a wider mar…
Valencia signs up Papa John’s with brand set to build in region
Spanish LaLiga's Valencia CF has signed up pizza chain Papa John's as a sponsor. The deal will begin immediately and run until the end of the 2020-21 season
Pandemic pushes sport to double down on data-driven business
SportBusiness speaks with Asia-Pacific industry insiders about the increased urgency of sport adopting data-driven business practices in the Covid and post-Covid worlds. Tom King reports.
Lockdown dampens Brentford FC’s new stadium celebrations
Brentford FC’s plans to open a brand new 17,250-capacity stadium this autumn have been thwarted by the Covid pandemic. Chief executive Jon Varney describes how the club is coping with the lockdown and its plans to compete on a more even commercial footing in the English Championship.
Matthew Glendinning | Kamala Harris, Nike and iconic moments
Amid the drama that followed the US Presidential elections, the Nike brand was present at the iconic moment when Kamala Harris told the President-Elect: “We did it, Joe.” SportBusiness' Matthew Glendinning explains why Nike’s moment of marketing gold owed as much to judgement as it did to luck.
Sports sponsorships transform Hyperice’s profile and spur dramatic growth
Following partnerships with NBA, MLB, UFC, PGA Tour and numerous star athletes, the recovery and performance technology company has transformed its financial fortunes, as well as its domestic and international profile, this year. Bob Williams reports
Michelob Ultra focuses on ‘health and wellness’ for PGA Championship extension
Matthew Glendinning looks at the details of the AB InBev-owned beer brand's extension with the golf major.
DP World continues to see value in sport sponsorship
Logistics brand DP World entered into a long-term deal with IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2020 and become title sponsor of Renault's F1 team, building on its existing sponsorship of the European Tour. Daniel Van Otterdijk, chief communications officer for the company, explains how each deal supports its objectives.
Sponsors warm to cricket ahead of Australian summer, although challenges lie ahead
SportBusiness speaks to Cricket Australia’s national commercial development manager Phil Rigby about how, in spite of the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, the organisation is confident about its sponsorship prospects. Tom King reports.
ISL still targeting profitability within three years despite Covid ‘disaster’
The International Swimming League is still targeting profitability “within three or four years” despite being heavily impacted by the pandemic, its managing director and head of commercial operations, Hubert Montcoudiol, tells SportBusiness.
Japan’s modernising domestic leagues brace for pandemic setback
The Covid-19 pandemic has stalled a modernisation of Japanese sport with a lot of domestic teams falling back on private backers and corporations to see them through the crisis. Kevin McCullagh and Tom King report.
£6m kit provision in Macron deal supports WRU’s community clubs
Welsh Rugby Union's recently signed kit supply deal with Macron is more lucrative than the previous agreement with Under Armour and provides a timely boost to the country's community clubs
Ben Cronin | Rights-holders need to show caution in use of virtual advertising
Closed-door sport has prompted an upsurge in virtual advertising but a new report cautions against using the technology indiscriminately.
“It’s crucial we re-establish ourselves as a multi-sport brand” | Sam Lucas, head of sports sponsorship, Umbro UK
Umbro's head of sports sponsorship in the UK, Sam Lucas tells SportBusiness how Umbro will leverage its kit supply agreements with the RFU and Bristol Bears to help achieve its aim of becoming the "number one brand" in rugby.
Free webinar: ‘Technology, fan engagement and data – writing the new rules of sponsorship’
The accelerated uptake of technology in relation to fan engagement and sponsorship comes under the spotlight this week in a free SportBusiness webinar
In-game sponsorship inventory improves League of Legends sales proposition
Figures from the esports and sponsorship industry examine the impact of Riot Games' decision to launch in-game advertising within its League of Legends series. Matthew Williams reports.
RFU looks to urban markets with Umbro after Canterbury departure
Umbro’s return to rugby – in the form of its four-year kit supply deal with the Rugby Football Union – came into effect earlier this month, but it very nearly didn't happen. Matthew Williams examines what the union and the sportwear manufacturer hope to get out of the agreement.
Norwich City’s financial model provides stability despite Premier League relegation
Ben Kensell, chief operating officer at Norwich City, tells Adam Nelson about how the commercial structure he has put in place offers the club a platform to bounce straight back after its relegation from the Premier League.
Monkey Knife Fight looks to advance status as industry disruptor
An upstart daily fantasy company with an unusual name and unconventional approach has quickly risen to prominence by challenging established market leaders DraftKings and FanDuel and striking a large series of team sponsorships.
Onur Yegenoglu | Covid-19 challenges pave the way for a true partnership approach
Onur Yegenoglu, head of sport at KIN Partners, says that while Covid-19 has had a hugely negative impact on the sports industry, there are numerous opportunities that have arisen out of the pandemic
Lee Gibbons | What Olympic sponsorships can teach brands in the Covid-19 era
Self-confessed 'Olympophile' Lee Gibbons, managing director of the Sport Unlimited agency, explains why the values and strategies attached to Olympic sponsorships translate so well to today's market in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.