In 2025, sport is more than a viable choice for brands looking to boost awareness and affinity, it’s becoming a key battleground for cultural relevance. While TV audiences keep shrinking, sport’s ability to attract mass live audiences endures. In fact, live sport is a bigger part of under-35 viewing habits than ever before.
In this new era, athletes aren’t just athletes; they’re global influencers. Rightsholders aren’t just rightsholders; they’re entertainment platforms. The explosion of new media channels and the arrival of AI mean sponsors have limitless ways to reach consumers.
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But let’s be real. This new landscape isn’t just exciting – it’s tough. Marketing budgets are under the microscope, ROI expectations are sky-high, and measuring success through media value alone is ancient history.
Marketers are under more pressure than ever to prove sponsorship impacts the bottom line. Because if sponsorship isn’t driving tangible business returns, what’s the point? Here are 10 ways to make sure it does:
- Start with the why
Too many sponsors don’t know why they’re doing it. Don’t be like them. Vague objectives lead to poor results, so align early on 2-3 SMART goals, or your agencies will be shooting in the dark.
- Aim for Fame
Activations that create buzz outperform others on all business metrics. Whether you want revenue, loyalty, or profit, famous campaigns win. Yet most sponsorships drown in bland, predictable content. Stand out. Be original. Get talked about.
- View sponsorship as a platform
Happy with just slapping your logo on the jersey and calling it a day? That’s outdated. Sponsorship should go beyond badging, acting as a platform for content and experiences that last and matter. This is your chance to meet customers where they are and fuel their passion.
- Generate goodwill
Stop talking at fans. Start creating for them. Sponsorships that offer tangible value for fans more than double brand affinity and purchase intent. Yet most sponsors just broadcast brand messages. Want results? Give back to the fans.
- Delve into fan experience
New to a sport? Learn how your brand fits. Already a sponsor? Map how fans engage with you. Identify ways to drive brand exposure, create fame-worthy moments, and maximise impact.
- Develop a flexible core idea
In a fragmented media environment, a single rigid idea won’t cut it. You need a core creative concept that’s adaptable across every touchpoint, so each interaction builds towards one cohesive story.
- Integrate your Sole & Exclusive
Too many brands treat their Sole and Exclusive (S&E) as an afterthought. Disconnected sponsorship elements dilute impact. Ensure every part of your deal works together so the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
- Activate your full channel mix
Sponsors keep making the same mistake: under-activating. ROI rises with every channel added, yet too many stop at LEDs and a social post. Use the full suite of paid, earned, shared, and owned channels, or leave money on the table.
- Be fit for channel
Cutting down a TV ad for social? That’s lazy. Platforms reward content made for them. Want results on Instagram? Make content for Instagram. One-size-fits-all won’t work in 2025.
- Consolidate your agencies
Maximising sponsorship ROI starts with efficiency. Why use three agencies when one can do it all? The challenge: finding one that gets sponsorship, delivers shit-hot creative, and executes flawlessly.
Rory Natkiel is Head of Strategy at Sid Lee London an agency providing tailored services for brands in sport, encompassing brand strategy, sponsorship search, negotiation and activation, creative development and production, and hospitality and event operations.
