caytoo’s analysis of more than 1,500 Q2 2024 sponsorship deals reveals five key trends including a roundup of reported deal values to help benchmark your rights

Which categories are most ripe for targeting?
Driven by challenger brands, Alcohol and Soft Drinks saw the biggest jumps in deal activity to become the most prevalent sponsor categories in Q2. Accounting for 1 in every 10 deals signed, it illustrates how the proliferation of each category – in terms of both the types of drinks and the brands producing them – offers a huge opportunity for rights holders to help these challengers take on the established giants.

Electronics/Appliances manufacturers also saw a big jump in activity, but in contrast to the drinks categories this was driven by the more established Chinese and Korean players such as the TV-led TCL signing deals with seven national soccer federations, Samsung and home appliances firm Haier.

Should I consider collaborating with other rights holders?
A particularly interesting trend is the rise of “simultaneous multi-deal” activity – that is brands signing multiple sponsorship deals at the same time among competing or complementary rights holders.

For example, Copper Cane Wines & Spirits became the Official Wine Partner for five Major League Baseball teams, Subway launched a “Fresh Moves” initiative, dedicated to promoting emerging sports and physical activity, by partnering with GB Basketball, Breaking GB and Skateboard GB. While auto component firm WIX Filters undertook a national sponsorship campaign incorporating motor racing, outdoor sports and recreation, and automotive DIY.

This reinforces an idea for rights holders covered by caytoo nearly three years ago “Sleeping with the enemy: collaborating to sell sponsorship?” This was prompted by online trading firm eToro’s lead around rights holders collaborating or aggregating to bring their audiences together from a variety of different areas to provide an appealing single offer to sponsors.

What sales angle should I be focusing on?
In terms of why companies do sponsorship deals, Social Impact saw a significant jump in activity and is now not too far behind Brand Awareness as the most common motivation. It reinforces how important it is for rights holders to ideate how a partnership can showcase how a sponsor can benefit society in some way. Even if not the main thrust of the deal, it’s an increasingly vital box that needs ticking.

How much could I be charging?
The average deal size among reported deal values was €6.0 million per year. However, this was skewed by a handful of huge deals such as Saudi energy firm Aramco’s €92 million pa deal with FIFA, HP’s €83 million with the Ferrari F1 team and AXA Insurance’s €29 million with Liverpool FC.

So, a more realistic size for most rights holders is the median value of €690k (the middle value when all deals are ordered by size).

Which particular deals can I learn from?
The full Q2 2024 sponsorship deals report also contains caytoo’s pick of 10 deals that stood out due to a particular lesson it provides to rights holders when considering who to approach and how.

Here’s one as we love deals that provide a genuine added-value benefit to fans: Alaska Airlines’ deal with San Diego Wave FC means fans who wear Wave FC merchandise to flights departing from San Diego International Airport can receive priority boarding on all Alaska Airlines flights. The airline will also upgrade one selected fan’s seats at each San Diego Wave home game for the remainder of the 2024 NWSL season.