A Sponsorship Propensity Index essentially tells rights holders which sectors they are most likely to get sponsors from. In other words, where is the probability highest of doing a deal?
Our first report answers this idea of probability (or likelihood) for rights holders selling sponsorship. It comes from our analysis of nearly 2,710 sponsorship deals around the world announced in the first 10 months of 2023. It incorporates a wide range of industry sectors, rights holder fields and organisation sizes. It focuses on the following sales angles:
- Based on my field (e.g. sport, music, broadcast etc), which sectors am I most likely to do a deal with?
- Based on the key benefit I offer, which sectors am I most likely to do a deal with?
- Based on the rights package I’m selling, which sectors am I most likely to do a deal with?
The rights holder field you’re in
If we take football (soccer) as an example, the table below shows how likely master sectors are to sponsor the sport compared to the average (ordered by most to least likely).
A number above 1 means football rights holders are more likely to attract sponsors from that master sector compared to the average. Below 1 means less likely.
Surprisingly, for the world’s most popular sport, this proves that football rights holders are most likely to attract sponsors from a ‘heavy’ B2B sector – Industrials. This is due to the fact that even though Industrials make up 5.1% of all sponsorships, they make up 6.8% of football sponsorships.
This means football rights holders are 1.34 times more likely to get Industrials sponsors compared to the average (or 34% more likely).
Industrials’ higher propensity is driven by Construction, Manufacturing/ Engineering and Materials/Chemicals firms. Construction and M/E is mainly due to a local connection between the firm and the football club, such as being based in the same city. While Materials/Chemicals deals are often undertaken around generating brand awareness or looking to use football to try and offset sometimes negative consumer perceptions: instead, portraying how they benefit society.
Looking at another field, such as Motorsport, we can see even stronger likelihoods of doing deals, particularly at a sub sector level.
Clearly and unsurprisingly, motorsport rights holders should be prioritising Auto Component brands such as lubricant and tyre manufacturers who look to drive brand awareness or showcase how their product works. Motorsport rights holders are 6.41 times more likely to get Auto components sponsors compared to the average.
However, beyond this, Software brands should be a primary target, particularly for Formula 1 teams. These brands tend to choose the sport to generate brand awareness or improve the fan engagement experience, such as Sprinkler with Alpine F1 and NTT Data with IndyCar.
Games and game consoles along with Consumer Electronics – such as HP, Bang & Olufsen and GoPro with deals in F1, MotoGP and NASCAR – are also ripe areas to target due to their inherent link to the action, excitement, colour and highly technological nature of motorsport.
The key benefit you’re offering
This element of a Sponsorship Propensity Index answers the following question: based on the key benefit I offer, which sectors am I most likely to do a deal with?
This comes by learning from why sponsors publicly say they’ve chosen to do deals. Therefore, rights holders can understand what element of their organisation (such as certain values) or benefit (such as brand awareness) is best to focus on when pitching certain sectors.
This is covered in more detail, with examples, in the latest monthly edition of our Sponsorship Index with iSport Connect.
The rights package being sold
This element of a Sponsorship Propensity Index answers the following question: based on the rights package I’m selling, which sectors am I most likely to do a deal with?
For example, when it comes to doing a Category Partner deal, rights holders are most likely to attract sponsors from the Food & Beverage sector: being 1.57 times more likely to get F&B sponsors compared to the average (or 57% more likely).
This is because that although Category Partners make up 26.5% of all sponsorships, they make up 37.4% of Food & Beverage sponsorships. This is primarily driven by Alcohol brands who sign up to Official Beer or Spirits Partner-type deals and Soft Drinks brands going for Official Energy or Hydration Partner-type deals.
The full Sponsorship Propensity Index Report contains:
- Overview: Purpose and Methodology
- Establishing the baseline (master and sub sectors, RH field, rationale, rights type)
- Based on my field which sectors am I most likely to do a deal with? (Football, Motorsport, Basketball, Rugby, Cricket, Athletics, Multisport and American Football)
- Depending on the key benefit I offer, which sectors am I most likely to do a deal with? (Brand Awareness, Social Impact, Values Alignment, Local Connection, Fan Engagement and Showcase Product)
- Based on the rights package I’m selling, which sectors am I most likely to do a deal with? (Category, On Kit/Training and Title/Headline/Naming rights).
Want to see the report?
The full report is available to caytoo clients, however, non-clients can request an edited version via the button below.
