caytoo’s analyst team reveals their Top 5 sponsorship deals or activations in January in terms of the ideas they provide for other rights holders

Our Top 5, in no particular order, aren’t necessarily the biggest or most high-profile. Each one has been selected as it represents best practice or an important lesson for other rights holders and their potential sponsors.

Engaging & Prospecting Employees
ASNO System x Varrel

This partnership is centred on value creation through e-sports, with VARREL leveraging its expertise, professional gamers, and streamers to deliver collaborative projects, events, and internal activations for ASNO System, including employee-facing e-sports tournaments. The partnership aims to express ASNO System’s corporate culture, strengthen recruitment, and support growth across the IT and e-sports sectors.

Lesson: in full article

Targeting a Specific Audience
Surf Dating x Hyrox

Surf Dating was built to prioritise real-life connections by minimising time spent on the app and maximising time spent meeting in person. Through this partnership, Surf creates new opportunities for users to meet compatible singles offline and form genuine connections around at least one shared interest, Hyrox. In support of this mission, Surf will host pre-race shakeout runs, singles recovery events, and Station 9 – the official after-party and ninth stop following HYROX’s eight-station race.

Lesson: in full article

Providing Direct Value to Fans
Google Pixel x T20 World Cup

The ICC has partnered with Google ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The partnership centres on enhancing fan engagement through AI-powered, interactive experiences, with Gemini integrating directly into the fan journey via features such as creative contests, interactive tools, and shareable insights that help fans better understand, celebrate, and personalise the game. 

Lesson: in full article

Perfect Mix of Sales & CSR
Mi Costeñita x Chicago Fire

A key part of the deal between Chicago Fire FC and Mi Costeñita is the emphasis on community engagement and social impact alongside matchday activations. CSR initiatives include Mi Costeñita’s support of the Chicago Fire Foundation’s youth soccer programmes across the city, a season-long Free Kicks for Free Meals campaign benefiting the Greater Chicago Food Depository, and a dedicated community project delivered through the Club’s Beacon Platform. Alongside more traditional matchday activations, these initiatives showcase both parties’ commitment to the local community and its network of fans. 

Lesson: in full article

Sponsorship Should Be Fun
M&M’s Spotto x Australian Open

M&M’s is driving awareness for its new Spotto product through interactive fan engagement and creative activation of its existing partnership with the Australian Open. Fans can engage both at Melbourne Park and from home by spotting M&M’S Yellow and Red characters or logos across the tournament’s precinct, TV coverage, and nationwide billboards. By integrating digital, in-stadium, and nationwide engagement, this partnership leverages the scale and excitement of the Australian Open to deliver playful, inclusive, and highly shareable fan experiences. 

Lesson: in full article

Summary

All these sponsorship deals in January provide an example of the great utility sponsorship provides which all rights holders and brands can look to emulate to benefit both parties. This is particularly the case for rights holders who can come up with their own version to spark a conversation with potential sponsors.