In a recession time, when every penny invested in marketing is heavy and meditated, companies are seeking safe and effective ways able to contact and engage the target.

So we are not surprised by the research carried out by IFM who reports a 41% growth for the number of companies that during 2011 invested in sports marketing, even if they lower their marketing budget in other areas. More than two thirds of respondents declare to maintain or even increase investments in sport. These are disconfirmation words of those who wanted this discipline falling sharply in the years of crisis.

The IFM research comes just some weeks after the news reported by the PWC, an American agency: they expect sponsorship is going to overtake the gate revenues,  as primary source of income for the sports market by 2015.  This news has left a lot of people dismayed, proving, once and for all, that the events tickets sale is declining in spite of takings, such as sponsorships and TV rights.

ESA, the European Sponsorship Association, of which RTR Sports Marketing is part of, estimated that in November the size of European sponsorships has exceeded 23.3 billion pounds: an unexpected and extraordinary  goal. Karen Earl, ESA co-founder, is deeply convinced that the sponsorship is becoming more ”appealing” thanks to better communication and activations: ”The popularity of sports marketing is growing not because it is a less expensive tool, but because it is more effective in terms of results and budget allocated ”.

Sources: Marketing Week, IFC Sports Marketing, Pwc, sponsorship.org
Picture by: Rbnlsn - Flickr
In the picture: Casey Stoner leaves his bike to the mechanics. Repsol has been the main sponsor of Honda HRC team for 17 years.