It might seem obvious that being involved with a major sports championship would be a positive for a brand – but aside from the glory of being involved with something prestigious, do you have a clear idea of the commercial benefits?

Here, we point out just four benefits that you should consider if you’re thinking about investing in a sports championship – there are of course many, many more.

The number of eyes

Think about the viewing figures: the 2018 FIFA World Cup final, between France and Croatia, was seen by 44 million people, and that was just on the BBC.

Before the final comes around, brands who invest money in championships can be safe in the knowledge that they will have high visibility at all stages of the competition, wherever they choose to place their logos – approximately 3.5 billion people watched at least some of the World Cup, from group games to the all-important final showdown. That’s half of everyone on the planet.

The amount of space that’s available

The flexibility and opportunities that are offered by major sporting championships are numerous, and this is especially true when it comes to the placing of logos, images and other branding. Brands might choose to be a title sponsor of a competition, with their logo emblazoned across sweaters and bikes and across billboards within the stadium, or they might invest less and choose a less prominent position.

Here are just a few of the spaces that sports sponsorship brands could find themselves if investing in a sports championship:

• On bike, cars, helmets, balls or other equipment
• On kits, jersey or other sportswear
• On billboards within the stadium
• On TV advertising during breaks in play
• On championship-branded merchandise
• Across social media, websites, newsletter and other marketing materials

Of course, the difference in potential placing here means that every brand, from the local and/or independent to the internationally known household name, can find a budget and a package to suit their own needs and budget – there is a sports championship at every level.

A passionate, well-aligned audience

When a sports team or athlete is sponsored by a brand, there is an opportunity that’s almost like gold dust in marketing: the alignment of two strong brands, and the potential of sharing the fans of the team or individual (who are likely to trust and follow their idol or idols religiously) with the sponsor. Of course, if a sports star reaches the final of a competition the focus will be on them – and by default, the brand that they’re representing – and the attention that surrounds them is likely to grow exponentially. This feverish appreciation is something that sponsor brands can effectively leverage through their support.

Sponsoring a rights holder of a competition

As we discussed in this piece on the rights holder of MotoGP, making the decision to sponsor a rights holder can have significant benefits too – not least because there is certainty in the exposure; you have no risk of them being knocked out of the competition or disappearing from play early.

The benefits of sponsoring a rights holder in a sports championship can include inclusion in the TV coverage that they are responsible for organizing, the opportunity to have your brand present in pit lanes and hospitality areas, and potential exposure in areas including shops, social media and the website of the championship as a whole.

A great option, we’d say.

To find out more about sponsoring a sports championship, contact RTR Sports Marketing at info@rtrsports.com