Are you willing to sponsor?
Are you ready to explore the transformative power of athlete sponsorship for your brand? Click here to learn more about how sponsorship can help brands grow and thrive in the exciting world of motorsports.
MotoGP: An Unprecedented Sponsorship Opportunity
By Riccardo Tafà| Posted January 28, 2025 | In MotoGP
By Riccardo Tafà| Posted January 28, 2025 | In MotoGP
MotoGP: An Unprecedented Sponsorship Opportunity
The MotoGP World Championship represents the pinnacle of motorcycle racing, a global stage that offers companies a unique opportunity for visibility and connection with a passionate and loyal audience. In this article, we will explore why the sponsorship in MotoGP is a winning strategic choice for chief marketing officers (CMOs) of the world’s leading companies.
The Global Fascination of MotoGP
MotoGP is not just a sporting competition; it is a cultural phenomenon that attracts millions of spectators around the world. With races held on several continents, the championship offers a truly international marketing platform. The global visibility and brand awareness that comes with a MotoGP sponsorship is unparalleled, allowing companies to join an exclusive club of major brands.
Impressive Data and Statistics
MotoGP reaches a television audience of more than 425 million viewers per season.
- The league boasts a strong social media presence, with more than 35 million followers on the various platforms.
- MotoGP races draw an average of 110,000 spectators to the track per event.
- These numbers testify to the massive scale of the championship and the potential for exposure for sponsors.
Why Sponsorship Exceeds Traditional Advertising
Sponsorship in MotoGP offers significant advantages over traditional television advertising:
- Lasting Engagement: While a commercial lasts only a few seconds, a MotoGP sponsorship offers continuous exposure throughout the season.
- Emotional Connection: Spectators develop an emotional connection with the teams and drivers, which naturally extends to the sponsoring brands.
- Cost Effectiveness: According to Nielsen, the average ratio of media value to spending in sports sponsorships is 3 to 1, with clear advantages for those who invest in sports.
- B2B and B2C Opportunities: MotoGP serves as both a B2C and B2B vehicle, offering unique opportunities for commercial agreements between sponsors.
The Psychology of Sponsorships
Sports sponsorships exploit fundamental psychological principles that make them particularly effective:
- Positive Association: Fans transfer the positive feelings they have for the sport to the sponsoring brand.
- Repeated Exposure: Consistent brand visibility during events increases consumer familiarity and preference.
- Perceived Authenticity: Sponsorships are seen as less invasive and more authentic than traditional advertising.
Unique Marketing Opportunities
MotoGP offers a wide range of marketing opportunities:
- Visibility on Motorcycles and Suits and Uniforms: Riders generate about 48% of total visibility for sponsors, while motorcycles account for 27%.
- Social and Digital Campaigns: Creating ad hoc content for fan engagement.
- Experiential Events and Hospitality: Occasions to develop professional relationships and offer unique customer experiences.
Key Sectors and Successful Brands
Several industries have found MotoGP to be an ideal platform for marketing:
- Aviation: Qatar Airways is one of the Sponsors of the championship.
- Watchmaking: Tissot is the official timekeeper and main sponsor.
- Tires: Michelin is the official tire supplier.
- Automotive: BMW M is the official car and Safety Car of the championship.
- IT Technology: Lenovo is Title Sponsor of the Ducati Team.
- Energy: Shell is the main technical sponsor of the Ducati Team.
- Energy Drinks: Monster Energy sponsors the Yamaha MotoGP team.
- Petroleum: Pertamina is title sponsor of the VR46 Racing team.
Investment and Return
The cost of a MotoGP sponsorship varies according to strategic goals, duration and desired benefits. These range from a base of 100,000 euros up to several million euros for more structured agreements. The return on investment can be substantial, considering the wide visibility provided by the riders and motorcycles during the events.
Innovative Activation Strategies
Companies can maximize their investment through:
- Social Media Storytelling: Creating exclusive content in collaboration with teams.
- Experiential Marketing: Using the MotoGP VIP Village to offer unique customer experiences.
- Multichannel Integration: Combining sponsorship with targeted advertising campaigns.
A Safe Investment
The fact that many of the world’s top companies choose to sponsor MotoGP is a testament to its effectiveness as a marketing tool.
With an irresistible combination of international visibility, loyal audiences and creative activation opportunities, MotoGP represents one of the most effective and engaging sponsorship platforms in the world.
Being part of this spectacle means not only promoting your brand, but doing so in a way that consumers remember and choose.
For CMOs looking for a way to stand out in a crowded media landscape, MotoGP presents a unique opportunity
If you are interested in exploring sponsorship opportunities in MotoGP, please feel free to contact us. We are here to guide you through the process and help you create a tailored sponsorship strategy that maximizes your return on investment and takes your brand to new heights of global recognition.
Riccardo Tafà
Managing Director for RTR Sports, Riccardo graduated in law at the University of Bologna. He began his career in London in PR, then started working in two and four-wheelers. A brief move to Monaco followed before returning to Italy. There he founded RTR, first a consulting firm and then a sports marketing company which, eventually, he moved back to London.
Similar category
The online platform where you can discover the latest trends, strategies and insights from the exciting world of sports marketing.
View our blog
April 3, 2025
How do sponsors make money?
Sponsorship has become a ubiquitous element in contemporary marketing strategies, serving as a powerful tool for businesses to enhance their brand visibility and achieve various financial obj[...]
Read More
April 3, 2025
What is the power of sport sponsorship?
Sport sponsorship is a dynamic and potent marketing strategy that has become deeply ingrained in the fabric of modern sports. As stakeholders in the sports industry increasingly recognize the[...]
Read More
April 3, 2025
Why do athletes get sponsored?
In the world of sports, sponsorship is a crucial aspect that significantly impacts both athletes and brands. Sponsorship deals are not just about a company offering financial support to an at[...]
Read MoreWhy choose RTR Sports Marketing
In an era where it is possible to get anywhere with a click, there is a strong temptation to approach teams and properties directly for sponsorship projects.
By doing so, we are convinced that we are shortening the value chain, saving time and money. However, these DYI methods are anything but risk-free and what initially appears to be a competitive advantage soon turns into a problem that is difficult to resolve. That’s why there are agencies. And this is why you should rely on us for your sponsorships.
Save time and money
When first approaching a sponsorship or sports marketing project, it is difficult to know immediately which stakeholders are correct, what the decision flow is, and what the right timelines are for each process. Sports is a very specialized field of action, and fitting effectively into its paths can take a lot of time and therefore money. We, on the other hand, know referents and spheres of action and know who to talk to, when and how. So you are also more effective.
The right information, the right choice
Sports is an immense passion, and for our heart colors we would be willing to do anything. But business is a different business, and it is important to make the best possible strategic decisions based on independent research, statistics and reliable data. A sports marketing and sports sponsorship agency like RTR has an objective, 360-degree picture of the scenario and can tell you what is really best for you: which sport, which athlete, which team. This is because we possess a great deal of data and information on ratings, segmentation and attitudes. Because the numbers don’t lie. Never.
Activations are the beating heart
Activations are the real heart of sports sponsorship. Without them, there remains only a blank sticker on a motorcycle, car or uniform and no contact with the public, no emotional connection, no impact on the bottom line. Then how do you do it? It certainly won’t be the teams or the athletes who will help you leverage sponsorship and enjoy the many marketing rights you have paid for. To bring out the best in a sports marketing project you need an agency that knows how to use sponsorship to engage the fanbase on the Web, to reach out to Shopping Centers, to organize hospitality, to develop B2B and B2C opportunities, and to get “your” athletes in front of millions of potential consumers.
Objective measurements for a certain return
Would you ever go to the dealer who sold you the car and ask if the competitor’s car is better? No, of course. So, how do you expect to get firm measurements of the effectiveness of your sponsorship if you do not rely on someone super partes? At RTR, we have always worked with independent third-party agencies that allow us to know the return on any exposure of your brand on TV and in the media. In addition, we believe in calculating ROI as the ultimate measure of your success-so we can tell you for every penny you spend how much you are making.
Sit back, relax, we’ll take care of it
We have been involved in sports sponsorship and sports marketing for more than 15 years. We are consultants in the sense that our goal is to maximize your investment, but we are also an agency that manages the project from start to finish. We have been doing this since 1995 with passion and professionalism, following three principles that have become cornerstones of our business: independence, verticality and transparency.
I would like to highlight the fact that one of the qualities of RTR is its great ability to approach the sponsorship scenario strategically, together with its passionate attitude, its amazing enthusiasm for solving problems, and its high level of professionalism.
Gianluca Degliesposti
Executive Director Server&Storage EMEA
Eurosport is truly delighted with its business relationship with Riccardo Tafà, who has become extremely popular, thanks to his detailed knowledge of the sports marketing sector and his highly diligent attitude to work.
Francois Ribeiro
Commercial Director
Passion and Expertise are the features that I have found in RTR since the very beginning. Serious and reliable professionals but also very helpful, nice and open-mind people, willing to listen and compare different ideas. All the values in which RTR believes make this agency a partner, not just a supplier, a partner with whom we have had the opportunity to achieve significant commercial results in term of success and image.
Luca Pacitto
Head of Communication
We have been working with RTR Sports Marketing for over 10 years. The objectives and the programmes of collaboration continue to be renewed and to grow with mutual satisfaction. I believe RTR is a team of great professionals led by Riccardo Tafà, who I consider a manager of exceptional skills and with a great passion for his work.
Lucio Cecchinello
Team Principal
I have known and worked with Riccardo Tafà since 1995 when we collaborated for the first time on a project for the Williams Formula 1 team. Several clients followed. After leaving Williams to work for Gerhard Berger then owner of the Toro Rosso F1 Team, I turned again to Riccardo to seek his help in finding a tool supplier for the team and Riccardo duly obliged with an introduction to USAG, a partnership with Toro Rosso which endured for five years. I recently started a new role as Group Commercial Director for the renowned Andretti Autosport organisation and I find myself working with Riccardo once again on a number of interesting projects. Why has this relationship with Riccardo endured ? He’s smart, knows the commercial side of sport inside out and back to front and he’s honest and trustworthy. Riccardo Tafà is a “doer” not a “talker”: in over 20 years I have never had a dispute either with him or with a company that he has introduced and each partnership introduced by Riccardo has delivered quantifiable ROI to rights holder and sponsor alike. I can think of no better testimonial of Riccardo’s diligence, knowledge, contact base and hard work than that.
Jim Wright
Group Commercial Director
Recent posts
The online platform where you can discover the latest trends, strategies and insights from the exciting world of sports marketing.
View our blog
May 2, 2025
McLaren Formula E Exit: What’s Changing for Sponsors and the Sport
In a significant shift within the motorsport landscape, McLaren Racing has announced its departure from the Formula E Championship at the conclusion of the 2024–25 season. This decision[...]
Read More
April 27, 2025
Auto racing sponsorship and how sponsors choose racing teams
Auto racing sponsorship is a pivotal element in motorsport, driving both team viability and brand visibility through strategic partnerships. Sponsors evaluate teams based on performance metri[...]
Read More
April 23, 2025
How to Use Analytics to Optimize Sponsorship Strategies
In the modern world of marketing and advertising, data play a crucial role in optimizing strategies for sponsorship. Companies that are able to effectively collect, analyze, and use data can [...]
Read More