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.
By Silvia Schweiger| Posted August 25, 2021 | In Marketing Sportivo, MotoGP, Sponsorizzazioni Sportive
Start a program of sponsorship in MotoGP for your company takes time and a clear set of goals and priorities. While all major sports sponsorship programs may start from the same basics-the principles are the same for each discipline-it is very different to build a program in auto racing and, say, sailing or tennis. Not only because each sport has its own characteristics and nuances, but also because the schedules, modes and opportunities for activation differ.
Today we will take a quick look at how to create a MotoGP sponsorship program for your company. We will go through the entire process in 15 steps. Each of these steps would obviously need a good deal more elaboration, but for now we will offer a broader picture.
Before diving in headfirst, I’ll make a brief preamble: the following steps are designed for those companies that wish to proceed on their own without the help of a professional sports marketing firm. We cannot stress enough how important the role of an agency is, especially for those companies diving into the water for the first time. However, although we are biased, we also understand that there are people who prefer a more direct, do-it-yourself approach. Hopefully, the following paragraphs will make it easier for them, too, to understand how to enter a rather complex scenario (not rocket science, but not a piece of cake, either).
Here are the 15 steps you need to take to build your MotoGP sponsorship program:
If there is one thing we have learned in our 25 years of experience as a sponsorship agency in motorsports, it is that this is the most important item on the list. A clear understanding of your company’s goals, both on the marketing and sales side, where you are as a company, your timeline, and your vision as a brand-these are key points for any sponsorship program.
Contrary to what some marketers seem to think, no, the budget is not there if management likes the project. Having a clear idea of how much money is available for the entire operation is critical, since different properties have different price tags and different levels of sponsorship have different prices. Also keep in mind that you will also need resources for activation, additional staff, and logistics where needed.
Sports marketing is not the only marketing. Make sure you and your team know very well why and how sports can benefit your company. We’re not saying take a college course in sports marketing, but take a look at best practices and that little extra theory that might help you understand the jargon, procedures, and processes.
To be effective, a good sponsorship program requires time and staff. Make sure you have clear deadlines and key moments and plan accordingly. Also, interact with your staff and team and work so that everyone is on the same page. When sports marketing projects are shared and appreciated by everyone within the company, they become a fantastic shared opportunity.
Different teams have different heritage, image, values and legacies. The same goes for drivers, classes, circuits, events, and all kinds of sports facilities. Figuring out what is the best fit for your brand is hard work. The goal here is to create the best possible combination to interact with your target market, product line, identity, and presence. Your ego, and your instincts, should not influence the choices.
After exploring the field, you should make a short list of possible names you would like to talk to and work with. Ideally, that list should contain 3-5 names: not too many, not too few. It is time to get in touch with key people within the sports properties and ask them to send you a partnership proposal.
Not all sponsorship proposals are the same. Pay close attention to what’s in each package and remember that the devil is in the details: how many social posts, how many paddock passes for your guests, how many rider appearances, how many press releases and what kind of B2B support are just some of the points to check.
Ask for add-ons or changes to what you see on the proposal. If there is something in the document that you don’t need, get rid of that and optimize the marketing rights as you need them to fit your goals and identity. Your goal is to have something that is as tailored as possible and fits your business.
It’s time to make a decision and take a step forward. Once you and your team are happy with what you see, ask the property for a proper contract and, congratulations, you are in business. You are likely to be asked to sign a pre-contract before the formal document: it’s good for both parties, so go ahead and don’t overthink it. Quick tip: This is an important moment in your brand history and one that will remain in your books. Remember to celebrate.
The sponsorship contract formal and official will contain all the benefits, conditions and agreements of sponsorship agreements. It must be flawless on both the formal and substantive sides. We recommend that you have an attorney or your legal department carefully review the document and, again, make any necessary changes. As always, do not trust only digital versions and request hard copies to send to your offices.
It is time to be creative. A sponsorship plan is the overall system of actions that must be put in place for sponsorship to generate maximum value. There are several opportunities to do this, in the form of a calendar or GANTT chart. The point here is to put down on paper all activations, events, competitions, promotions, and so on to have everything at hand when the light turns green
You will need physical people and minds, although sports properties will offer support on their side. However, the more activations you have in mind, the more people you will need to manage the different areas of your program. Make sure your team is up-to-date, well informed, and properly introduced to key people. Remember: good sponsorship in MotoGP (any good sponsorship, actually) is not something you can set up and forget. Rather, you will have to perform daily maintenance and work, but don’t worry: it will be worth it
When a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it, does it make noise? MotoGP is one of the most popular sports in the world, and the resonance and coverage of the discipline is worldwide and very broad. It’s time to take advantage of media opportunities and do solid planning to tell the world what you and your team are doing. Press releases, photo shoots, PR, press conferences, posts, stories and so on are your best friends. Stay in touch with the media and keep them informed about your actions-you will get a lot of resonance.
Is everything ready? Is the staff ready? Have you planned your media, changed and updated the graphics on your website, and checked your calendar (like, don’t announce your partnership on Christmas Eve or the day of the Champions League final)? Great, let’s do that. Try to launch your sponsorship in a solid, organic way and make it a real milestone for your brand. In a nutshell: make it unforgettable, make it extraordinary, make it consistent, make it powerful.
Once you start running, you can finally sit back and relax, right? Wrong. Ongoing analysis, reporting and fine-tuning are critical in any sponsorship program. Keep an eye on the data and ask the property for visibility reports and have your team run ROI measurements. The good news is that nowadays there is a lot of data available on everything and countless technology devices and software to help you with your reporting.
This, of course, is but the surface of things. There is so much more to MotoGP sponsorship, from the endless data and expertise needed to make a decision to the rich address books of contacts you’ll need to get in touch with the right man at the right time. In a closed paddock there is so much room for error.
This does not mean -again- that MotoGP sponsorship is super complicated: there is absolutely no obstacle that cannot be left behind with hard work, dedication or perseverance. However, it is a complicated business and one that requires finesse in negotiation and a clear view of the playing field. If you or your company need help from a professional sponsorship consulting firm, please do not hesitate to contact us. You can always find us here.
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.
Associate Director, Executive Marketing and Commercial at RTR Sports Marketing, a London-based sports marketing company specializing in motorsport for over 25 years. Without sports, life is boring
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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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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
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