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 Riccardo Tafà| Posted August 23, 2023 | In MotoGP
Sponsoring the IMSA Championship
The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) is at the forefront of premier sports car racing in North America. With a rich history dating back to its founding in 1969, IMSA has evolved into a captivating racing platform that combines cutting-edge technology, high-performance automobiles, and a passionate fan base. The 2023 IMSA Championship brings excitement, innovation, and opportunities for sponsorship that resonate with both automotive enthusiasts and businesses looking to tap into a dynamic market.
A Legacy of Excellence: The IMSA Story
IMSA’s roots trace back to its co-founders, NASCAR President Bill France Sr. and John and Peggy Bishop. The organization was born out of a shared passion for competitive racing that would captivate fans and boost the sales of sports cars across America. Over the years, IMSA has continued to uphold its commitment to efficient administration, friendly competition, and strong personal relationships with participants, echoing the words of co-founder John Bishop.
The Premier Racing Platform
IMSA stands as the premier sports car racing platform in North America, boasting a dedicated and engaged audience of over 10 million auto enthusiasts. This audience follows their passion both at the track and through digital channels, including coverage provided by NBC Sports. IMSA’s partnerships with 18 automobile OEMs and 18 corporate sponsors create a rich environment for business-to-business (B2B) interactions, enhancing its appeal to industry stakeholders.
One of the hallmarks of IMSA is its technologically advanced and consumer-relevant race cars, including the IMSA GTP Hybrid-Electrified class. This class aligns with the current trends in the automotive industry, showcasing hybrid-electric technology and fuel efficiency. Notably, IMSA’s season highlights include prestigious endurance races such as the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, with a direct connection to the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Driving Home the Message: IMSA’s Appeal
IMSA’s position as a cost-effective, entertainment-driven, and automotive industry-focused marketing tool makes it an attractive opportunity for sponsors. The series offers a wide breadth of racing categories, including the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, featuring multiple classes like Prototype, Grand Touring, and more. This diversity creates a platform that appeals to a broad range of fans, further enhancing its sponsor reach.
The 2023 IMSA Championship also features a robust schedule of events that span iconic tracks across North America. From the historic Daytona International Speedway to the scenic WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, each race weekend offers a unique blend of excitement and competition that draws in fans and sponsors alike.
How to sponsor the Imsa Championship: Strategic Partnerships and Opportunities
IMSA’s strategic partnerships extend beyond its immediate racing series. As a company within the NASCAR umbrella, IMSA has established alliances with motorsport sanctioning bodies around the world. A notable partnership includes being the exclusive strategic partner in North America with the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), the entity behind the renowned 24 Hours of Le Mans.
This partnership provides selected IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competitors with automatic entries into the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans, further enhancing the international exposure and significance of participating in IMSA events.
Honoring Excellence: Awards and Recognition
The USA Today 10 Best Awards underscore the significance of IMSA’s races in the eyes of fans. Events like the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and MOTUL Petit Le Mans rank among the top 10 best motorsports races, reflecting the captivating nature of the races and the engaged audience they attract. These awards showcase the resonance of IMSA races within the broader motorsports community.
2023: A Year of Innovation and Sustainability
The 2023 IMSA Championship marks a new era in sports car racing with the introduction of the GTP class. This class emphasizes technology, fuel economy, and sustainability, aligning with the automotive industry’s focus on hybrid-electric technology. The GTP class’s design cues and styling mirror road-going products, providing a direct link between the track and the showroom.
IMSA’s sustainability initiatives further amplify its relevance in today’s automotive landscape. The launch of the GTP Hybrid-Electrified class demonstrates IMSA’s commitment to cleaner racing and environmentally conscious practices. Solar-powered marketing platforms, off-the-grid EV charging, and partnerships with third-party organizations for impact assessment demonstrate IMSA’s dedication to minimizing its ecological footprint.
Fan Engagement and Sponsorship Opportunities
IMSA’s fan-centric approach ensures that sponsors have opportunities to connect with hard-to-reach customers. The future of IMSA’s fan base includes Generation Z and millennials who are highly connected, socially conscious, and experientially driven. By expanding its presence on social media platforms, integrating into gaming, and focusing on sustainable initiatives, IMSA is positioned to engage a diverse and forward-thinking audience.
Sponsoring the 2023 IMSA Championship presents businesses with a unique opportunity to tap into a passionate and engaged automotive audience. With a legacy of excellence, a diverse range of stakeholders, and a sustainable focus, IMSA showcases the epitome of sports car racing in North America while providing sponsors with a platform that aligns with their values and objectives.
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
May 6, 2025
F1, MotoGP, and the Green Revolution: How Sustainability Is Transforming Motorsport Sponsorships
In the world of motorsport sponsorship, speed and performance have traditionally reigned supreme. However, a new race is underway, one towards sustainability. Both Formula 1 and MotoGP are st[...]
Read More
March 12, 2025
Moto2 sponsorship agency
As part of the sponsorship in motorsport, Moto2 represents a key piece from a technical point of view, from a communication point of view and as a transition platform to MotoGP. In this artic[...]
Read More
February 3, 2025
Alpine & Yamaha Pramac: Unlocking the Power of Cross-Industry Sponsorships in MotoGP
The recent cross-industry sponsorship agreement between Alpine and the Yamaha Pramac MotoGP team has caught the attention of motorsport insiders and fans, marking a significant shift in[...]
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 6, 2025
From Garage to Global: How Motorsport Turns Niche Brands into Global Icons
Motorsport sponsorship has long been perceived as the domain of corporate giants, with multinationals like Shell, Red Bull, and Petronas dominating the paddock. However, in recent years, a ne[...]
Read More
May 6, 2025
F1, MotoGP, and the Green Revolution: How Sustainability Is Transforming Motorsport Sponsorships
In the world of motorsport sponsorship, speed and performance have traditionally reigned supreme. However, a new race is underway, one towards sustainability. Both Formula 1 and MotoGP are st[...]
Read More
May 5, 2025
Why Motorsport Sponsorship Still Delivers in a Digital-First Era
In an era where audiences are bombarded with digital content and multitasking across platforms, motorsport sponsorship offers brands an unparalleled fusion of speed, precision, and global ent[...]
Read More