Sports Sponsorships and Spectator Inclusion
Anyone who has ever attended a major sporting event — whether they know anything about sponsorships or not — knows exactly what I’m talking about. Thousands of people singing, cheering, rising to their feet in unison. It’s an intense experience, one that is hard to forget.
It’s a feeling many want to relive every week, almost as if it were a ritual. A ritual that echoes something ancient: tribes gathering to celebrate together, a bond that today we call fandom but whose roots run as deep as community itself.
It’s something to believe in, something to talk about, something to defend every Sunday.
The commercial question is straightforward: can this attachment to the colours of a favourite team actually influence purchase decisions? The data says yes. Below is the framework of that journey, and a 2017 study that documents exactly how this effect unfolds.
The bond between sports team and fan: the path to purchase
Source: Lings, Ian and Owen, Kate (2007) Buying the sponsor's brand: the role of affective commitment to the sponsored team. Journal of Marketing Management, 23 (5/6). pp. 483-496
Here is a 2017 study specifically focused on MotoGP, whose findings point in the same direction.
“Analyzing the influence of attitude towards sponsor and sponsorship awareness to purchase intention in Manado (case study: MotoGP)” — PDF available at: https://ejournal.unsrat.ac.id/index.php/jbie/article/view/9849
The document is unambiguous: sponsorships create a positive attitude towards the brand that translates into purchase intention. A direct, measurable impact — not a hypothesis.
A more recent data point points in the same direction. A 2023 meta-analysis published in the International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship confirmed that sports sponsorship produces a stronger positive effect on purchase intention than traditional advertising — particularly when the event generates high emotional engagement among the audience.
Why this matters for your brand
The sponsorship is a flexible tool with multiple operational levers: brand awareness, public relations opportunities, event hospitality, engagement activities, storytelling possibilities, right through to licensing. To all of this you can now add a fact that many still underestimate: the capacity to directly impact purchase intention.
If you’re not yet convinced, by all means continue with traditional channels. But try at least once to attend an event — not as a tourist, but as an observer. Watch what surrounds the fan. Read the banners, the liveries, the materials in the hospitality area. What you see is a system of influence that works because the emotional context does the heavy lifting.
Once the link between sponsorship and sales impact is established, you can build your strategy on solid foundations. The passion of your audience can do far more for your business than you might imagine.
To explore further or discuss a specific case, write to us at info@rtrsports.com
Frequently asked questions on sports sponsorship and consumer impact
Frequently Asked Questions
Does sports sponsorship really influence consumer purchase decisions?
Yes. Academic research confirms a direct effect: the study by Lings and Owen (Journal of Marketing Management, 2007) and a 2017 study on MotoGP both show that sponsorship generates a positive attitude towards the brand, which translates into measurable purchase intention.
What is the journey that leads a fan to buy a sponsor's products?
The journey is well documented: the emotional bond with the team or athlete generates a positive attitude towards the associated brand, which solidifies into purchase intention. The more emotionally engaged the spectator, the stronger this effect becomes.
How does sports sponsorship increase brand awareness?
Sponsorship provides repeated brand exposure in a context of high emotional engagement. The logo becomes associated with a moment of pleasure and identification — a condition that facilitates brand memorisation and recognition over time.
What is the typical ROI of a sports sponsorship?
ROI varies depending on the sport, property, activation strategy and brand objectives. Industry studies indicate that for every euro invested in a well-activated sponsorship, the return in brand value averages between 3:1 and 5:1. Cases with product integration, structured hospitality and co-marketing record significantly higher ratios.
How do you choose the right sports sponsorship for your brand?
The choice is based on the alignment between the sports property’s audience and the brand’s target market, the level of emotional engagement, the possibility of activating the sponsorship beyond simple logo placement, and the available budget. A structured sponsorship plan defines these parameters before identifying the property.
