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By Riccardo Tafà| Posted April 17, 2019 | In MotoGP, Sport Sponsorship
Vietnam might traditionally be seen as a nation that’s more invested in its football than its motorsports, but investments and additions to sporting calendars over the past few months might mean that all that is about to change.
Read on to find out how this Southeast Asian country is taking strides into motorsport, and what the effect on sports sponsorship in Vietnam and across the rest of the region might be…
Sports sponsorship in Vietnam is likely to receive a significant boost next year, with the arrival of the country’s first F1 race. April 2020 will see the inaugural Vietnamese F1 Grand Prix, with a circuit in the capital city of Hanoi promising to provide a major boost to the country’s sporting economy.
Sports sponsorship opportunities are likely to be rife, with stars such as Lewis Hamilton drawing in the crowds both in person and across TV and social media. It’s already been noted that F1 itself could receive a huge financial boost by entering Vietnam – maybe to the extent of £500 million. Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup has signed on as the event’s exclusive sponsor, in a multi-year deal that proves the future of sports sponsorship in Vietnam, especially when it comes to motorsport, is real.
It’s bikes, rather than cars, that the Vietnamese are truly passionate about. Does this provide an opportunity for MotoGP, and the sports sponsorship opportunities that surround it?
Across Southeast Asia in general, an interest in MotoGP is growing. Valentino Rossi spoke last year about the passion of the sport’s fans in Manila, predictions were made that 100,000 spectators would turn up to the inaugural Thai MotoGP in the autumn, and the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang regularly sells out.
According to CSM, the region’s passion for the two-wheeled race might in part come from the fact that motorcycles are a huge part of daily life for millions of people. When it comes to culture, MotoGP and the desire to ride is hugely relatable in the region – and none more so than on the streets of Hanoi.
2017 saw Yamaha recognize this passion, adding the Vietnamese flag to bikes ridden by the likes of Maverick Vinales and Valentino Rossi as a mark of appreciation towards their fans there. The country has been part of the MotoGP promotional rounds for a while.
So, what’s the future for MotoGP in Vietnam? We’re not sure yet – but since Rossi himself has expressed hope that we’ll see Vietnamese riders turning professional, the future for both audiences and riders in the country looks promising. Added to that the fact that MotoGP has been hugely successful in Malaysia and Thailand, and MotoGP could have a real opportunity on its hands. The future of sports sponsorship in Vietnam in looking bright.
If you wish to have more information on MotoGP sponsorships read Sponsorship Activation and please contact us at our email address: info@rtrsports.com
Want to find out more about sports sponsorship in Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and elsewhere? RTR Sports Marketing can help – give us a call to discuss.
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.
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.
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Read MoreIn 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.
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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