The world is a pretty big place, and that makes for a vast marketing landscape to be a part of and profit from! How sports sponsorship works can differ from country to country.
For example, some countries may have strict regulations on what types of sponsorships they allow, while others may be more lenient. Also, different regions may have different tax laws which could affect how much money a company can spend on sponsorships.
There can be variations in regulations, political factors and even cultural differences that can influence how sports sponsorship works in the region.
For example, some countries may have more traditional views towards sponsorships, while others may be more open-minded about them.
This means that companies need to consider local customs when deciding how they want to approach sponsoring a club or an athlete in a particular country.
Types of sport, the demographics of the audience or fanbase are just some of the factors that differ from continent to continent.
In Europe, sports sponsorship is particularly popular due to the large number of professional sports teams and athletes competing at a high level.
For example, in the United Kingdom (UK), football (soccer) is by far the most popular sport and so receives the most attention from sponsors. Other popular sports such as cricket and rugby also receive substantial amounts of sponsorship money from companies looking to increase their brand visibility.
In North America, professional sports leagues such as Major League Baseball (MLB) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) attract large amounts of corporate sponsorship due to their wide reach and popularity across the continent.
Similarly, college athletics programs also benefit from corporate sponsorships as they provide exposure for companies looking to target younger audiences.
In Asia, cricket is one of the most popular sports with many countries having their own domestic leagues that attract significant amounts of corporate sponsorship money. Martial arts such as judo and karate are also very popular in Asia and often receive high levels of corporate support.
Finally, Australia has quite a varied sponsorship landscape that attract corporate sponsorships including Australian Rules Football (AFL), Rugby League (NRL), Netball (ANZ Championship), Soccer (A-League), Cricket (Big Bash League), and more recently Esports competitions such as Overwatch League Australia & New Zealand (OWL ANZ).
With so many opportunities around the world it makes sense to seek the expertise of an agency that has representatives in these markets. They can educate, advise, negotiate, and help your company make the right connections, that will lead to long term success and fruitful partnerships.
