When considering whether to renew a sponsorship, it’s essential to assess how the partnership performed over the course of its term. But equally important is evaluating whether the resources committed to the expiring deal could deliver greater value if reinvested elsewhere. While it can be difficult to walk away from a partnership that has received significant time, attention, and resources, approaching the decision from a portfolio-level perspective—rather than focusing solely on the individual deal—can provide greater clarity. By doing so, organizations are better positioned to make strategic, objective choices that optimize the overall impact of their sponsorship investments. Here are a few best practices to help sponsors get there.

Be Proactive and Always Have Your Radar On

One of the most effective ways to avoid getting boxed into a renewal is to keep your options open—and do so with intention. While it may be tempting to simply renew an existing sponsorship out of habit or convenience, the better approach is to proactively explore alternative opportunities. However, this exploration must be strategic and purposeful. A key first step is understanding which passion territories complement your existing portfolio. By identifying adjacent or untapped areas of interest that align with your brand and audience, you can narrow the field of prospective partners and focus on those most likely to add incremental value. This portfolio-aware lens helps sponsors avoid redundancy and ensures new investments work together as part of a cohesive whole. To further streamline the process, establish clear screening criteria that every new opportunity must meet before advancing to deeper evaluation. These criteria should reflect both brand strategy and sponsorship objectives—such as audience relevance, activation potential, category exclusivity, or cultural fit. This upfront filtering approach allows sponsors to efficiently eliminate mismatches and zero in on a manageable number of high-potential candidates, conserving time and maximizing strategic focus. This keeps sponsors options open and helps them retain control of their portfolio.

Keep Yourself Honest About Whether a Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Bush

Renewal decisions should be approached with as much objectivity as possible. It’s human nature to seek validation for past investments—confirmation bias often leads us to declare success and extend a deal as proof. But while a sponsorship term may have delivered strong results, that doesn’t always mean it’s the best use of future resources. To make a truly strategic decision, sponsors must be clear about their current objectives and evaluate opportunities through that lens—rather than relying solely on past experience to guide judgment. Ultimately, the decision comes down to risk: is the uncertainty of leaving a known quantity worth the potential upside of a better-aligned alternative? If considering a change, ensure any new sponsorship can offer the level of control, predictability, or assurance needed to make that leap with confidence.

Assess Whether There is Any Additional Juice Left to Squeeze

Sponsorships require significant time, effort, and resources to execute effectively and generate meaningful returns. In many cases, it can take years to move the needle on key performance indicators. Once a partnership reaches a steady “cruising altitude,” there’s often comfort in keeping it on auto-pilot. But every sponsorship eventually reaches a point where the incremental return may no longer justify the continued investment. When evaluating whether a partnership still holds strategic value, sponsors should consider three critical questions:

1. Has the sponsorship hit its ceiling? Is there still room to grow brand awareness, favorability, or consideration among the audience—or have those metrics plateaued?

2. Has the environment changed? What’s different since the last deal was signed? Consider shifts in fan behavior, category competitiveness, marketing clutter, and overall share of voice among sponsors.

3. Is the cost still justified? Has the renewal price increased to a point where the investment can no longer deliver returns at the same rate or efficiency?

Taking a clear-eyed view of these factors can help sponsors make informed decisions about whether to renew, renegotiate, or reallocate their investment to higher-potential opportunities elsewhere in the portfolio.

Renewal should never be treated as a default decision. It’s a pivotal moment to reassess priorities, rebalance portfolios, and reimagine what’s possible. By resisting the inertia of past success and applying a forward-looking, portfolio-driven lens, brands can ensure every sponsorship dollar is working as hard—and as smart—as possible. Whether that means recommitting to a proven partnership or redirecting investment to higher-potential opportunities, the goal remains the same: to create sponsorships that are not just successful, but strategic.