Pro Sports | Jan 29, 2018
Quick-service restaurants overtake insurance as the most active category sponsoring the NFL.
The Most Active Categories Sponsoring The NFL
Quick-service restaurants overtook insurance as the most active category sponsoring the NFL in the 2017-2018 season, according to ESP research. more...
NFL Team Sponsorship Revenue Rankings
Despite falling short of their goal of returning to the Super Bowl, the Atlanta Falcons have three major off-field accomplishments to be thankful for over the past season: a new home stadium, a new naming rights partner (Mercedes-Benz) and a major in more...
Even in the face of declining TV ratings, lower attendance and other issues, the National Football League was able to leverage some positive developments into strong sponsorship growth this past year.
Sponsorship spending on the professional football league and its 32 teams rose 5.9 percent to $1.32 billion in the 2017-2018 season, according to ESP research. Spending rose 4.3 percent in the previous season.
The increase exceeds the year-over-year increase in 2017 sports spending and overall North American sponsorship spending, both of which grew 3.5 percent.
In addition to adding an eight-figure naming rights deal for Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, revenue growth can be attributed to two primary factors: a growing focus on digital media (and new sponsorship inventory) at the team level and interest from the tech sector in national deals.
The NFL secured two new league sponsors in the 2017-2018 season: Intel and Amazon Web Services.
Intel is leveraging the NFL via its FreeD replay technology, while Amazon Web Services powers the league’s “Next Gen Stats,” a platform that uses player and ball tracking to create statistics on distance covered, speed and acceleration and other performance metrics.
McDonald’s, SAP and TD Ameritrade dropped their NFL league partnerships following the 2016-2017 season.
NFL League/Team Sponsorship Revenue
spending
Sidebar
January 29, 2018:
Quick-service restaurants overtook insurance as the most active category sponsoring the NFL in the 2017-2018 season, according to ESP research.
QSRs were 2.8 times more likely to sponsor the NFL than the average of all sponsors. Autos and medical tie as the second most active category (2.5) with consumer electronics in third (2.4).
Insurance—the most active category in the 2016-2017 season—dropped three slots to become the fourth most active sponsor.
While QSRs are the most active category sponsoring the NFL, beer and autos retain their status as the biggest spenders. Beer companies spent 4.9 times more on the NFL than the average category, while autos spent 4.8 times more than average.
The telecom, soft drink and technology categories round out the top five biggest spenders on the NFL.
TOP CATEGORIES SPONSORING THE NFL (ACTIVITY) Quick-service restaurants are 2.8 times more likely to sponsor the NFL than the average of all categories.
TOP CATEGORIES SPONSORING THE NFL (SPENDING) Beer companies spend 4.9 times more on the NFL than the average of all sponsors.
THE MOST ACTIVE BRANDS SPONSORING THE NFL (DEALS) Ticketmaster sponsors 100 percent of NFL properties. *Official league sponsor.
Despite falling short of their goal of returning to the Super Bowl, the Atlanta Falcons have three major off-field accomplishments to be thankful for over the past season: a new home stadium, a new naming rights partner (Mercedes-Benz) and a major inflow of new sponsorship revenue.
Case in point: Mercedes-Benz is reportedly paying $324 million, or $12 million a year, for the 27-year naming rights deal.
The naming rights deal, as well as other new sponsors (Delta Air Lines, Harrah’s, etc.), have helped lift the Falcons’ overall sponsorship revenue from below average to above average when compared to other NFL teams, according to ESP research.