A Guide to Sports Sponsorship Catergories: Understanding How You May Want Corporate Brands to Partner with Your Event

 

Hello dear, I thought I should post this simple guide to serve as a reference for you. Perhaps, you are considering offering brands opportunity to partner or associate with your sport event and you are not sure how sports sponsorships are categorised. Whether it is kit sponsorship or venue like stadium area.

You got to be sure what you are offering your partners, whether it is main partners such as: Title sponsors, official sponsors or regional, local partnership as the case may be.

Kit Sponsors - Organisers or owners of a club kit branding rights,

Principal Shirt Sponsor – The sponsor receives rights to the front of shirt worn by the rights-holder or in the rights-hotadlder’s property.

Kit Supplier – The sponsor is supplying kit/sports apparel to the rights-holder or property.

Jersey Patch – The sponsor receives rights to the jersey patch area of the rights-holders shirt. This is most common in NBA.

Sleeve Sponsor – The sponsor receives rights to the sleeve area of the rights-holders shirt.

Secondary Shirt Sponsor – The sponsor receives rights to an area of the rights-holders shirt that is not specified already. Example areas may include the collar, neck or side of shirt.

Back of Shirt Sponsor – The sponsor receives rights to the back of the rights-holders shirt.

Shorts Sponsor – The sponsor receives rights to the shorts of the rights-holder.

Major Partner inventory –  Major Partners typically receive rights to the stadium areas, usually for branding, advertising and activation purposes. This typically includes high-status visibility rights across LED perimeter advertising boards and interview backdrops, as well as access to on-site promotional areas. Major partners may also integrate rights-holder digital platforms, use of player imagery and content for corporate campaigns.

Title Sponsor

Stadium Naming Rights – The sponsor receives the rights to name the venue of the rights-holder or property.

Competition Naming Rights – The sponsor receives the rights from the rights-holder to name the competition.

Team Naming Rights – The sponsor receives the rights to name the team of the rights-holder.

Owner Naming Rights – In this deal, the sponsor is often the owner of the rights-holder/property and has therefore, obtained the naming rights.

Presenting Partner – The sponsor has presenting rights to be shown alongside the rights-holder or rights-holder’s property.

Official Sponsor

Official Sponsor – Deals carrying significant sponsorship inventory, often given “official X partner/sponsor” designation by the rights-holder, usually shown prominently on the rights-holder’s website.

Official Supplier – Lower tier deals with little sponsorship inventory, covering supplier and other predominantly VIK deals.

Other Partners

Regional Partner – This signifies that the deal is exclusive to one or more specific location and is set to be activated in that specific location (or locations) only.

Institutional Sponsor – This identifies that the deal is for academic/educational or governmental purposes.

Local Sponsor – This identifies that the deal is for local, community purpose.

Non for Profit/Charity – The deal is for the purpose of a Non For Profit entity or to benefit...