SAN FRANCISCO — NFL team sponsorship revenue growth is outpacing the number of team deals by close to 3X, according to data generated by the newest version of SponsorUnited’s industry-tracking software.
NFL team sponsorship revenues are up 11% year-over-year, reaching $2.7 billion, according to info gleaned by SU Version 4.0 released this week. Team deals averaged $750,000, up from $705,000 last year, while the aggregate number of NFL team deals — 3,609 — grew 4% during the same time period.
Ticketing is not a new category by any means, but it appears to be spending as never before — to the degree that ticketing is now the second biggest sponsorship category for NFL teams after financial.
RTD alcoholic drinks are among those showing the most new sponsorship activity. “Really hot category, and less about signage. For most of them, it is product integration, like pouring rights, and concessions, even sampling, when allowed,” sad SU Founder/CEO Bob Lynch. There were 20 new deals for RTD drinks among NFL clubs, a robust 54% increase, and many teams are divvying up what had been an alcohol-exclusive sponsorship to cut separate deals.
SponsorUnited, launched in 2018, has 1,000 organizations across sports as clients, representing 16,000 subscribers.
SponsorUnited’s top sponsorship categories for NFL teams:
- Financial
- Ticketing
- Spirits
- Health care
- Auto
Hot market debate
During Super Bowl Week, NFL licensees and retailers pore over “if win” market scenarios like touts at a thoroughbred track, adjusting manufacturing and shipping scenarios accordingly.
Some weeks back, licensees dreamed about the Bears making their first Super Bowl run since 2007. The prospect of a Bears/Bills Super Bowl matchup would have meant an all-time cash-register ring. Seahawks/Patriots isn’t energizing many retailers outside of those home markets. For now, Seattle, whose last Lombardi Trophy was 12 years ago, seems to have a slight edge with the “if win.”
“Seattle is around 55% [better] with us,” Outerstuff EVP Josh Feinstein said. “There’s probably more chase business for everyone with Seattle.”
Countered New Era Cap N.A. GM Steve Gallo: “Seattle fans are rabid, but if I had to pick one, I’d say that New England would be marginally better for sales. The big question is whether New England fans will feel the need to buy a seventh championship cap. ... New England in the short term, if they win [their first Super Bowl title since 2019], will do more short-term sales. Seattle will have a tail, which happened the last time they won [in 2014].”
Still, as NFL SVP/Head of Licensing Casey Collins put it, anything short of Bears or Bills, or both, would not stand up to last year’s championship hot market.
“To comp Eagles from last year will be a tall undertaking for either Seattle or New England,” Collins said, “but we are hearing some good buzz from Seattle retailers on [sales] potential, based on what they experienced from the Mariners playoff run last year.”
Fanatics said the Seahawks have been their top-selling team across all sports since the start of the NFL playoffs, having seen a 2,100% sales spike from the previous day following their NFC Championship victory over the Rams.
