Beyond the logo: Unlocking the ROI of sports partnerships

Despite the business transformations and technological advances of the last 30 years, sports partnerships are still following the same old playbook. How can teams and partnership organizations update the rules of the game? Data. 62% of brands say improved data is the key to better partnerships.¹ Businesses and brands look for return on investment when considering a partnership. If they don’t see the numbers to prove value, they spend their money elsewhere.

Many teams, leagues, and partnership organizations agree that sports can build emotional connections, increase brand awareness, and drive engagement. But when it comes to measuring the impact of partnership marketing? That’s where data becomes a differentiator.
 

What brands need from a partnership

Brands often struggle to understand if or how their sports partnerships are providing value. They lack visibility into whether their campaigns are driving action, and they find it difficult to segment or activate audiences with precision. Without adequate data, connecting exposure to conversion is virtually impossible—and reaching the right audience is ever harder. At the same time, brands are focusing on digital over traditional signage, aiming to reach their fan base whether or not they’re in the stadium.
 

What teams need from a partnership

Teams and leagues may understand how their fans behave inside the venue. But they often lack the data they need to understand who those fans are outside of the sports ecosystem: how they spend, shop, and behave across categories that matter to partners.
 

What’s at risk for brands and teams

If the value of a partnership investment isn’t clear, brands may reallocate budgets elsewhere. Unless teams and leagues can prove the commercial power of their audience, their partnership revenue could likely stall or decline.

To rebuild confidence in partnership ROI, the industry must shift from a focus on reach and impressions to more evidence-based, fan persona-specific performance. Deloitte research suggests that the future of partnership is data-powered, collaborative, and audience-first.
 

Why data matters more than ever

Data is key to enabling brands to meet audiences where they are, with the right product. Fan data enhances understanding of an audience, allowing both teams and brands to know who their fans are: what they watch, what they read, how they spend their money. If you know your fan base, you can better monetize their fandom.
 

Secure data collaboration is key for sports teams and brands

Imagine a world where teams, leagues, and brands share data securely to understand mutual customers—without ever exposing personally identifiable information (PII). Advanced data tools can make this possible, enabling co-marketing, attribution, and audience enrichment.