At the Panthers’ Bank of America Stadium and throughout league operations, the NFL offers the best combined value of sponsor promotion and connection in fan rankings. getty images
U.S. sports fans believe the NFL promotes its corporate partners better than any other property, but they feel more connected to — and appreciative of — brands aligned with women’s soccer, according to a new study conducted by rEvolution. The Chicago-based company fielded a series of four online surveys in the U.S. and the United Kingdom from December through March that asked 1,000 fans ages 18+ in each country attitudinal and behavioral questions about sports properties and the brands that sponsor them.
A “sponsor friendliness” index was created for each country using survey results, such as the impact of the sponsorship on brand opinion. That was paired with data that measured the interest, or “reach,” of each sport to determine an overall ranking.
Darren Marshall, rEvolution’s chief of staff, said that most properties typically score high in one category and not the other.
“The best value is the optimal combination of the two — which in this case is the NFL,” he said. “So if you’re a Ford or GM and you want total mass reach, then the NFL is the best bet. If you’re a more niche brand with a female target but want a lot of bang for your buck, then women’s soccer looks like a good buy at a lower cost.”
On average, fans were more likely to express loyalty to sponsors of emerging sports than traditional leagues because they recognize how vital those brands are to the existence of the newer leagues. For example, 47% of respondents think that the NBA would fail without the contribution of sponsors compared to a 63% rate for both rugby and women’s soccer.
Marshall also sees an upside for all returning sponsors coming out of the COVID-19 shutdown. He surmised that fans realize that many sponsors had to furlough workers, just like the teams did.
“Think of the positive vibes a brand could get sponsoring an MLB club’s entire opening homestand or the return of an NBA or NHL team,” he said.
In the U.K., similar to the NFL in the U.S., professional soccer is the highest-ranking sport because of its strong reach, while esports have an extremely high level of sponsor friendliness.
