Michele Majidi
Researcher
Sports advertising and marketing worldwide
Professional sports score high in bringing people and nations – as well as advertisers' wallets – together. From the Olympics to the FIFA World Cup, major sporting events attract global audiences and considerable investment. Sports sponsorship revenue surpassed 100 billion U.S. dollars in 2023 and is projected to nearly double by 2030. Star athletes also leverage their social media influence, with Portuguese soccer icon Cristiano Ronaldo leading the pack in sponsorship value and Chinese-American skiing sensation Eileen Gu named the most valuable female athlete.
The Olympics’ increasing focus on gender parity has amplified women athletes in major ad campaigns, such as Bose’s collaboration with American tennis star Coco Gauff. Advertiser demand for women's sports has grown significantly, with GroupM – the media buying branch of ad giant WPP – pledging to double ad spending on women's sports and collaborating with NBCUniversal on targeted ad packages.
Despite global ad spending on traditional TV declining, major soccer events remain highly attractive to TV advertisers. FIFA, the Swiss-based international governing body of soccer, generated 1.42 billion dollars in marketing rights in 2022, while the 2024 Euro Cup demonstrated its global appeal beyond Europe when it came to viewership and popularity. Advertisers have also been leveraging the rising popularity of the Women's World Cup to captivate new audiences by promoting family-friendly ads starring female players.
Social media platforms are also capitalizing on sports content, with Reddit, now publicly traded, partnering with major leagues in 2024 to deliver ad-supported sports content and share ad revenues.
As sports keep captivating global audiences and attract more investment, brands need to stay up to date with changing media trends – like those outlined with the 2024 Olympics – and athletes’ influence to keep hitting home runs with their audiences.
Paris Olympics: Oscillating between gender parity and innovative ad approaches
The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, broadcast by NBCUniversal, highlight how advertising is approached in the streaming age. With rising social media viewership, NBCUniversal is looking to surpass 1.2 billion dollars in ad sales, while live coverage of the opening ceremony is expected to include a commercial-free hour sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company, Delta, Lilly, Toyota Motor Corp., Visa, and Xfinity. Instead of ads, brand logos for each sponsor will rotate onscreen.The Olympics’ increasing focus on gender parity has amplified women athletes in major ad campaigns, such as Bose’s collaboration with American tennis star Coco Gauff. Advertiser demand for women's sports has grown significantly, with GroupM – the media buying branch of ad giant WPP – pledging to double ad spending on women's sports and collaborating with NBCUniversal on targeted ad packages.
TV remains crucial for soccer tournaments
The U.S. might swear by its football, but soccer remains the most popular sport worldwide. International audiences are captivated by club competitions such as the UEFA Champions League and global events like the FIFA World Cup, as well as regional powerhouses such as the UEFA European Championship and Copa América.Despite global ad spending on traditional TV declining, major soccer events remain highly attractive to TV advertisers. FIFA, the Swiss-based international governing body of soccer, generated 1.42 billion dollars in marketing rights in 2022, while the 2024 Euro Cup demonstrated its global appeal beyond Europe when it came to viewership and popularity. Advertisers have also been leveraging the rising popularity of the Women's World Cup to captivate new audiences by promoting family-friendly ads starring female players.
U.S. leagues: Sponsorships keep breaking records
Major U.S. sports leagues – MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLS – achieved a record-breaking 7.4 billion dollars in sponsorship revenue in the 2023/2024 season, with the NFL leading the way. The NFL's Dallas Cowboys was the world’s most valuable sports team in 2023, with a brand value of nine billion dollars. On the sponsor side, Nike had the highest number of endorsement deals in the NFL, followed by EA’s Madden Series, while energy drinks are on the rise. Rising ad revenues have boosted the cost of a Super Bowl 30-second spot to seven million dollars in 2024.Social media platforms are also capitalizing on sports content, with Reddit, now publicly traded, partnering with major leagues in 2024 to deliver ad-supported sports content and share ad revenues.
As sports keep captivating global audiences and attract more investment, brands need to stay up to date with changing media trends – like those outlined with the 2024 Olympics – and athletes’ influence to keep hitting home runs with their audiences.
