Data Snapshot

Rugby Union

The 2021-22 European rugby season included the inaugural ‘Autumn Nations Series’ and saw fans welcomed back to Six Nations stadia.
Basketball

The NBA’s domestic sponsorship portfolio is worth an estimated $694.25m (€625.33m) in 2021-22, up 15 per cent from $602m last season – itself a three-per-cent increase on the $585m valuation of the 2019-20 season.
American Football

The NFL held 38 central sponsors in North America in 2021 – a portfolio valued between $1.48bn and $1.7bn. Major changes additions to the portfolio included the addition of Diageo as the league’s first sponsor in the spirits category.

Europe’s most powerful football associations – of England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain – hold sponsorship portfolios worth about €398m ($450m) in 2021-22, up about three per cent on last season.
Football

Europe’s four biggest football leagues – plus Uefa’s club competitions – hold central sponsorship contracts worth between €794.4m and €883.3m in 2021-22.
Tennis

Sponsorships of the four tennis Grand Slams – plus the ATP and WTA Tours – had a combined contract value of approximately $373m (€322m) in 2021, up about one per cent on the $369m recorded last year.
Golf

Central sponsors of the PGA Tour and the four golf majors – The Masters, Open Championship, PGA Championship and US Open – held sponsorship portfolios worth $487m (€420m) in 2021, up almost 6.5 per cent on 2020.
Baseball

In a year Major League Baseball was able to welcome fans back to ballparks, the league’s domestic sponsorship portfolio was valued at between $456.5m (€385.8m) and $572.5m from 37 deals – an increase of at least six per cent on last year’s valuation.
Motorsport

After completing their disrupted 2020 seasons, Formula One, Formula E and MotoGP moved into fresh campaigns in 2021 with a combined portfolio value of between $435m (€370m) and $487m across a total of 53 deals.
Aussie Rules

Australia’s five biggest rights-holders – the Australian Football League (AFL), National Rugby League (NFL), Cricket Australia (CA), Rugby Australia (RA) and Tennis Australia – will generate approximately A$330m (€209m/$256m) in central sponsorship revenue in 2021, across a total of 140 deals.
Football

After a disrupted 2020 season, Major League Soccer stands mid-way through the 2021 campaign, its 25th year, with a sponsorship portfolio comprised of 20 brands and worth between $182m (€150m) and $216.5m on an annual basis.
Ice Hockey

NHL sponsorship revenues continued their upward trajectory in the 2020-21 season, despite the effects of Covid-19 on the league’s event programme.
Rugby Union

A year like no other saw the 2020 Six Nations paused in March and not resumed until the start of the 2020-21 season in October.
Basketball

The Covid-19-enforced interregnum in the 2019-20 NBA season created an opportunity assuredly exploited by the league’s commercial team.
Football

In 2020-21 – a season likely to play out largely behind closed doors – Europe’s top four football leagues held sponsorship agreements of about €315m ($383m) in contract value.
Football

Europe’s most powerful football associations – of England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain – hold sponsorship portfolios worth about €392.6m ($472.6m) in the 2020-21 season. Of
Baseball

Major League Baseball’s domestic portfolio was worth between $421m (€350m) and $554m in its 2020 season, across a total of 41 deals.
Golf

Central sponsors of the PGA Tour and the four golf majors – The Masters, Open Championship, PGA Championship and US Open – aggregated a sponsorship spend of $451m (€384m) in 2020.