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Victory Fridge – Bud Light & the Cleveland Browns
At the start of the 2018-19 NFL season, the Cleveland Browns had gone 635 days without a win, so Bud Light created free beer ‘Victory Fridges’ that would unlock the moment the team broke its losing streak.
Someday is Now – Luna Bar & the United States Women’s National Team Players Association
Nutrition bar Luna Bar took action to resolve the disparity in pay between the US women’s team and their male counterparts before the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France.
NCAA Men’s Final Four Sponsorship – Coca-Cola & the National Collegiate Athletic Association
Coca-Cola’s NCAA Final Four sponsorship laid the groundwork for the launch of Coca-Cola Orange Vanilla, spreading awareness of the product in host city Minneapolis and the wider US.
Official Premier Partner – 76 & Houston Dynamo
MLS club Houston Dynamo helped its partner – re-launched gas station brand 76 – grow awareness in the market and resonate with its core audience in downtown Houston – and beyond.
Missing Children Summer Transfer Initiative – NCMEC, GMCN & AS Roma
AS Roma used new 2019 summer signing social spots to highlight search for missing children.
‘Makers Wanted’ title sponsorship – Elk Grove Village & the Bahamas Bowl
Illinois’ Elk Grove Village, the largest industrial park in the US, used its title sponsorship of the Bahamas Bowl college football game to bring in new business.
MLS teams rise together as jersey sponsorship nets more than $80m in 2019
Major League Soccer clubs earned more than $80m (€72.5m) combined from their main jersey deals in the 2019 season, according to research by SportBusiness Sponsorship.
Major League Soccer taps into youth and ethnic diversity like no other US sport
MLS has become an increasingly attractive platform for brands, enabling it to increase the value of its sponsorships year on year.
Sponsorship trends in Grand Slam tennis
SportBusiness Sponsorship presents extensive research into partnerships at the four tennis Grand Slams – Wimbledon, Roland-Garros, the US Open and the Australian Open.
IHG made ‘aggressive’ move to win US Open hotel category rights
The InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) acquired Official Sponsor rights to the US Open tennis championship in a five-year deal with the United States Tennis Association.
MGM makes fourth major US sports league play with MLS deal
MGM Resorts International has wrapped up its fourth US major league deal with a four-year partnership with Major League Soccer.
The deal is understood to be worth between $2m (€1.8
Nike to strike first in LA 2028’s top tier
Nike will sign its first ever top-tier domestic Olympic sponsorship as part of an eight-year deal ahead of the Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028
LA Galaxy taps local market power with El Silencio spirits deal
Los Angeles-based El Silencio has become the first mezcal brand to strike a partnership deal with a professional sports team in the US
US Soccer launches seven-figure Volkswagen deal, invests in grassroots
German car brand Volkswagen will pay just under $7m (€6.1m/£5.2m) per year to partner with US Soccer, America’s national football federation.
Sponsorship in basketball, 2018-19
In the latest interactive monthly data report, SportBusiness Sponsorship analyses the sponsorship landscape of basketball in the US and Europe.
MGM moved fastest for NBA, NHL and MLB sportsbook rights
Rapid decision-making was key to MGM Resorts’ successful conclusion of sportsbook deals with each of the National Hockey League, National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball last year.
HBSE cashes in on NJ sportsbook legislation, more deals to come
US sports team and venue owner Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment will earn about $3.5m (€3m) annually from its first three gambling sponsorship deals, according to industry sources.
PlayStation renews title deal for college football’s Fiesta Bowl
Video game platform PlayStation will return as title sponsor of the Fiesta Bowl, one of the annual College Football Playoff games, as part of a multi-year agreement with broadcast network ESPN
Wyndham and FedEx raise PGA Tour’s prize money game
Major increases in PGA Tour prize money next year will be part-funded by increased rights fees from the sponsors most associated with the regular-season and post-season finales