The NBA’s Golden State Warriors top the list of the US sports teams which wield the greatest sponsorship clout outside North America, according to a study by specialist analytics company DataPowa.
A ranking based on DataPowa’s Powa Index scores shows the LA Lakers in second place with NBA teams dominating a Top 10 which features only the Dallas Cowboys (4) and new England Patriots (6) of the NFL and just one MLB team, the New York Yankees.
The ranking is based on the performance of the teams over the past year measured using DataPowa’s technology which analyses trillions of data points across social media, broadcast, sports media and gaming and financial data to generate index scores.
According to DataPowa chief executive Mike Flynn, the former Fast web Media chief executive and head of Bass Sponsorship, the figures underscore the global appear and marketability of NBA brands.
“While NFL teams may be the more powerful sponsorship platform within the US, the global reach and appeal of the NBA which has been built up over the years is reflected in these figures,” he explained.
The trend continues into a second survey which shows that NBA players have the most powerful personal brands worldwide. The list is topped by the LA Lakers’ Lebron James and the top four is completed by Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors ahead of Brooklyn Nets pair Kyrie Johnson and Kevin Durant.
In a breakthrough for major league Soccer, LA Galaxy’s Swedish star Zlatan Ibrahimović is at 6 on the list which also features four NFL players – topped by Tom Brady at 5 – and the sole MLB representative, Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees.
“The data shows that while the NFL may dominate in the United States itself, brands looking to work with North American teams and athletes on a global basis have other options,” Flynn said.