Sponsorship Works is SportBusiness’ new annual award, recognising the most innovative sports sponsorship activations of the year.

SportBusiness Sponsorship has published 27 different activation case studies this year, providing detailed analysis of the planning, execution and outcomes of some of the most innovative campaigns delivered by agencies and rights-holders from across the industry.

Now our editorial team and partner, SponsorLab, have shortlisted the top three activations from 2024 and we need YOU to select a winner.

The shortlist contains a purpose-led campaign from Paddy Power at the World Darts Championship; a clever technology integration from Capgemini and the rEvolution agency at last year’s Ryder Cup, and a mass participation initiative from Orange France and Havas Play for Paris 2024.

Below, SponsorLab Founder and MD, Bruce Cook, provides his critical perspective on the three shortlisted candidates.

We’ve also made the three case studies free-to-read to inform your selection. You can then cast your vote at the bottom of this page and share your opinion on the most innovative and influential sponsorship activation of the past year.

SponsorLab is an online performance management platform created to help brands, agencies and rights-holders drive more impactful partnerships.

“Paddy Power were absolutely hitting their audience with the ‘Big 180’ campaign in support of Prostate Cancer UK. They want to get more people to use Paddy Power, but it’s really easy for sports fans and the public to perceive a betting brand as negative. To do something really powerful, bold, meaningful and in a humorous way, as they always do, to take the stigma away from it [prostate cancer testing] elevates them, in my mind, above some other betting brands as one that at least has one eye on what’s good for society.” – Bruce Cook, Founder and MD, SponsorLab