Building Partnerships in the Sports Industry

I've been asked a lot recently on podcasts how to evaluate and think about large sponsorships. At ClickUp, we had a strategic partnership with the San Diego Padres that was extremely beneficial from an activation perspective. Here are some key points on how it worked/ was structured: 1. Embedded Partnership: It was important for us to be as integrated into their ecosystem as they were in ours. Our agreement included them using ClickUp as their primary work management tool across several departments. This integration was beneficial in many ways, helping them to speak our language when building out assets and discussing different aspects of our sponsorship. 2. High-Quality Content: We brought our team on board and ensured we had almost unlimited access to tell their story alongside ours. Baseball has a rich history and underwent significant transformations during the pandemic and when everything reopened. We were alongside them for that journey and wanted to tell that story through high-quality content. 3. Fluidity: I dislike rigid agreements. Life and business are dynamic, and our agreements should reflect that. We structured our partnership to be as fluid as possible, allowing us to add assets ad-hoc and make real-time changes. This created a true two-way partnership where both parties were continually thinking about how to further utilize each other. In many ways, it was one of the best partnerships/sponsorships I've done in my career (and I've done a lot). When evaluating potential sponsorships, beyond market fit and target demographics, consider the type of relationship you want with your partners. Look for organizations that align with that vision—it will pay dividends.

Last week, the U.S. Soccer Federation made waves with a bold move: the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as the new head coach of the U.S. men's national team. This hire signals a serious step forward in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted right here in North America. With Pochettino's pedigree as a top-tier coach, this decision marks a new chapter in U.S. Soccer's ambition to compete at the highest level on the global stage.   However, what stands out even more is the innovative financial backing behind this appointment. A significant portion of Pochettino’s contract is supported by a philanthropic contribution from key figures in the financial world, including Ken Griffin (Citadel) and Scott Goodwin (Diameter), along with a group of corporate partners.   This collaboration is a groundbreaking case of financial services, philanthropy, and sports intersecting in a unique way. Traditionally, corporate sponsorships in sports focus on visibility, branding, and engagement with fans. But this move goes beyond traditional sponsorship models and highlights how corporate allies and sponsors can create deeper, more meaningful contributions to sports organizations by driving talent acquisition and operational support through philanthropic gifts.   This approach raises fascinating questions for the industry:   - Could this model signal the start of a trend? As private investment blends with philanthropy, will we see other sports teams and organizations adopt this innovative funding strategy to compete at the highest levels?   - What are the tax implications? U.S. Soccer operates as a nonprofit, which opens the door to the possibility that these contributions may be tax-deductible. Could this further incentivize financial leaders and corporations to support sports in this way?   - The bigger picture: Will this create a ripple effect, with investors and senior executives finding new avenues to influence and shape the future of sports, all while aligning with social and philanthropic values?   For those of us in the private investment and executive leadership space, particularly within the sports industry, this serves as a case study in how business leaders can redefine the concept of partnership in sports. There’s an emerging opportunity to blend financial acumen with philanthropic intent to fuel the future of sports development.   https://lnkd.in/ew_NQKMN   #sportsbusiness #philanthropy #soccer

NFL teams generated $2.5B in sponsorship revenue from over 2,000 brands—here are some of the things I unpacked that helped lead to this historic growth: 1️⃣ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐫𝐨-𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 & 𝐍𝐨𝐧-𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 🏈 The Construction & Industrial sector has historically been a highly active internationally (especially the EPL) but relatively quiet in U.S. sports—until now. This year, we saw a significant jump within this sector. 🏈 Ready-to-drink (RTD) alcohol brands have surged, with 1/3rd of teams with deals working with more than one brand. 🏈 The NFL’s vast fan base means some brands can’t always afford to reach everyone—so the league has been smart in designing segmented audience strategies that allow brands to optimally engage specific audiences. 2️⃣ 𝐀𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 NFL Players have more endorsements than any other sport, acting as a gateway for brands entering the league. This lowers the barrier to entry, allowing brands to A/B test content, iterate quickly, and refine messaging before committing to larger team deals. The result is a thriving ecosystem where athlete partnerships fuel more sponsorship opportunities. 3️⃣ 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐔𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 With international expansion, teams now offer a broader marketing platform for brands, opening the door to entirely new deals. This year alone, we saw 68 brands activate internationally, proving the model out. 4️⃣ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 & 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 Sponsorships are no longer just about logos on a stadium wall—they’re about embedding brands into the fan experience. Teams and brands are working together to create meaningful, culturally relevant activations, including: ✔ Player arrivals as branded moments ✔ Sustainability and causes ✔ Second-chance sweepstakes and games ✔ Social content and product integrations 5️⃣ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 The entire sponsorship industry is expanding, and the NFL benefited from the influx of new marketing dollars. In 4 years, the volume of teams, events and athlete deals has more than doubled. This means more sellers in the market, more conversations with brands, and more dollars reallocated into sponsorship as a critical marketing channel—benefiting not just the NFL, but the entire industry. I’ve spoken with multiple brand partners who feel that teams are treating them as true collaborators, rather than just sponsors—taking a first-principles approach to partnership design that is redefining the space. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐅𝐋 𝐈𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐚 365-𝐃𝐚𝐲, 360-𝐃𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 Over time, the NFL has evolved into a year-round, multi-dimensional commercial powerhouse, where brands engage fans across multiple platforms, markets, and moments—both in and out of the stadium.

Road to All Star Weekend | Athletes Aren’t Just Signing Deals Anymore, They’re Building Businesses ✅ Super Bowl done. All-Star Weekend has arrived and I'm sharing my next Arena content series conversation with basketball agent, David Koné on building athlete brands that last. As a basketball agent at WME Basketball, David gave a real look into how athlete representation is evolving and why long-term brand building now requires strategy well beyond performance on the court. 🎯 What separates long-term athlete brands: David shared that athletes who build lasting brands are intentional about how partnerships show up across their lives. The strongest collaborations go beyond endorsements, often tying into foundations, business ventures, and causes that reflect who the athlete is. Others may chase one-off deals, which rarely build sustainable brand equity. 🤝 Building a brand beyond basketball: When working with young athletes, David focuses on helping them understand what brands actually look for. Success on the court opens doors, but athletes are now competing with creators for attention. The key is storytelling, showing personality, interests, and purpose outside the game. 🚀 Opportunities shaping the next era: David sees growth across multiple areas, but a few stand out: • Equity partnerships that position athletes as true business partners rather than spokespeople • Athlete-driven content, especially YouTube and vlog-style storytelling • Streaming and gaming, where athletes are building new fan communities and extending their reach 🏀 The evolving talent pipeline: With NIL changing how athletes build their platforms earlier in their careers, representation now includes education around brand value, content strategy, and long-term positioning from day one. David’s perspective reinforced how the business of sports is shifting toward ownership, storytelling, and authentic partnership building. More on David ⬇️ David Koné is a basketball agent at WME Basketball, where he represents professional basketball players and advises them on contracts, brand partnerships, and long-term career strategy. A former professional basketball player himself, David brings firsthand experience to helping athletes maximize opportunities both on and off the court. I’m excited to share more of these conversations as a founding member of the Arena Beta program, connecting with people who are redefining what sports, culture and entertainment look like today. Parul Khosla, Adriene Bueno, Olivia Schwartz

Sports partnerships have never been more crowded. Every crypto company wants to sponsor a stadium. Every fintech startup is chasing naming rights. Every AI platform is pitching player performance analytics. The barriers to entry have disappeared. You don't need decades of sports heritage anymore. You just need a budget and a pitch deck. But most brands don't understand the cultural nuance they're stepping into. When everyone can play, winning gets determined by three factors, in increasing order of difficulty: 1) Whether people know you exist Half the brands trying to break into sports partnerships are invisible to the teams they're targeting. They have bigger budgets than established players, but no one at the Lakers knows they exist. Your message has to cut through the noise before anything else matters. 2) Whether people like your vibe Sports organizations are tribal. Your brand might have more money than the incumbent sponsor, but if you communicate like you're buying access to eyeballs instead of joining a community, you won't last. How you say it determines whether they see you as an outsider or an ally. 3) Whether people trust you with their most sensitive data Sports teams are sharing fan databases, revenue numbers, strategic plans. Rights holders have been burned by brands who promised partnership but delivered exploitation. What you communicate about your intentions and values becomes everything. The money gets you in the room. The cultural understanding gets you the handshake. But trust is what gets you renewed. In the most competitive sports partnership landscape we've ever seen, how and what brands communicate is important - it's the only thing that separates partners from sponsors trying to buy their way into someone else's story. Getty Images

There are a handful of questions I believe every brand must ask before investing in a sports partnership. Not the flashy questions. Not the easy ones. The foundational ones: 1. Do they have my customer? My strike zone customer—the one I’m always chasing. 2. Do they have the assets to reach them? What’s the proof from past campaigns: participation rates, opt-ins, actual engagement? 3. Is there enough goodwill to convert? Beyond exposure, is there a path to a real relationship and measurable conversion? 4. Can I measure the results? Do they have the mechanisms? Do I? 5. Where’s the proof? What past performance says they can actually deliver—and is it apples to apples? These aren’t just boxes to check. They’re the bedrock. Because if a partnership can’t help me reach, engage, and convert my core customer, then I’m chasing shadows—and spending heavily—before I ever see a return. The foundation is simple. The discipline is asking these questions every single time. This would be my prerequisite before even crafting a campaign.

PepsiCo are one of the biggest sponsors in sport globally, reportedly spending over $1bn per year. So why does Mark Kirkham, PepsiCo’s Chief Marketing Officer, hate the term ‘sponsorship’? During a guest appearance on the Unofficial Partner podcast two weeks ago, Mark revealed that he thinks the term ‘sponsorship’ is outdated and doesn’t capture the depth of PepsiCo's relationships with the likes of UEFA and the Saudi Pro League (SPL). He even dislikes the term ‘rightsholder’, which he suggests sounds too transactional. Instead, Mark prefers the term 'partnership'. This view reflects a broader shift in the industry. The way we value sponsorship is transforming, with huge brands driving this change in narrative. As Mark explains, the value of a partnership cannot be measured in the amount of visibility you get on an LED screen. The true value comes from both parties coming together to meet mutual business objectives - whether that’s reaching new audiences, building new platforms, or telling stories authentically. So, what can we learn from Mark and PepsiCo? 👉 Don’t start with a term sheet. Start with writing down what you are hoping to achieve together as partners, and then determine which rights the brand will need to make this happen. 👉 Rightsholders have to be more creative in the way they package their rights. As Mark points out, rightsholders are often competing against their own athletes, leagues, and teams, who frequently offer more flexibility and value for brands. 👉 Partnerships are a two way street. Rightsholders shouldn’t underestimate the value brands bring to them, especially if the brand can help them tell their own stories and drive new audiences to the sport. At DUNE | 23, we share Mark’s approach. We believe in commercial partnerships that go beyond traditional ‘sponsorship’. We work with brands and rightsholders to create genuine, tailored relationships that drive value and deliver tangible business results. If you’re looking for guidance on navigating commercial partnerships in sport, we’d love to help! Feel free to get in touch at charlotte.mcging@dune23.me 🚀 📩 #sportspartnerships #sportsponsorship #sportsbusiness

In sponsorship, the default instinct is still: “Go where the biggest audience is.” But that mindset misses one of the most exciting opportunities in our industry today. As Mark Harrison put it perfectly: “It's easy to go to places with the big eyeballs, but when you can get involved with a property that can provide you with other business benefits that aren’t necessarily related to eyeballs… it's all about building that plan ahead of time. Understanding your data points, technology, and integration opportunities.” Emerging sports and properties like SailGP are proving something powerful: Sometimes the biggest opportunity isn’t the biggest stage — it’s where brands can create deeper value, richer integrations, and more meaningful business outcomes. Impact is no longer measured by impressions alone. Today, brands should be asking: - Where can we build community — not just awareness? - How can technology + data deepen activation? - What partnerships unlock real business value beyond visibility? - Where can we shape culture instead of just renting space in it? The future of sponsorship isn’t just about size — it’s about fit, innovation, and purpose. Mass reach will always matter. But strategic reach? That’s where category-defining impact is happening. Thanks Mark for pushing this thinking forward — and for championing the emerging platforms rewriting the playbook. SponsorCX