Sponsorship perceptions of athletics on the rise as Olympics gets underway
A new survey undertaken by sponsorship consultancy ONSIDE and Sport for Business has identified rugby, athletics, and golf as the three Olympic sports most attractive to sponsors in Ireland.
While the popularity of rugby and golf are driven by the year-round schedule of competition, a pre-Opening Ceremony kick off for Sevens and a high-profile Irish golf team will help both sports consolidate their position at the top.
It is athletics, however, that has had a breakthrough 18 months leading into Paris 2024 due a string of achievements on the track, most notably from Rhasidat Adeleke and her relay colleagues.
ONSIDE’s 2024 Sports Impact Monitor found 6 in 10 members of the influential Sport for Business community have changed their perception of athletics for the better over the past six months with over 8 in 10 now highlighting it as an attractive property for sponsors.
This places it over 20 percentage points ahead of the next Olympic sport on the list, rowing, which is narrowly ahead of swimming. While rowing’s position has remained steady from 2023 to 2024, swimming has climbed significantly off the back of strong performances from Daniel Wiffen, overtaking both basketball and hockey.
As well as being a showcase for 32 sports, the Olympics will be a shop window for the next generation of Irish athletes.
ONSIDE’s Director of Intelligence and Insight, Kim Kirwan explains: “Over 90% of industry experts believe the use of sports personalities to endorse a brand or company is an effective form of sponsorship with over 50% interested in aligning with a brand ambassador in the next 1-2 years.”
“We tracked an increase in brand ambassador deals leading into the Olympics and Paralympics and - based on what we saw after the Tokyo games - there will be two or three star performers able to strike even bigger deals post-Paris,” adds Kirwan.
Almost four times as many organisations have entered new sponsorships as have dropped out of them since the start of 2024 and 80% are optimistic about the how the industry will perform in the next two years.
Rob Hartnett, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sport for Business said: “The industry is buoyant and positive heading into the Olympics and Paralympics but there are notes of caution as well, particularly as we look to the next generation.”
“Three quarters of respondents said sport needs to do more to engage younger audiences and 87% of respondents said that sponsors should invest in the grassroots aspect of the sports they support.”
This was the second time the usage of Artificial Intelligence in sport and sponsorship in Ireland has been tracked in the study and its usage is growing rapidly. In 2024, half of respondents said AI will be an important part of their company’s activation strategy in the next 1-2 years, more than double the number from 2023.
This is the seventh wave of the ONSIDE Sports Impact Monitor that was first launched during the pandemic in 2020. All respondents are members of the Sport for Business community with the survey undertaken in June-July 2024.
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RUGBY SPONSORSHIP DELIVERS POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR GUINNESS AND TELCOS ACROSS THE UK
The men’s and women’s Guinness Six Nations competitions have helped some of rugby’s biggest sponsors hit new heights in the UK according to a new consumer study from ONSIDE.
The tournament title sponsor, Guinness, is joined by Vodafone, O2 and BT, who all invest in national rugby team sponsorships, amongst the most admired sponsors of sport according to ONSIDE’s latest UK Quarterly Sponsorship Review.
It is the fourth year in a row that the title sponsorship has propelled Guinness up the rankings in ONSIDE’s Q1 analysis of UK consumers. The brand performed particularly well in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, topping the standings in the latter two markets.
Results for the telcos fluctuated across the different parts of the UK with Vodafone, the main sponsor of both Ireland and Wales, leading the way in these markets while O2, sponsor of the England team, was narrowly ahead of the pack in England and BT the highest performing of the three in Scotland.
While still a prominent sponsor of Scottish Rugby, BT is the only one of these telco brands not to feature on the front of the shirt of a national rugby team. The current front of shirt partner for Scotland, Peter Vardy, didn’t feature at all in the unprompted consumer responses.
ONSIDE’s Managing Director, UK and Middle East, Jon Long explains: “The Guinness Six Nations benefits from excellent scheduling and broad media reach across both the men’s and women’s competitions.
“This doesn’t guarantee that sponsors will cut through with consumers but several brands, including Guinness, Vodafone and O2, have got into a good rhythm of capitalising on this during the first part of the year and these are the best results we have seen for rugby sponsors in the UK since we began our tracking in 2021.”
Jon Long - Managing Director, ONSIDE (UK & Middle East)
Even though it was a record-breaking quarter for rugby sponsors, they continue to be out-performed by Nike, Adidas and Barclay’s, three brands that have used football in particular to dominate their sectors in the UK.
There are no other apparel brands or banks in the UK-wide list of the top 20 sports sponsors but Bank of Ireland and RBS perform well in Northern Ireland and Scotland respectively.
Lucozade has joined Red Bull, Coca Cola and Pepsi back in the top 20 for the first time since 2022. Just over three months out from the start of the Paris Olympics, Aldi is the best performing of the British Olympic Association’s local partners.
The same three telcos also feature in the top 20 most admired non-sports sponsors, as does EE, with O2 leading the way on the back of its extensive venues and music sponsorship portfolio.
ONSIDE’s Quarterly Sponsorship Review has been running since 2016 in Ireland and since 2021 in the UK, serving as a barometer of consumer interest in sport and non-sport sponsorship
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WORLD CUP MOMENTUM CONTINUES INTO 2024 AS RUGBY SPONSORS DOMINATE IRISH SPORTS SECTOR
Rugby continues to dominate the sports sponsorship landscape in Ireland with new research from ONSIDE revealing seven out of the top 10 most admired sponsors have prominent partnerships in the sport.
Following on from Ireland’s men successfully retaining their Guinness Six Nations title and ahead of potential record-breaking fixtures for Ireland’s women against Scotland and Leinster’s men in the Investec Champions Cup, ONSIDE’s latest Quarterly Sponsorship Review has highlighted the broad strength of rugby as a sponsorship platform for consumer-facing brands.
Leading IRFU sponsors including Vodafone, Guinness and Aldi all feature prominently within the top sports sponsors while Bank of Ireland – which recently renewed sponsorships of all four provinces and also has a partnership with the IRFU – is joined in the top 10 for the first time by another sponsor of provincial rugby, Laya Healthcare.
ONSIDE Director of Intelligence and Insight, Kim Kirwan explains: “The major rugby sponsorships are really cutting through with consumers in Ireland so it’s no surprise that we’ve seen several key long-term renewals in recent months.”
Kim Kirwan - Director of Intelligence & Insight
The start of 2024 was buoyant for sponsorship in Ireland with the number of deals from January to March up 15% on the same period in 2023. A growing portion of these focused on women’s sport, up from 1 in 5 during the same period last year to 1 in 4 this time around.
Kirwan adds: “We’ve seen notable deals involving female talent in the first quarter of 2024. KPMG have joined Allianz as a sponsor of Rhasidat Adeleke while both Aer Lingus and Lucozade Sport have signed up female rugby stars as brand ambassadors.
The leading non-sports sponsors in the same ONSIDE Ireland Quarterly Sponsorship Review were Three and Electric Ireland, unchanged from Q4 2023, with supermarkets retaining their place as the dominant sector in non-sports sponsorship.
ONSIDE’s Quarterly Sponsorship Review has been running since 2016 in Ireland and since 2021 in the UK, serving as a barometer of consumer interest in sport and non-sport sponsorship.
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IFAF appoints ONSIDE to support commercial development of Flag Football
ONSIDE has been appointed by the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) to develop the bidding and commercial programmes for its 2026 Flag Football World Championship.
The joint men’s and women’s event in 2026 will be the first Flag Football World Championship to feature qualifying slots for the Olympic Games following confirmation of the sport’s inclusion on the programme for Los Angeles 2028.
IFAF President Pierre Trochet said: “Flag football is growing rapidly around the world as both a participation and spectator sport. This year will see a record-breaking edition of the IFAF Flag Football World Championships in Finland, concluding the biggest ever cycle of IFAF Continental competitions, involving 65 international representative teams.
“This rapid growth trajectory is predicted to continue, with the 2026 World Championships set to be on a different scale to anything we’ve staged in the past.”
“As well as building out the commercial model for this event, ONSIDE are helping us to develop a bidding process for interested hosts and a legal framework for the event.”
Flag football is a five-a-side non-contact discipline of American Football in which women’s and men’s World Championship events have been contested since 2002. The current holders of both titles are the USA while previous winners of the women’s event include Canada, France, Mexico, Panama and Sweden and the men’s competition has been won in the past by Austria, Canada and France.
Jon Long - Managing Director, UK and Middle East
ONSIDE’s Managing Director, UK and Middle East, Jon Long said: “We are delighted to be supporting IFAF at this inflection point for both the organisation and flag football around the world.
“The positive momentum around flag football has been building for some time and its inclusion on the programme of LA 2028 looks set to increase interest in the World Championship and pathway events.”
This appointment enhances a growing portfolio of international clients and projects for the Dublin-headquartered sports and entertainment consultancy that also includes Cricket West Indies, USA Cricket, British Triathlon, England Hockey, Table Tennis England and World Squash.
ONSIDE founder John Trainor passes away
It is with massive, heartbreaking sadness that we post the news that ONSIDE’s founder and Chief Executive, John Trainor, has passed away.
After battling illness with characteristic resilience and strength over a considerable period of time – and turning up in enthusiastic good spirits, positivity and health to our WWSS event in late November in the Aviva Stadium - he was unexpectedly taken sick in January and passed away on the evening of Monday 5 February 2024.
We are all in shock. Our thoughts and condolences are with John’s wife Eithne and his three boys at this tragic time.
As a mark of respect, the ONSIDE offices will be closed for the remainder of this week.
For further information, please contact Jon Long (jon.long@onside.ie) or Kim Kirwan (kim.kirwan@onside.ie)
ONSIDE Industry Report 2024
IRISH SPONSORSHIP INDUSTRY SET TO SURPASS €220M IN 2024
The Irish sponsorship industry grew by 8% to reach €212m in 2023 and the 18th annual ONSIDE Irish Sponsorship Industry Survey estimates there will be further growth of 7% in 2024 to €227m, surpassing the previous pre-pandemic peak of €224m in 2019.
2023 was the third consecutive year of market growth and 46% of sponsors intend to increase their sponsorship investment levels further in 2024, compared to 18% who expect their spending to decrease. When it comes to the wider market, 6 in 10 sponsors expect overall industry spending to increase with only 1 in 10 predicting a decrease.
According to John Trainor, Founder and CEO of ONSIDE: “Sponsorship held up well in 2023 in the face of a challenging economic environment, driven in particular by prominent brands investing in premium properties such as rugby and music. This positive trajectory will continue through 2024 but there will be losers as well as winners in the market as a series of major events, facility upgrades and societal trends bring new sponsorship opportunities into play.
“Demand for premium properties will continue to outstrip supply with 6 in 10 sponsors considering new assets in 2024 – the same as in 2023 – and only a third seeking to drop out of current sponsorships, down from 47% in 2023 and the lowest predicted churn rate for a decade.”
After a three-year period in which cause-related sponsorships surpassed sport and entertainment as the strongest growth opportunities, the picture looks like it will become more nuanced in 2024 with festivals and rugby neck-and-neck with sustainability and narrowly ahead of GAA, community, diversity & inclusion and the Olympics.
The Olympic and Paralympic Games will be the highlight of the sponsorship calendar with 86% of industry experts expecting the Olympic Games to impact on the sponsorship landscape in 2024, significantly higher than predictions for the 2023 Rugby World Cup 12 months ago which proved to be the pinnacle event of 2023.
The impact of the Rugby World Cup helped the IRFU retain its status as the most effective rights holder and three of its sponsors – Vodafone, Aldi and Guinness – were picked out amongst the best sponsorships of the year.
Outside of sport, Live Nation was second on the list of rights holders, ahead of the Football Association of Ireland and GAA. Three’s portfolio of music sponsorships also featured on the list of top sponsorships alongside Allianz’s partnership with Women’s Aid and PTSB’s broadcast deal with The Late Late Show.
The blend of rugby success and Olympic enthusiasm flowed into the industry view of the most marketable personalities for 2024. Retired Ireland rugby captain Johnny Sexton and emerging sprint sensation Rhasidat Adeleke finished joint top of a list that had an even split between female and male stars and was dominated by sport.
Katie Taylor, despite her compelling victory over Chantelle Cameron, dropped from first to third place, and now sits narrowly ahead of Ireland and Arsenal’s Katie McCabe, one of the biggest climbers from 2023.
“Ireland didn’t win the men’s Rugby World Cup in 2023 but the event strengthened the marketing appeal of the team and its highest profile players. We know from almost two decades of research tracking the likes of Brian O’Driscoll and Paul O’Connell that the value of top talent as ambassadors can endure into retirement,” explains Trainor.
“Several brands have already done deals with athletes who will be representing Ireland at the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the likes of Rhasidat Adeleke and Rhys McClenaghan will be household names in the summer.
“In many ways, 2024 will be the foundation year of a five-year cycle in which global factors will impact positively on the local sponsorship landscape here in Ireland. Events such as the Ryder Cup in 2027 and the men’s Euros in 2028 will accelerate the size and quality of the industry in Ireland. They also have the potential to contribute to up to €35m of sponsorship leakage over this timeframe.”
The most popular activation channels for sponsorship in 2024 will be social media and video sharing platforms such as TikTok with more than 7 in 10 sponsors expecting to use these channels more than in 2023. While the integration of AI is called out as a global trend in sponsorship, only a small portion of the industry in Ireland is currently using the technology across its sponsorship activities. The most common use-case is to analyse sponsorship-related data, currently deployed by 3 in 10 of industry practitioners.
And finally, interest in exploiting venue naming rights has also increased significantly after a 10-year low in 2023 and, after eye-catching deals and debates at the start of 2024, 3 in 10 right holders say they are actively exploring their options in this area.
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Rugby Legend Brian O’Driscoll joins the line out at the ONSIDE and Marketing Institute Ireland “Who Won Sponsorship Series 2023” event
Left to right: RTÉ - Declan Bennett, Head of Sport, MII - Shane Mc Gonigle, CEO, ONSIDE – Kim Kirwan, Director of Intelligence & Insights, RTÉ – Gerry Mc Guinness, Sponsorship Manager
Brian O'Driscoll will discuss The Dynamic Role of Brand Ambassadors in Modern Sponsorship at the ONSIDE and Marketing Institute Ireland event "Who Won Sponsorship Series 2023" on Wednesday, 22nd November, from 8:30 am - 11:00 am, at the Aviva Stadium.
"2023 is once again proving to be a very strong year for sponsorship investment with an estimated €212 million being spent by brands looking for that competitive edge", commented John Trainor, Founder & CEO, ONSIDE.
Shane McGonigle, CEO, MII said "We are looking forward to an exciting event where there will be a wealth of expertise and insights shared with renowned speakers and panellists from industry, Irish and international-based sponsors and rightsholders, and marketing professionals as well as an in-depth review of sports, entertainment, ambassador, broadcast, and cause-related events."
The theme of this year's Who Won Sponsorship event is Trailblazers Shaping the Future of Sponsorship. It will feature segments including Rugby Revolutionaries, Redefining Consumer Experience through Sponsorship, Breaking Barriers & Forging Alliances Women in Sport, as well as the fireside chat with Brian O'Driscoll.
Taking part in the Rugy Revolutionaries segment will be Gerry Nixon, Head of Sponsorship & Insights at Vodafone and Padraig Power, Chief Commercial Officer IRFU, together with Kalle Kauppila, Group Director of Revenue & Fan Growth, World Rugby. They will bring unique insights into the world of commercial and sponsorship involvement in the sport of Rugby and are likely to discuss the impact of the recent Rugby World Cup tournament.
Other sponsorship trailblazers speakers taking part in the event who are influencing the future of sponsorship in Ireland include Tom Boyle, VP Global Partnerships Marketing and Operations at City Football Group / Manchester City Football Club, Rory Sheridan, Head of Partnerships at Diageo Ireland, Louise Cassidy, Director of Marketing & Communication at the FAI as well as Eileen Leahy, Marketing Activation Lead at Cadburys.
RTÉ will share a broadcaster's perspective on how sponsorships scored in 2023. "RTÉ is delighted to be involved with this event again. Sponsorship enables brands to forge a meaningful, authentic connection with sports fans. It also ensures that key sporting events remain accessible and free for everyone to enjoy, regardless of age, demographic or background, which is integral to RTÉ's public service remit. I look forward to hearing the speakers' insights on the panel, who are at the forefront of this thriving industry and continually driving it forward', commented Declan Bennett, Head of RTÉ Sport.
The “Who Won Sponsorship Series 2023” event is open to members and non-members of the Marketing Institute of Ireland and the attendees can register on mii.ie.
For further information please contact:
Orla Ryan@Wilson Hartnell 0872342416/orla.ryan@ogilvy.com
SEXTON AND TUBRIDY TOP ONSIDE’S MOST ADMIRED STARS LIST
Johnny Sexton has overtaken Katie Taylor to top Ireland’s most admired Irish sports stars list, a position the Bray boxer has held since 2016, while Ryan Tubridy retains his number 1 standing as Ireland’s most admired TV / Radio personality, according to sponsorship advisors ONSIDE.
Sexton’s newly crowned status as Ireland’s Most Admired Sports Personality sees the Ireland and Leinster rugby superstar selected by 22% of Irish adults as their favourite, a level of prominence last achieved by his former teammate Brian O’Driscoll on his retirement from international rugby in 2014. Rugby overtakes soccer with the most personalities named in this year’s ONSIDE list of stars. Sexton was joined by Paul O’Connell, Brian O’Driscoll and Ronan O’Gara in the Top 10, closely followed by Bundee Aki and Peter O’Mahoney also showing strong movement in the Top 20 sports personalities.
According to John Trainor, Founder and CEO of ONSIDE: “as Johnny Sexton closed out his on-field rugby career at the Rugby World Cup, the Leinster and Ireland icon had built an avid fan base of almost 850,000 Irish adults that rate him as their number 1 Irish sports star this year. Katie Taylor heads into her rematch with Chantelle Cameron at the 3Arena later this month 7% behind Sexton in second place, a significant 10% dip in her result since 2021. Meanwhile, having captained the Irish Women’s Football Team to their first ever World Cup this summer, Katie McCabe moved up 22 places and into the Top 10. Other female sports stars scoring strongly in the star tracker included Rachel Blackmore, Kellie Harrington, Sonia O’Sullivan and Leona Maguire.”
Other notable results also included Ryder Cup heroes Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry both standing among the Top 10 sports stars, while Kerry footballer David Clifford moved up 20 places to 13th
Vodafone commanded a strong lead as the Irish public’s most admired sports sponsors in general in the third quarter of 2023, while Aldi, with their ambassadors Paul O’Connell and James Ryan, were favourites in terms of best practice by businesses aligning with specific Irish sports personalities. Other brands associated with rugby in general, or specifically with Irish rugby players, that also ranked highly in the latest ONSIDE research included Guinness, Bank of Ireland, Lucozade Sport and Aviva.
Outside of sport, the ONSIDE STAR TRACK 2023 also found that Ryan Tubridy retained his number 1 status as the most admired television or radio personality in Ireland, with Tommy Tiernan, Claire Byrne, Graham Norton and Joe Brolly making up the chasing pack. Patrick Kielty entered the Top 10 alongside established broadcast personalities including Today FM’s Ian Dempsey and Newstalk’s Pat Kenny.
U2 lead singer Bono has again topped the chart in the research category regarding most admired Irish music and live entertainment stars, with Sinéad O’Connor, Daniel O’Donnell, Hozier and Dermot Kennedy making up the Top 5.
Trainor concludes: “Businesses inking new deals with Irish stars in 2024 have an exciting array of next generation rising stars to select from including Olympic and Paralympic games hopefuls such as Rashidat Adeleke, to a next generation of Irish football stars such as Evan Ferguson and Caoimhin Kelleher. The key to success will be how well the brands activate their connection with the Irish stars in a fully invested way”.
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Event update: Who Won Sponsorship Series 2023
Date – Wednesday 22 November 2023.
Time – 8.30 am start to 11 am (followed by networking opportunity).
Location – Havelock Suite, Aviva Stadium, Dublin.
Early Bird closing on the 18th of October.
Following another strong year for sponsorship investment, estimated to reach €212 million in 2023, Marketing Institute Ireland and ONSIDE are once again joining forces to host the “Who Won Sponsorship Series 2023” event on Wednesday, 22nd November at the Aviva Stadium.
Marketing Institute Ireland and ONSIDE event combines a review of sports, entertainment, ambassador, broadcast, arts and cause-related events that attracted significant sponsorship in 2023 and will include insights from industry experts, Irish and international-based sponsors and rightsholders, and marketing professionals. Sponsorship trailblazers influencing the future of sponsorship speaking at the event include:
RUGBY REVOLUTIONARIES :
Vodafone - Head of Sponsorship & Business Brand
IRFU - Padraig Power - Chief Commercial Officer
World Rugby -Kalle Kauppila - Revenue & Fan Growth Director
REDEFINING THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCE THROUGH SPONSORSHIP
City Group - Tom Boyle – VP of Global Partnerships Marketing Operations
Aldi
Diageo - Rory Sheridan - Head of Partnerships
BREAKING BARRIERS & FORGING ALLIANCES – WOMEN IN SPORT
Cadbury - Eileen Leahy - Marketing Activation Lead
RTÉ - Declan McBennett - Head of Sport
FAI - Louise Cassidy - Director of Marketing and Communication
More guests are to be announced.
Book now: Ticket Selection - Who Won Sponsorship Series 2023
Supported by:
SPONSORSHIP TRAILBLAZERS TO BE SHOWCASED AT THE “WHO WON SPONSORSHIP SERIES” 2023 EVENT
Following another strong year for sponsorship investment, estimated to reach €212 million in 2023, ONSIDE and the Marketing Institute Ireland are once again joining forces to host the “Who Won Sponsorship Series 2023” event on Wednesday, 22nd November at the Aviva Stadium.
The ONSIDE and Marketing Institute Ireland event combines a review of sports, entertainment, ambassador, broadcast, arts and cause-related events that attracted significant sponsorship in 2023 and will include insights from industry experts, Irish and international-based sponsors and rightsholders, and marketing professionals.
With over half of the adult population set to tune in to watch the Ireland Rugby team compete in France in the coming weeks, at the Rugby World Cup, one of 2023’s marquee global sports events will form one aspect of the content for the day. IRFU Chief Commercial Officer, Padraig Power and Vodafone’s Head of Sponsorship & Insights, Gerry Nixon, will join a panel to discuss commercial and sponsorship activity around the tournament.
Tom Boyle, VP Global Partnerships Marketing and Operations at City Football Group / Manchester City Football Club will bring 18 years of experience in the sports industry to the ONSIDE / MII event, with a proven track record across a multitude of major properties. Boyle has worked with world-leading brands such as Unilever, Asahi, Nissan, BNP Paribas, Rolex, Midea, Cisco, Intel, PUMA, Tesco, Citibank and HP, amongst others.
Other sponsorship trailblazers influencing the future of sponsorship in Ireland that will join the speaker line-up includes Rory Sheridan, Head of Partnerships at Diageo Ireland. Sheridan orchestrated a summer of Music Experiences for Diageo brands including Guinness Live & Rising, embedding GUINNESS, Rockshore and Smirnoff at the heart of All Together Now, while also bringing a portfolio of Diageo brand experiences to Forbidden Fruit. RTÉ, will share a broadcaster’s perspective on how sponsorships scored in 2023, and will be joined by the FAI and FAI Women’s Team and RTÉ Broadcast sponsors Cadbury.
ONSIDE and the Marketing Institute Ireland will be announcing further speakers joining the event line-up in the coming weeks, including a star-studded panel of some of Ireland’s leading sports and entertainment stars. The event will also announce the results of a survey by ONSIDE of the 3,000 strong MII database of Ireland’s marketing professionals to determine which brands and rights holders won with sponsorship in 2023.
Speaking at the launch of the event, John Trainor, Founder and CEO of ONSIDE said: “2023 has been an action-packed year for sports and live entertainment in Ireland on and off the big stage. Our speakers this year will share insights with our attendees that will offer them an edge to sharpen their performance for 2024, and we are looking forward to bringing together many of the industry leaders in marketing and sponsorship at our biennial sell-out showcase.”
The “Who Won Sponsorship Series 2023” event takes place on Wednesday, November 22nd, in the Aviva Stadium.
Ticket Prices:
MII Members €125
Non MII Members €410 (Price includes MII Membership + Event Ticket)
To purchase your ticket or for more ticket information, please visit:
Ticket Selection - Who Won Sponsorship Series 2023
IRISH SPORTS SECTOR NEEDS TO DO MORE TO ENGAGE TEENAGERS
INDUSTRY LIKELY TO TAKE STOCK ON WOMEN’S SPORT SPONSORSHIP AFTER FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP
A new survey undertaken by sponsorship consultancy ONSIDE and Sport for Business highlights the Irish sports sector's challenges in engaging younger audiences.
8 in 10 industry experts think sport needs to do more to engage teenagers, with 7 in 10 recognising the fragmentation of media rights is making it difficult to reach younger audiences.
The 15-17 age cohort is seen to be particularly poorly served where 69% of experts are of the view that sports broadcasting is average or poor in connecting with this age group and 54% rating the live experience as average or poor for these teenagers.
GAA is seen to be the sport that is most effectively engaging under 18s, ahead of soccer and rugby.
ONSIDE Founder and Chief Executive, John Trainor explains: “Sports rights holders need to invest in better-understanding teenagers so they can update their broadcast and matchday offering to be more aligned to their priorities and consumption habits. Those that do this effectively will be well-set for the future.”
This is the sixth wave of the ONSIDE Sports Impact Monitor that was first launched during the pandemic in 2020. A constant theme in previous waves has been the growth of interest in women’s sport, including sponsorship.
60% of industry experts still agree that women’s sport sponsorships are the most attractive opportunities in the market this year. But for the first time, the proportion that strongly agree with this statement has dropped.
Trainor adds: “Having seen record levels of deals in women’s sport in the past 12 months, particularly in the build-up to the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the market is maturing and – while it will continue to grow – some brands will take time to evaluate the impact of their sponsorships before making new commitments.”
With the Olympics Games in Paris only a year away, one sport that seems to be heading in the right direction is athletics. 42% of industry experts say their perception of athletics has changed for the better in the past 6 months, likely driven by the emergence of new stars such as Rhasidat Adeleke and Israel Olatunde.
Rugby continues to be seen as the most attractive sport for sponsors with GAA in second place and soccer joint-third with the Olympics.
“Rugby’s popularity as a platform is clear with broadcast sponsorship of the upcoming RWC2023 being the most attractive property to sponsor among the 12 specific opportunities tested. A small uplift in enthusiasm for soccer since our last wave of research is also having a positive impact across the sport with over 60% of respondents now rating sponsorship of the FAI men’s national team as an attractive opportunity,” adds Trainor.
The industry experts were all members of the Sport for Business community with the survey undertaken in June 2023.
Rob Hartnett, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sport for Business adds: “The ONSIDE Sports Impact Monitor helped guide the industry during the pandemic and is now providing the intelligence we need to address the next wave of challenges. Reaching and engaging young people is critical to the long-term prosperity of the sector and both broadcast innovation and the spectator experience are important parts of this.”
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GEARING UP FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF IRISH BRAND AMBASSADORSHIPS
The role of Brand Ambassadors can be dated back to as early as the 1800’s, and with the changing landscape of traditional and new media in recent years, comes a paradigm shift in the role that Brand Ambassadors are playing in Ireland today.
The newly completed Talent Reframed 2023 report, from Sponsorship Consultancy agency ONSIDE and leading Sport Marketing agency Line Up Sports, uncovers a fresh read on the changing landscape for those engaging in the area of Brand Ambassadorships in Ireland. Findings from the report shows that sport ambassadors continue to be a source of trust in influencing consumer purchasing decisions, with the equivalent of almost one million Irish consumers found to trust a product / service more if a sports personality they admire endorses it. With the increase of phishing and online scams, sports ambassadors can offer brands a safe haven with their social authentication tick, where they can control the brand message through a trusted source.
Bringing ambassador campaigns to life needs to be done so in an authentic way, with more and more ambassadors choosing the content they will / not post on their channels. They know the content they publish can mean the difference between growing or decreasing their followers. The new Talent Reframed study shows that a quarter of consumers will follow sports personalities if they look to have genuine connections with the brand and values they represent.
John Trainor, CEO of ONSIDE, commented: “While we are seeing positive insights in many areas of the study, one space that brands and agencies need to make sure they get right is using their ambassadors in an authentic way to ensure brands connect properly with their target audience, to more effectively increase brand loyalty and ultimately drive commercial success in an increasingly competitive marketplace.”
The new research by ONSIDE also shows that consumers continue to value Sports Personality endorsements, with 4 out of 10 of respondents agreeing that using a sports personality as a brand ambassador is a better way for companies to promote themselves than straight advertising. The study also uncovered 543,000 Irish adults that felt more positive about the recent National Dairy Council ad because Paul O'Donovan featured in it, with a significant volume of respondents also found to be more likely to consider using products promoted by the National Dairy Council as a result of the Olympic rower’s involvement in the activation.
Social media platforms and digital channels have become vital in amplifying the impact of Brand Ambassadors, providing brands with unprecedented opportunities for visibility and consumer interaction. Sports Personalities have the potential to significantly expand brand reach and enhance engagement with target audiences. Conor Murray, as an example has a following of 248,000 Instagram followers. The study also shows a growing trend in nearly 1 in 4 Irish Adults now following behind the scenes online content on their favourite sports and sports stars on social media.
Speaking on the insights generated by ONSIDE, Line Up Sports Commercial Director, Elma Beirne comments: “Today, authenticity is an important factor for brands when partnering with an Ambassador, ensuring the Ambassador is the right fit for the business and brand. And that also goes equally for the ambassador. This study shows that the sports industry provides credible and engaging brand ambassadors for brands to help communicate their messages to and in turn builds trust.”
Trainor concludes: “As brands navigate this next generation of brand ambassadorships, ensuring that they find ways to align with the right brand ambassadors will be instrumental in developing effective marketing strategies. The latest wave of the Talent Reframed series of studies sees fans and consumers that identify strongly with Irish Sports personalities they admire, resulting in increased trust and emotional connections with endorsed brands. The findings underline the need for brands to invest in authentic, data-led partnerships with Sports personalities and with a bumper few years ahead of us for Irish Sport, including FIFA Women’s World Cup, the Rugby World Cup and the Olympics in Paris in 2024, there’s plenty of stars to choose from.”
NEW ENERGY AT ONSIDE AS IRISH PUBLIC CALL ON BRANDS TO BOOST INVESTMENT IN SPONSORSHIP
LEADING CONSULTANCY BOOSTS ADVISORY AND RESEARCH TEAMS WITH SENIOR APPOINTMENTS OF PLUNKETT AND O’GRADY AND PROMOTION OF KIRWAN
With the Irish sponsorship industry expected to see growth of 8% in 2023 to €212m, new research from specialist consultancy ONSIDE uncovers a significant 20% increase in the portion of Irish consumers who would like to see companies in Ireland increase or maintain their investment in sports sponsorship since the start of the pandemic.
In spite of the cost-of-living crisis and its impact on the Irish economy and society, 7 in 10 adults think sponsors should increase or maintain their spend in sports in general, sports events and teams, with increases of 18% to 20% since 2020. This enthusiasm for sports is matched by support for increasing or maintaining levels of sponsorship of arts and cultural events, up 17% since 2020.
“These are really positive signals for the sponsorship sector. People increasingly want businesses to support the organisations and institutions they care about in such uncertain times” says ONSIDE Founder and Chief Executive, John Trainor.
“Maintaining investment in sponsorship can feel like walking a tightrope when the economy is struggling but these findings have inspired us to invest new energy in strengthening our team and services.”
This new energy includes expanding the ONSIDE Advisory Team with the appointment of Áine Plunkett as Head of Advisory. Áine joins ONSIDE from SSE Airtricity where she was Head of Brand, Advertising and Sponsorship across Great Britain and Ireland.
Áine Plunkett, Head of Advisory, ONSIDE
Trainor says: “Áine is an award-winning marketer who has been responsible for some of the most innovative and impactful sponsorships in Europe. She will bring a fresh perspective to our work in Ireland as well as supporting our international growth.”
“ONSIDE has a unique reputation for providing the intelligence that fuels many of the most successful and enduring sponsorships in Europe and I’m really looking forward to becoming part of the team,” adds Plunkett.
Áine will be complemented on the advisory team by Senior Consultant, Ciara O’Grady, who joins ONSIDE from the Gleneagle Group where she was Director of Arts, Innovation and Corporate Services, giving ONSIDE a presence in Munster to complement its Head Office in Dublin and base in London.
“From our Annual Industry Report, Quarterly Sponsorship Review and daily intelligence-gathering to bespoke studies for clients, we know that exceptional research is a key enabler of positive outcomes. Kim Kirwan is an outstanding leader of our growing intelligence team and has been promoted to Director of Intelligence and Insights in recognition of her contribution to date and the opportunities we see to provide further support to the industry,” adds Trainor.
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ONSIDE Industry Report 2023
SPONSORSHIP SET TO RETURN TO €200M+ MARK IN 2023: ONSIDE
The Irish sponsorship industry grew by 9% to reach €196m in 2022 and the 17th annual ONSIDE Irish Sponsorship Industry Survey estimates there will be further growth of 8% in 2023 to €212m, surpassing the €200m threshold first reached in 2018.
53% of sponsors intend to increase their sponsorship investment levels in 2023, broadly in line with 2022 expectations, and 7 in 10 expect sponsorship spending across the wider industry to increase, compared to only 1 in 5 back in 2021.
According to John Trainor, Founder and CEO of ONSIDE: “Despite strong concerns amongst 3 in 10 sponsorship industry practitioners that feel that the cost-of-living crisis will have a significant negative impact on the sports industry in Ireland, we know brands that maintain their investment in sponsorship during tough times reap the rewards in the long-run. While the instinct may be to cut back on sponsorship and activation, astute CMO’s and marketers will dive into the right data, adapt their approach, and ensure their CEO and CFO colleagues are well-informed of the real return-on-investment they are delivering”.
Trainor adds: “There will still be significant competition for available sponsorship assets in 2023, with demand for premium properties continuing to outstrip supply, although this has softened slightly compared to last year. 6 in 10 sponsors will be looking for new properties in 2023, a drop of 7% on last year and 47% are looking to drop out of existing partnerships, up 12% year on year.”
Strongest sponsorship growth opportunities in 2023 are expected to be in the broad areas of sustainability / environment, cause, community, and diversity & inclusion, while Banking and Airline brands are tipped by the survey respondents as sectors to watch for growth this year.
With Rugby World Cup 2023 on the horizon, the survey perhaps unsurprisingly found rugby as the Top sport offering opportunities for sponsors to invest in this year, while soccer made a notable return to the Top 10 areas of opportunity. 7 in 10 sponsors say their businesses see the Rugby World Cup in France as an opportunity to engage with consumers, while 43% see opportunity for their businesses around the Republic of Ireland team’s presence at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 in Australia and New Zealand.he Irish sponsorship industry grew by 9% to reach €196m in 2022 and the 17th annual ONSIDE Irish Sponsorship Industry Survey estimates there will be further growth of 8% in 2023 to €212m, surpassing the €200m threshold first reached in 2018.
ONSIDE Founder and Chief Executive John Trainor estimates Ireland's sponsorship industry will grow by 8% in 2023
Female stars in sports and entertainment continue to dominate the list of most marketable personalities for 2023, with the top 4 being females. 68% of industry professionals mentioned a female star, with Katie Taylor sharing the top spot with Ireland team captain Katie McCabe, as the soccer star jumped up the rankings from 13th place last year. The success of the Women’s National Football Team qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup also saw coach Vera Pauw and players Amber Barrett and Niamh Fahey all making the most marketable list.
Reflecting on the improving standard of activity produced by the collective Irish sponsorship industry last year, 1 in 3 of the industry think sponsorship campaigns in Ireland were more effective in 2022 than 2021, +5% year-on-year. According to the industry professionals surveyed, Sky Ireland’s partnership with the FAI’s Women’s Team was most worthy of recognition, as Lidl and AIG’s ties with gaelic games stood alongside Vodafone and Bank of Ireland’s rugby partnerships as perceived best-in-class of ‘22. KPMG’s new partnership with the Women’s Irish Open golf was also a notable new entry to this year’s list.
Sport also dominates the survey list of the most effective rights holder partners in the eyes of sponsors, with the IRFU leading the line alongside the GAA, the FAI, and Aviva Stadium. They are joined on that list this year by Live Nation, who managed the full re-opening of a wide portfolio of venue and outdoor festival partnership properties in 2022.
Video sharing platforms are expected to be the big risers among activation channels in 2023, comfortably sitting in top spot with 76% of sponsors expecting to use more of these platforms to leverage sponsorship programs in the coming year, an increase of 22% from last year.
Meanwhile, recent public research produced by ONSIDE in parallel to the industry survey found that 2 in 3 of the Irish public believed that sponsors of the 2022 FIFA World Cup would be right to turn down or off their sponsorship of the tournament due to concerns over Qatar’s human rights record and stance on the LGBTQ+ community. Trainor concludes: “As controversy and resultant public opinion and backlash around sponsorships linked to Russian and Qatar-based events remained a consistent theme throughout 2022, it is no surprise that 8 in 10 rights holders in Ireland agreed that public opinion impacts the brands they will consider partnering with in 2023. The importance of public approval for sponsorships has increased significantly in the last 12 months, highlighting the tightrope that sponsors and rights holders will walk when developing partnerships in the year ahead”.
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ONSIDE StarTrack 2022
TAYLOR, TUBRIDY & BONO STAR IN ONSIDE’S 2022 MOST ADMIRED
Katie Taylor, Ryan Tubridy and Bono topped their respective fields in sport and entertainment, and collectively made up the top 3 most admired Irish sports, broadcast, and music stars overall in Ireland in 2022, according to sponsorship advisors ONSIDE.
The queen of world lightweight boxing Katie Taylor retained her status as Ireland’s Most Admired Sports Personality for the sixth year in a row, albeit down 7% to 18% in 2022, and will look to cement her enduring status as one of Ireland’s greatest ever sports stars through a potential multi-million Euro box office rematch with Amanda Serrano in Ireland next year.
Joining Taylor on this year’s podium are past players and media pundits Roy Keane (+2%) and Brian O’Driscoll (+1%), while golfer Shane Lowry (+4%) and horse-racing star Rachael Blackmore (+2%) made most ground in the chasing pack for the hearts and minds of the Irish public in 2022.
John Trainor, ONSIDE CEO, outside head office on Lansdowne Road
According to John Trainor, Founder and CEO of ONSIDE: “Katie Taylor has an avid fan base of over 680,000 Irish adults that see her as their number 1 Irish sports star. Within that base, she could potentially sell out Croke Park twice over with active supporters that will want to see live, the biggest event in women’s boxing history, if staged in Ireland”.
Trainor adds: “2023 looks set to offer major platforms for Irish sports stars to connect their personal brands with businesses seeking to engage with the 3 in 4 adults that have a sports star they admire most. The Republic of Ireland women’s soccer team journey to the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia / New Zealand opens a strong pool of talent, with captain Katie McCabe currently admired most in the squad by the public. Retired rugby stars Brian O’Driscoll and Paul O’Connell, and Ireland and Leinster captain Johnny Sexton, also emerge from our latest research as strong prospects for brands seeking to align with talent around the Rugby World Cup in France.”
Outside of sport, the ONSIDE STAR TRACK 2022 also found that Ryan Tubridy retained his number 1 status as the most admired television or radio personality in Ireland, achieving his highest score in over 10 years at 18%. Meanwhile Marty Morrissey, Ray Darcy and John Creedon replaced Graham Norton, Marty Whelan and Ian Dempsey in the Top 10 most admired broadcast personalities.
U2 lead singer Bono, who has just released his autobiography ‘Surrender’, topped Dermot Kennedy and Christy Moore in the research category regarding most admired Irish music and live entertainment stars. Trainor notes that: “with the largest avid fanbase in the category of almost 370,000 Irish adults, and with 6 in 10 Irish adults in general book readers in Ireland, Bono can expect a strong base of sales for his new book in the Irish market in the run into Christmas”. Aslan front man Christy Dignam was the biggest mover in the music and live entertainment category in 2022, up 11 places to joint 5th with Hozier.
Trainor concludes: “Not only are the athletes, broadcasters and music talent on our lists familiar and distinctive in their respective fields, but their influence and willingness to speak out on social and environmental issues positions them as model ambassadors and corporate speakers for companies seeking to communicate effectively to consumer and corporate audiences in Ireland in 2023”.
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NATIONAL TEAM PARTNERS ARE MOST ADMIRED CRICKET SPONSORS IN THE UK
National team partners including Cinch, LV and IG dominate the charts of the most appealing cricket sponsors in the UK according to a survey undertaken by specialist consultancy ONSIDE.
The captivating performances of England’s men’s Test team against New Zealand and India, combined with increased exposure for the women’s national team across all formats have helped propel Cinch to the top of the list in only its second season in the sport. The sponsorship has proved to be particularly appealing to males and over 65’s. Members of this older age group identified Cinch as their most admired cricket sponsor three times more frequently than 18 to 25-year-olds.
The Hundred was launched in 2021 to help attract new audiences to cricket in England and Wales and its format and reach have encouraged new sponsors into the sport including KP Snacks, Robinsons and the Unilever brands Lifebuoy and Sure. As The Hundred gears up for its second season, these partners will be seeking to harness the competition’s reach to drive awareness, affinity and positive commercial outcomes.
A year on from the first edition, the only partner of The Hundred to feature prominently on the list of admired cricket sponsors is Vitality, a brand that is also the title sponsor of domestic Twenty20 tournaments, including the men’s Vitality Blast and Vitality Women’s County T20.
KP Snacks will be hoping that year-round on-pack marketing and front-of-shirt kit branding for all eight men’s and women’s teams pays off for its stable of brands in this second season. The Principal Partner of The Hundred, Cazoo, will also be seeking a boost. It did not feature in the top 20 most appealing cricket sponsors when the ONSIDE survey was undertaken in mid-2022.
England Cricket men’s and women’s on-field success has contributed positively to reception of national team sponsorships, according to ONSIDE’s Managing Director, UK and Middle East, Jon Long (pictured above).
“National team sponsors received significant exposure during the early part of the summer. This helps drive awareness. With both the men’s and women’s teams enjoying on-field success this also seems to have contributed positively to the way these sponsorships have been received, particularly by older consumers,” said ONSIDE Managing Director, UK and Middle East, Jon Long.
“As a one-month competition that first took place almost a year ago, it is logical that The Hundred sponsors should feature less prominently than those brands associated with the national teams. It will be interesting to see whether the second season will have a more enduring impact on the profile of these sponsorships in the UK.”
Other sponsors to receive prominent mentions in the survey included long-term partners of the ICC’s global events such as Nissan, Coca-Cola and Emirates (also a sponsor of Lancashire Cricket) and former partners of the England team, including NatWest and Waitrose. NatWest continues to resonate as a brand associated with cricket amongst older age cohorts.
Castore, which became the England team’s official kit supplier in 2021, was one of three sportswear brands to feature in the top 20 alongside Nike and Adidas. None of the central sponsors of the 2022 Tata IPL featured in the top 50 of this UK list.
There is scope for cricket sponsorships to reach a wider audience. Fewer than 1 in 2 UK adults were able to name a sponsor of cricket they admire. This is lower than both rugby (54%) and football (63%).
This exclusive cricket sponsorship research is part of ONSIDE’s Quarterly Sponsorship Review (QSR) of the UK market.
FEWER THAN HALF OF UK ADULTS CAN NAME A BRAND THAT SPONSORS WOMEN'S SPORT
While the number of brands investing in sponsorship of women’s sport is on the rise, a survey undertaken by the specialist consultancy ONSIDE has revealed only 46% of UK adults can name a sponsor of women’s sport.
Apparel giants Nike and Adidas are the leading brands associated with women’s sport sponsorship in the UK with their activity resonating most strongly with younger adults and females.
Barclays – naming rights partner of the Barclays FA Women’s Super League – is third on the list with particularly high recognition in London and the South-East. Visa (FIFA and UEFA women’s football) and Aldi (Olympics and Paralympics) round out the top five.
Awareness levels of women’s sport sponsorship are lower in the UK than in Ireland where Paralympian Ellen Keane promotes major brands, including Allianz, Toyota and Citi. (Left to right: Joe Canning, Ellen Keane, John Trainor)
“There are more sponsorship deals than ever taking place in women’s sport in the UK, but many brands are still reluctant to go ‘all in’ on their activation. This means that while industry executives and awards panels are celebrating breakthrough partnerships, these sponsorships are still struggling to capture mainstream attention,” said ONSIDE’s UK Managing Director Jon Long.
“The UEFA Women’s Euro in England this summer presents an opportunity to change that. We are expecting unprecedented exposure of the tournament in the host country and, hopefully, brands will become braver in their activation, particularly the likes of Lego, Starling Bank, Gillette and Pandora – consumer-facing brands that have invested in local sponsorship of the event.”
Another major sponsor of women’s sport, Vitality, is in the top five in England but had less cut through in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland while Lucozade performed particularly well in Wales and Northern Ireland.
Awareness of women’s sport sponsorships in the UK is 50% lower than awareness of sports sponsorships generally. Men (49%) are slightly more likely to be able to recall a sponsor of women’s sport than women (43%) and awareness of women’s sport sponsorship is highest amongst males aged 18-34 (59%).
“The UK is seen as a pioneering market for women’s sport, but sponsors can learn from experiences in other territories,” added Long.
“For example, three-quarters of Irish adults can name a women’s sport sponsor that appeals to them. That’s 50% higher than the UK and reflects both a more focused sponsorship landscape and a willingness of consumer brands such as Lidl (Ladies Gaelic Football Association) and Sky (FAI women’s football) to put women’s sport at the heart of their marketing strategies.”
This exclusive women’s sport research is part of ONSIDE’s Quarterly Sponsorship Review (QSR) of the UK market.
The next UK edition of ONSIDE QSR will be released later this month.
CAUTION CREEPS INTO SPORTS SPONSORSHIP MARKET AS POST-COVID CHALLENGES HIT HOME
The Irish sports sponsorship industry had a blazing start to the year with record deal volumes recorded but a new ONSIDE survey of sports industry executives released this week has uncovered a mix of challenges to maintaining this momentum in the second half of 2022.
The fifth wave of the ONSIDE Sports Impact Monitor of Sport for Business industry members shows a 5% decline in the levels of optimism around the sponsorship industry and a sharp 33% drop in sentiment toward the wider economy in which the sports business sector operates.
On a practical level, the ability to recruit staff is a key concern for 57% of executives while 43% are having difficulty getting the working from home and office mix right. At the same time 47% of executives are facing budget constraints and 35% are having difficulties engaging in new sponsorship opportunity discussions.
“The start of 2022 was hugely positive for sport and sponsorship with deals up 58% year-on-year and it is very difficult to sustain that rate of growth,” explained ONSIDE Chief Executive, John Trainor.
“As well as the practical factors of adjusting to the changes that have resulted from the pandemic, we are also starting to see the implications of high demand for premium properties. Our research found 4 in 10 industry stakeholders agreeing that increased demand over supply of attractive sports sponsorships is a growing issue for the industry. Over a third agree that the price of sponsorship is growing at levels that are a watch-out for the market.”
Rugby, Olympics and GAA are seen as the three strongest sports property categories in terms of their attractiveness to sponsors, narrowly ahead of soccer.
The Paralympics and golf have enjoyed the most significant positive perception change over the past six months. Golf and Rowing stood out in the data as most attractive Olympic sports for sponsors in Ireland, with 7 in 10 surveyed seeing rowing as an attractive platform to sponsor and 84% in the case of golf.
Women’s sport continues to be seen as the stand-out opportunity for new investment with two-thirds of the industry strongly agreeing that their organisation would be interested in supporting and advancing women’s sport in the next 1-2 years.
“Data from this latest ONSIDE Sports Impact Monitor shows that the momentum around women’s sport continues to grow,” said Sport for Business CEO, Rob Hartnett.
“It is also interesting to see the sports in which Ireland enjoyed Olympic success in Tokyo such as rowing, hockey and boxing maintaining high levels of commercial interest as attention turns to Paris 2024.”
Meanwhile, growth in Web3, the metaverse, cryptocurrencies and the blockchain all featured prominently in industry predictions at the start of 2022, but adoption levels in the Irish sports industry remain low.
While 23% of organisations are developing plans to introduce NFTs into their sports strategies in the next 12 months, only 9% plan to incorporate fan tokens or the metaverse and 8% some form of cryptocurrency or blockchain initiative.
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