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.

REQUEST FINDINGS FROM THE ONSIDE IRISH SPONSORSHIP INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

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”.

 REQUEST FINDINGS FROM THE ONSIDE IRISH SPONSORSHIP INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

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”.

Request the ONSIDE StarTrack 2022 - Infographic now!

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.

Interested in learning more about the ONSIDE Sports Impact Monitor? Fill in the form below for the full infographic.