SponsorUnited, the leading global sports and entertainment intelligence platform tracking over 1.6 million sponsorships and endorsements for 340,000 brands, today released its NFL Marketing Partnerships 2023 Report highlighting continued growth, top trends, and new sponsorship formats for the league this year.
Key findings include:
Team Sponsorship Revenue Continues to Surge
SponsorUnited's data shows team sponsorship revenue increased by 15%, from $2.05 billion last season to $2.35 billion this season. Leading the charge for this growth were the Ticketing, Gaming, Auto, and Healthcare categories, which collectively comprise more than half the sponsorship growth of the top 10 brand categories. The combined NFL spending of the top 10 categories surpassed the total sponsorship revenues of the MLB, NHL, MLS, and NBA respectively.
"This NFL season was a landmark one in commercial success, with team sponsorship revenues climbing 15% to $2.35 billion, fueled by key sector growth in the Ticketing, Gaming, Auto, and Healthcare industries," said Bob Lynch, founder and CEO of SponsorUnited. "And while the Dallas Cowboys continued their 15+ year run in leading overall team sponsorship revenues, the largest year-over-year percentage growth came from the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, and Denver Broncos. Additionally, the four playoff teams collectively generated over a quarter billion dollars in sponsorship revenue, highlighting the immense commercial potential of NFL success. These figures reflect not just the financial health of the league, but the strategic prowess of these teams in capitalizing on their off-field success."
Travis Kelce and Isaac Rochell are anomalies when it comes to brand endorsements for professional athletes. Having 25 or more brand deals (Kelce: 25, Rochell: 27), both have climbed to the top in a different way—Kelce with two Super Bowl wins thanks to his on-field performance, and Rochell with his off-field TikTok prominence, typically featuring his influencer spouse. While Kelce has had a robust endorsement profile over the last few years, Rochell nearly tripled his portfolio from 10 deals last year. Both athletes exemplify the power of leveraging one's personal brand both on and off the field to forge new business opportunities.
League Partners Also Lead in Number of Athlete Endorsements
When it comes to brands with the most endorsement deals in the NFL, the leaderboard belongs to those who also have a league deal, with Nike at the top (36 deals endorsement deals). EA's Madden Series, with a nearly two-decade exclusive league partnership, has 31 player deals. Verizon follows with 30 endorsements, and Procter & Gamble's Bounty has 26. Notably, Call of Duty, despite lacking a league partnership, secures fifth place with 20 individual endorsements.
Energy Drinks Propel Sponsorship Growth Year-Over-Year (YoY)
As more industry categories tap into NFL sponsorships, the Energy Drinks subcategory blazes the trail with a booming 400% increase in deals YoY. Other sectors that have experienced significant deal growth YoY include the Armed Forces subcategory at 333%, the Government category—due to Tourism Board activations—at 57%, the Apparel & Accessory category—indicating increased interest in fashion-forward collaborations—at 48%.
Cowboys Top Team by Sponsorship Revenue, Jaguars Top team by Deals
The Dallas Cowboys clinched the top spot in total team sponsorship revenue, reflecting their status as "America's Team" and a national brand. Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, and Denver Broncos are the top teams by sponsorship revenue growth rates. For a seventh straight year, the Jacksonville Jaguars—despite having the smallest social following among NFL teams—lead the league in sponsorship deals as they approach 200.
Access the full report here.
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