Brands’ involvement in sports sponsorship dates back to the 19th century, and the cost of such deals has only increased. The National Football League (NFL) now charges sponsors exorbitant fees to have their advertisements shown on the stadium’s video boards and other advertising spaces. Thousands of stadium goers will see these ads, but they aren’t primarily meant for them. Those millions of viewers sitting at home are the primary focus of these commercials.
Forbes estimated that the average franchise valuation has increased by 14% over the last year to $3.48 billion, the biggest gain in five years. The NFL’s new domestic media rights deals with CBS, ESPN/ABC, Fox, NBC, and Amazon are expected to bring in over $100 billion for the league over 11 seasons starting in 2023, which will be a massive boost for the teams.
In addition to new sponsorship possibilities generated by gambling and casino companies, NFL betting, higher expenditure, and new contracts negotiated at the league level drive revenue growth in the National Football League (NFL).
Amid these sponsorships and revenue, this article looks at the most famous companies whose partnerships are helping the NFL achieve its sponsorship goals.
Nike
Nike is one of the most recognizable brands in the world. The international company has extended its league sponsorship by eight more years starting in 2019. All the clubs in the league use kits made by Nike, and each year Nike forks up $120 million for the privilege.
Athletes who have signed endorsement deals with Nike may have Nike create custom clothing for them. We’d also want to point out that the NBA and MLB have officially selected Nike as their official kit maker (MLB).
Bud Light
Throughout the 2018 NFL season, Bud Light manufactured 28 distinct team-branded cans for various clubs. The National Football League has an official beer sponsor in Anheuser-Busch, makers of Bud Light. Not many teams have local relationships with the firm, but some do get specially made beer cans with their emblem and a distinctive color stripe so that supporters can stylishly toast to their favorite team.
Bud Light devotes 34% of its overall sponsorship budget to American football, primarily supporting high-profile franchises like the New Orleans Saints, Denver Broncos, and Cleveland Browns.
Verizon
Due to the changing watching habits of the public, the National Football League (NFL) and Verizon struck a five-year pact in December 2017. Through this collaboration, Verizon’s products will be more accessible to sports fans, especially younger demographics who want to watch games on mobile devices.
Verizon wants to utilize its collaboration with the NFL to create unique content that can be sent out across its many platforms. One of these contents is predicated on augmented and virtual reality. Verizon dropped its major sponsorships with the IndyCar Series and the NBA in March, making the NFL their primary sponsor. 56% of Verizon’s sponsorship budget goes toward American football and 65% to players.
Gatorade
Hookit reports that 42% of Gatorade’s overall sponsorship money goes to the players themselves, while 22% goes toward American football. Gatorade’s partnership with the NFL helps raise brand recognition while also investing in influencer connections with different players to help those athletes achieve optimal hydration levels.
Football, in particular, has made Gatorade an essential game element. Since the beginning of their relationship in 1983, the Gatorade logo has been a common sight on the sidelines and in post game celebrations when the drink is often poured over the heads of the coaches.
Tostitos
Tostitos spends its sponsorship money on individual players, such as Dak Prescott, Matt Ryan, and Devonta Freeman, in the National Football League. It’s no secret that Tostitos is an avid NFL fan and that the company is committed to doing everything it can to enhance the tailgating and game-day experiences of fans.
Tostitos debuted their stadium couch product in anticipation of the 2018 NFL season so that fans may feel at home while watching games. The coach has USB charging ports, a refrigerator drawer, tablet holders, LED lights in team colors, a tote for Tostitos chips and a dip dish, and cup holders for beverages.
Bose Corporation
Bose is the official headset supplier for the NFL, and you can see their logo all over the field at every game. With the new replay system established before the 2021 season, Bose’s devices are transported onto the field anytime officials need to interact with the league office.
It has dramatically increased the usefulness of the Bose collaboration. According to Hookit, 41% of Bose’s overall sponsorship expenditures go toward their association with the NFL, making it their most remarkable area of investment in the sports sector.
Pepsi
Pepsi replaced Coca-Cola as the NFL’s official soft drink over twenty years ago and has kept the title since. As a result of this multi-year agreement, all Pepsi products will now include the league’s name and emblem in promotional materials. Despite Atlanta being the birthplace of Coca-Cola, the 2019 Super Bowl will be held in Los Angeles, where Pepsi has branding rights.
Final Thoughts
About 14.9 million people watched at least one NFL regular season game on television last season. Consequently, the NFL is, by far, the most-watched sports league in the United States. Hence, there’s no denying the league’s prominence among American sports leagues. As a result of its rising profile, it has secured many lucrative contracts and continues to attract more.
