Sports sponsorships are almost as old as the competitions themselves, with the earliest examples of brand deals dating back to the late 1800s. Some of the first major partnerships included Slazenger becoming the official tennis ball supplier of Wimbledon in 1902, and Oxo handing out branded drinks to marathon runners at the London Olympics in 1908.
Over the years, there have been some monumental sports sponsorship activations that have completely transformed the way people see players, teams, and competitions. We’ve analyzed a few of the greatest and have come up with this definitive list for you.
Nike x Michael Jordan
The Nike and Michael Jordan deal has to go down as one of the greatest brand sponsorships of all time, and is one of the first that springs to mind when you think of crossovers between businesses and sports. The legendary sports brand became the global behemoth it is today thanks to signing this endorsement with Jordan in 1984, offering the rookie basketball player $500,000 for a five-year contract.
At the time, Nike was struggling, and the company took a gamble on the promising Jordan. Giving him his own sneaker line was unprecedented, but it turned out to be one of the greatest marketing moves of all time. The Air Jordan was released in 1985, and was initially met with controversy. Instead of buckling, the company leveraged this attention with its famous Banned commercial. Since then, there have been countless deals between players and brands, with sports companies realizing the power of having huge household names backing their produces.
Red Bull x Extreme Sports
Part of the reason for Red Bull’s monumental success and world domination has been down to its sponsorships of extreme sports. The energy drink company has become synonymous with high-octane action, and has even created its own sporting events and athletes to help promote its products. Red Bull events don’t just feature the brand name on shirts and billboards; they have the brand’s identity permeating every aspect of them.
Since its inception in 1987, Red Bull has created countless extreme sport events to generate awareness and flip traditional marketing models. One of the most famous of these was the Red Bull Stratos in 2012, which was a record-breaking space jump by Felix Baumgartner. He skydived from 128,100 feet and broke the sound barrier. The Red Bull franchise has also spread across countless teams around the world in top sports such as soccer and Formula 1. Instead of just appearing on a jersey, Red Bull is usually used as part of the team’s official name.
PlayStar x New Jersey Devils
The PlayStar and New Jersey Devils deal is the most recent one in this list, but could go down in history among these other sponsorships in the future. The online casino is one of the top up-and-coming sites in the USA, renowned for the attractive welcome bonus and wide selection of games. Now, though, it is beginning to make its mark and raise awareness among a greater audience.
Partnering with the New Jersey Devils is a massive step forward in achieving that aim. PlayStar is a New Jersey-based company, so it makes sense to support a team in the state. People who watch the New Jersey Devils in the NFL can get enhanced experiences thanks to PlayStar, such as VIP match packages and post-game photos on the ice. PlayStar will get a lot of visibility through this partnership, and it could lead to other online casinos in the country opting to do something similar.
Coca-Cola x Olympics
Coca-Cola became one of the planet’s biggest companies thanks to clever marketing, and a lot of this came through its shrewd sponsorship deals. The Coca-Cola partnership with the Olympics is the longest continuous deal of its kind in this history of the competition, beginning in 1928 and running to this day.
Along with having its name plastered across everything in sight during the summer and winter editions of the games, Coca-Cola has used the Olympics as an opportunity to roll out some of its most memorable marketing campaigns. One of the most recent of these was Real Magic for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. This involved the use of virtual experiences to help fans connect with one another.
Pepsi x NFL Super Bowl Halftime Show
You may have noticed that the most recent NFL Superbowl halftime shows have been sponsored by Apple Music, with the tech company buying the rights to the epic event in 2022. However, it was Pepsi that became the first major brand to sponsor the show more than a decade ago, turning it into the incredible spectacle it is today.
The soft drink company activated the sponsorship in 2012, and it ran for a decade until 2022. When the company took over, the Superbowl halftime show was already a high-profile entertainment segment. However, Pepsi transformed it into something so much more, elevating it to a global cultural event almost as important as the sporting action itself.
During Pepsi’s sponsorship, Superbowl viewers have witnessed some of the greatest performances in music history. These include the likes of Beyoncé in 2013, Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2014, and Lady Gaga in 2017. Along with the shows on the day of the match, Pepsi also turned it into a months-long marketing campaign with behind-the-scenes content, helping to fuel anticipation for the big day.
Sports Branding Deals Are Here to Stay
Sports sponsorships have helped athletes and sports thrive, and major brands have become completely interlinked with certain competitions. Sometimes, sports have helped to make brands what they are today. Other times, businesses have led sports to boom. Now, the two go hand in hand, and exist in perfect harmony. There are likely to be many other amazing deals like these in the future.
