Archive for November, 2008

Bang for Buck in IRL

Nov 21st

Posted by admin in Motorsport

Ever wondered what kind of return you get from open wheel racing in the US? New research conducted by Joyce Julius & Associates, which measures sponsorships across all forms of media, showed that Chip Ganassi team sponsor – Target’s name or logo was monitored for more than four hours and 31 minutes during the recently completed Indy season. The value? About $16 million.

Target sponsored the cars of Scott Dixon, who won the Indianapolis 500 and the season championship, and Dan Wheldon. The company drew 166 mentions on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Classic.

Forty percent of the value, or $6.4 million, came from the 500. On average, the sponsors in the top 10 of the Indy Racing League realize 53.2 percent of their television exposure from the marquee event.

Motorola, the primary sponsor on Danica Patrick’s car, collected $6.9 million in exposure in 2008, with nearly 70 percent of its season-ending total stemming from the Indy telecast.

The rest of the top five sponsors were 7-Eleven ($4.7 million in exposure value), GoDaddy.com ($4.7 million) and McDonald’s ($4.6 million).

Primary sponsorships in the IndyCar Series range from $2.5 million to $7 million.

Three time NASCAR Championship winner Jimmy Johnson has added to his fan base

The significance of becoming just the second driver to win three consecutive Sprint Cup championships is beginning to sink in for Jimmie Johnson.

In the media rounds he has been making since wrapping up the title Sunday in Homestead, one moment stands out. It was during a visit to ESPN’s headquarters.

“I walked in and the first person I saw in the hallway was (NFL analyst) Mike Ditka,” Johnson said on a teleconference this week. “I introduced myself to him and he said, ‘I know who you are, champ. And by the way, you are a dynasty.’ That one caught me off guard.”

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Barclays Looks for Sponsorship Bargains

Nov 21st

Posted by admin in Sponsorship

An interesting article in yachtsponsorship.com today:

Barclays Plc, which backs English Premier League soccer and golf in the U.S., Europe and Asia, might consider new deals as prices decline, said Tim Peat, head of marketing and sponsorships. Britain’s second-biggest bank will also sponsor the Masters Cup men’s tennis season finale in London from 2009.

“We’ll always look at new opportunities, no question,” Peat said in an interview at the Barclays Singapore Open golf tournament last week. “There will be opportunities at a much lower price than before and that’s worthy of consideration.”

Professional sports are bracing for cutbacks amid the financial crisis, possibly ending a boom in sponsorships that reached a record $37.9 billion in 2007, according to IEG’s annual sponsorship report. The LPGA Tour yesterday dropped three events from its 2009 schedule, citing the economic decline.

“I’m sure if I go to the market now I’ll get a good deal,” Giles Morgan, head of sponsorships for HSBC Holdings Plc, said in an interview at the HSBC Champions golf tournament in Shanghai this month. “But for us it’s not about `let’s rush in and go for cheap.’ We’re not out shopping massively for sponsorships.”

The financial industry, among the most prominent paymasters in sports, is grappling with $966 billion in writedowns and losses since the start of 2007. More than 150,000 banking jobs have gone in the same period.

The benefit of involvement in sports events grows during uncertain times as clients seek reassurance, sponsors said. Three hundred and fifty people attended Barclays’ Asia forum in Singapore during the $5 million golf tournament, an increase of 130 from last year. The bank had feared clients would stay at their desks amid turmoil in the markets, Peat said.

“We’re trying to build a business and grow particularly in tough times,” Morgan said at the $5 million HSBC Champions tournament. “If this is a profligate waste of money, it won’t happen. And face time with customers is more important now than it’s ever been.”

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