350+ new sponsorship deals
The National Football League (NFL) and its 32 franchises raked in over $1.47bn in sponsorship revenue during the 2019-20 season.
This represents an increase of almost 6% year-on-year, with $1.39bn generated during the previous season. Over 350 new sponsorship deals were announced during the course of the season, adding to the almost 1,500 sponsorships that were already in place.
National Football League (NFL) and its 32 franchises raked in over $1.47bn in sponsorship revenue
According to sponsorship consultancy IEG, gambling sponsorship had a lot to do with the revenue boost. It was in August 2018 that the NFL gave the green light for teams to negotiate gambling sponsors. However, these sponsors could not advertise sports betting while using the branding of the NFL or its respective sponsored team.
Strategic partnerships
The NFL has had its own deal in place with Caesars Entertainment since the beginning of 2019. It also has a sponsorship agreement with Gateways Casinos in Canada.
Encouraging growth
The 21 new deals announced during the 2019-20 season involved casinos, lotteries, online betting, and daily fantasy sports. Sponsorship spend from gambling companies on NFL sponsorship increased by 34% for the year.
Peter Laatz, global managing director at IEG, had his say on the NFL’s sponsorship revenue, stating:
The gambling, retail, technology, and wine categories are expanding through key league and team partnerships.”
Some of the other newcomers to the NFL’s sponsorship offering include the likes of meat substitute companies, cryptocurrencies, and fashion retailers.
With Super Bowl LIV taking place on February 2, estimates are that a record $6.8bn will be bet on the game in the United States, with more than 26 million Americans expected to wager on the championship game.
NFL embracing Las Vegas
In a dramatic shift, the NFL recently announced that it will be holding the upcoming NFL Draft in Las Vegas. Traditionally, the league has stayed away from any association with Las Vegas and gambling.
However, with legal sports betting proving so popular and the Oakland Raiders becoming the Las Vegas Raiders from the 2020-21 season onwards, the NFL now seems to be embracing Sin City.
The highest-profile event of the NFL offseason will be held on a stage that will be created on the famous fountain in front of the Bellagio Hotel and Casino.
