Report: NFL exceeds $2bn in sponsorship revenue
January 11, 2023
SponsorUnited has released the sponsorship revenue across the NFL for the 2022-2023 regular season. Reaching an all-time high across both digital and physical assets, SponsorUnited estimates the total sponsorship revenue across all 32 individual teams is $2.05 billion (€1.91bn) – and $2.7 billion when combined with sponsorships for the league as a whole.
This season’s sponsorship revenue greatly surpasses the 2021-2022 season, which was $1.8 billion across NFL teams. Key attributions to the growth include the Apple Music Halftime Show, continued globalisation efforts – the NFL now allows teams to sell intellectual property rights overseas – and adding crypto companies like Socios and Blockchain.com to the sponsorship portfolio.
The top 5 NFL teams with the highest number of sponsorship deals:
- Jacksonville Jaguars – 170+
- Dallas Cowboys – 140+
- Buffalo Bills – 135+
- Indianapolis Colts – 125
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 120+
The top 5 NFL athletes with the highest number of sponsorship deals include:
- Russell Wilson
- Austin Ekeler
- Juju Smith-Schuster
- AJ Dillon
- Tyler Lockett
The top 5 categories with the most number of sponsorship deals include:
- Alcohol
- Tech
- Media
- Food Products
- Auto
The Alcohol category expanded its investments through a new, revised deal with AB InBev. The beverage company, Diageo, led the NFL’s spirits category and the rapidly growing ready-to-drink cocktail category. Media, a new category this year according to SponsorUnited’s ProTool, quickly became one of the most popular in terms of deal volume. Additional new categories emerging this year include Finance (Credit Card Solutions) and Hotels/Restaurants.
“The NFL continues to impress with not only the amount of sponsorship revenue, but the diversification of industries leveraging those partnerships,” said Bob Lynch, Founder and CEO of SponsorUnited. “As teams have expanded their content and marketing platforms both within and outside of the team, it’s allowed them to expand the number of sponsors they can deliver unique and creative solutions to. Athlete partnerships have also opened the door to more brands seeking viable ways to reach the NFL fan and activate in more dynamic ways.”