Sponsorship Insight and News Sources
Whether you’re a student, new to sponsorship, or an experienced sponsorship professional, finding the best sources of sponsorship news and insight is not always easy.
Here we highlight some professionals and news providers in the industry who we feel really stand out in terms of the quality of the content they share – whether it be on Twitter, through a blog, or through another medium. Of course, we left our own Twitter account (@DesperadoMKTG) and blog off the list below… however, we are considered a “Sponsorship Thought Leader” by those in the know <wink>.
Twitter Accounts
@cannonjw – A sponsorship professional on the brand side (UPS), JW provides many opinions on the latest sponsorship news in addition to sharing unique news from the worlds of sponsorship, marketing and social media. He is also the co-founder of a weekly sports business chat that adds tremendous value to the online education and collaboration of the sponsorship community.
@SBJSBD – SportsBusiness Journal/Daily’s official twitter account provides breaking news, as well as links to great content on their websites.
@SponsorPark – Sponsor Park is an online sponsorship marketplace, connecting properties and sponsors. On Twitter, they do a great job of sharing the latest in sponsorship news on a daily basis.
@SponsorPitch – Another online sponsorship community and marketplace, Sponsor Pitch’s official Twitter account also shares the latest sponsorship news with its followers.
@BrianGainor – Brian is a sponsorship professional at GMR Marketing, and the founder of the “Partnership Activation” website and monthly newsletter. On Twitter, he shares great examples of how brands activate their sponsorships onsite, in trade channels, and through media.
@david_schwab – David works for Octagon in their “First Call” celebrity acquisition and engagement division. He is a specialist in athlete and celebrity endorsement deals, as well as sponsorship rights in general.
@synergytim – Tim Crowe is the CEO of UK-based sponsorship consulting firm, Synergy. His insights and opinions are those of a seasoned industry veteran, and his experience in the UK and Europe provides a great international flavour.
Blogs
Kim Skildum Reid’s Corporate Sponsorship Blog – An experienced sponsorship professional provides her advice on effective sponsorship portfolio management practices. Kim provides insightful lists of sponsorship do’s and don’ts, and has confident fact-based opinions on sponsorship negotiation, activation, and strategy.
SportsBiz with Darren Rovell – The sports business industry’s top news breaker, Rovell gets the inside scoop and interview access to key sponsorship decision makers. While not all of his blog posts focus on sponsorship, those that do are rarely a disappointment.
Other Online Information Sources
Partnership Activation – Blog & Monthly Newsletter – An up-to-date database of best practices in sponsorship activation from across the globe. An excellent resource to aid in ideation or other research initiatives.
IEG Sponsorship News – Provides updates on major sponsorship deals and related details.
Premium Information Sources – Subscription Required
Sports Business Journal, Sports Business Daily – Tremendous insight regarding sport sponsorship negotiations, strategy, and deal assets/figures. SBJ/SBD often provides reports containing very rare and exclusive information such as sports sponsorship spending dollar amounts and deal specifics.
IEG Sponsorship Report – Features some of the best insight and research reports on the sponsorship landscape. From overall sponsorship spending trends to sponsorship measurement and activation budgets, IEG’s reports provide unparalleled industry insight.
Journal of Sponsorship – Focuses more on sponsorship theories, case studies, and consumer behaviour research. Research papers, written by industry professionals and academics, explain the marketing impact of specific sponsorships and key take-aways from each situation.
