We’re kicking off a brand-new blog series where we shine a light on specific areas within the sports industry. There’s a huge variety of roles in sport and while general advice is always helpful, each sub-sector really deserves its own moment in the spotlight.

Today, we’re going to shine a light on one of the most glamorous industries within sport: sponsorship.

What is sponsorship?

At its most basic, sponsorship is when a brand gives money, services or support to a team, event or athlete, and in return, gets the right to be associated with them.

That could mean anything from their logo on a shirt, to access to players, content rights, or even exclusive experiences for clients and fans.

Of course, it’s a bit more complex than that in practice, but the heart of it is a commercial partnership that works for both sides.

A Quick History of Sponsorship

While people have supported sporting events for centuries, with examples going all the way back to Ancient Rome, modern sponsorship as we know it really took shape in the 1980s.

Some key moments along the way:

• In 1928, Coca-Cola got involved with the Olympics, marking one of the first big commercial sports sponsorships
• In the 1960s and 70s, tobacco brands started sponsoring sports like Formula 1 to get around advertising restrictions
• In 1982, the Football League Cup became the Milk Cup when the National Dairy Council stepped in as sponsor, one of the first major UK examples and a real turning point

Since then, sponsorship has exploded. Costs of traditional advertising rose, live sport reached global audiences, and brands started to realise the power of emotional connection with fans. Sponsorship became a way to tap into passion points and build meaningful brand stories.

Roles

There are so many different roles in the industry and the number of them are constantly expanding.

Some of the key ones include:

• Partnership Manager – Manages the relationship between sponsor and rightsholder, ensuring value on both sides.
• Activation Manager – Brings the deal to life through events, content and campaigns.
• Insight Manager – Tracks performance and proves return on investment.
• Sponsorship Sales – Focused on securing new partners, mostly on the rightsholder side.

Other Common Roles

• Agencies – Work across sales, strategy and activation for multiple clients.
• Measurement Firms – Provide independent data and reporting (e.g. Nielsen, YouGov).
• Creative & Content Teams – Produce visuals, videos and storytelling assets.
• Legal & Contracts – Handle rights, usage and deal terms.
• Events & Hospitality – Deliver fan and client experiences.
• CRM & Data – Power personalisation and email campaigns.

Pros and Cons of Working in Sponsorship

Pros:

The benefits of working in sponsorship, especially if you love sport, are almost endless. You’ll often have a front-row seat at some of the biggest sporting events, and you’ll be surrounded by like-minded people who share your passion. That old adage about finding something you love and never working a day in your life? It rings true here.

Cons:

While top-level sponsorship roles offer competitive financial rewards, this isn’t always the case at the entry level, where salaries can be driven down by supply and demand. Additionally, sponsorship often requires working evenings, weekends, and non-traditional hours, as sporting events and other sponsorship activities typically take place outside of the 9-to-5 workday. However, if you love sports, you might not mind being there anyway!

Skillsets Needed

To truly succeed in sponsorship, you’ll need to think like a polymath. The good news is that many of the skills required aren’t highly technical and can be picked up on the job. Soft skills such as client relations, sales, and change management are essential for working in sponsorship. Cultivating these abilities comes with practice and learning from experienced professionals in the industry.

In recent years, sponsorship has become more rigorous, with a greater emphasis on technical skills. Understanding statistical modelling, econometrics, data analysis, and data visualization has become increasingly important. Combining these with strong interpersonal skills creates a profile that is well-suited to the modern landscape and stands out to employers.

How to Stand Out

Employers at entry level aren’t just looking for polished CVs. What makes a difference is enthusiasm, a willingness to learn, and real experience. Gaining that experience isn’t always easy, especially with larger organisations, which is why smaller or niche opportunities can be so valuable.

My first step into the industry came through a role writing for a small blog called Fresh Arsenal. It wasn’t glamorous, but it gave me something tangible to talk about during my interview for a sandwich year placement at GlobalData. That experience helped me secure the role.

Volunteering, side projects or internships show you’re proactive and committed, and that’s exactly what employers are looking for.

Key Resources

Historically, there have been very few formal qualifications in the world of sponsorship, but the European Sponsorship Association (ESA) has stepped in to change that. They now offer some key qualifications:

ESA Sponsorship Sales Certificate

This course is geared towards individuals already working in the industry who are looking to advance their skills. Sponsorship sales can be very lucrative and a prerequisite at the upper echelons of the industry. This course draws upon industry experts who have years of experience in this space.

ESA Diploma

I can personally vouch for this course. I felt that I had a good baseline knowledge of the industry, but I was soon humbled. It forces you to re-evaluate everything you know under the tutelage of the industry expert Peter Raymond. I cannot recommend this one enough particularly if you are at the start of your sponsorship career.