The integration of sponsorship into corporate marketing plans: an examination of one collegiate athletic program's sponsors

Abstract

Sport sponsorships are an integration of advertising and public relations that make up an exchange relationship between a business or corporation and sporting entity. A variety of research studies have investigated various aspects of the reasons surrounding sponsorship investment, consumer views of sponsorship and sponsor involvement with national and international event. Little investigation has taken part on a lesser level, looking at the abundance of small to mid-size sponsors who, together, may have a greater impact on sport sponsorship than their larger counterparts.

This study investigates the motivations, methods of evaluation, instances of leveraging and activation and overall satisfaction of sponsors that support a collegiate athletic program at a university in the southwestern United States. One unique aspect of this research is the effort to combine information from in-depth interviews with the quantitative analysis of a questionnaire. Additionally, the breadth of the types of businesses that comprise the population of this study allow for an unusual look into the sponsorship decisions made at a variety of levels.

Findings suggest that similarities exist between companies of all sizes when it comes to sport sponsorship. Motivations are the same for locally operated companies as they are for national and international companies. Most businesses expect to receive similar benefits for their investments and few expect to make changes in the future. As marketing and advertising communication continues to become more complicated and expensive, sponsorship remains a way to connect with consumers in a positive manner in situations that induce support for a participating brand or company.