The Most Famous Sponsorships in Sports

The Most Famous Sponsorships in Sports

Sponsorships today are a cornerstone of competitive sports, shaping both the financial and the aesthetic side of it, as well as the culture surrounding various athletic disciplines.

Sometimes these partnerships have influenced everything from team colors to equipment design, from basketball to soccer, Formula 1 to UFC, and a wide range of disciplines and activities.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the most recognizable sponsorships in sports history and what happened to them.

Michael Jordan and Nike

Perhaps the most iconic of sponsorships began in 1984 when Nike signed then-rookie Michael Jordan.

Originally, a five-year deal for $2.5 million, set the ground for what was to become known as the Air Jordan brand, a whole revolution for sports marketing and sneaker culture.

He flaunted his trademark shoes repeatedly, contrary to the NBA rules in respect of color, and Nike gladly paid for the fines levied on him knowing the true potential.

Today, Air Jordans are a cultural phenomenon raking in billions of dollars and extremely influential to both basketball and street styling with alternate colorways and designs.

The Las Vegas Raiders Allegiant Sponsorship

In this less common case of casino sponsorship, the Las Vegas Raiders partnered with Allegiant Air, an airline with ties to many casinos in Vegas, upon the franchise’s relocation to Nevada in 2020.

This partnership would include everything from branding team uniforms to having its logo emblazoned across a host of promotional materials, both ways round. This signified a growing trend of sports teams collaborating with local businesses on deeper community outreach and engagement while having team branding influenced by colors associated with Las Vegas nightlife.

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Adidas and Manchester United

By no means a stranger to sports deals, Adidas signed a record 10-year sponsorship deal with Manchester United in 2015, worth an estimated $1.3 billion. 

This deal emerged as the largest kit sponsorship in sports history back when it was established.

The partnership further extended to team rebranding where Adidas re-designed their jerseys into more lively colors and fashionable designs that attracted an international appeal. 

The deal has helped Adidas strengthen its positioning in soccer whereas Manchester United turned more of an international brand.

Coca-Cola and the Olympics

The association of the Olympic Games with Coca-Cola is considered one of the oldest sponsorships up to date, having started as far back as 1928.

From a very low-key involvement to a multi-million dollar partnership, it has grown over the decades. Just like with the New Year, Iconic red and white colors are associated with this brand and hence with Olympic branding, which is reflected in merchandise design and promotional material worldwide. 

During the Games, Coca-Cola indulges in heavy marketing to make its products visible through advertisements touching the hearts of global audiences.

Tiger Woods and Nike

Tiger Woods has been a brand name in golf since 1996 when he signed a record-breaking endorsement deal with Nike, valued at $40 million, at the time, the highest ever paid to any athlete, and especially in golf.

This deal popularized Woods and also made golf introduce itself to a new generation. Nike developed special equipment and apparel for Woods to perform well in, most of which were flashy to match his on-course personality. 

With time, his involvement with Nike redefined the meaning of golf and performance wear in a reachable style.

Etihad Airways and Manchester City

In 2011, Manchester City inked an unprecedented £400 million ten-year sponsorship with Etihad Airways, bringing in much-needed finances for new facilities, and revitalizing Manchester City’s branding process.

The team’s kit designs had to be redesigned to include the company’s logo, Etihad, with a modern touch to make it look more contemporary in the international arena. 

This deal has thus far proved vital in increasing Manchester City’s global visibility.

Ferrari and Marlboro

Perhaps one of the longest-running sponsorships in the history of Formula 1, Ferrari and Marlboro joined hands in 1984.

The name Marlboro became identified with Ferrari as they went all out to brand their cars with striking red and white. 

This deal changed not only the face of Ferrari but also the way fans look at Formula 1 racing. The bold mix of Ferrari Red with the iconic Marlboro logo wowed the world, used both on cars themselves as well as the merch worn by the drivers by the likes of Michael Schumacher. 

Even after tobacco advertising was banned in F1 due to the health risks involved, Marlboro continued its association through branding like “Mission Winnow,” showing how deeply intertwined this sponsorship became with Ferrari’s legacy until its conclusion in 2022.

UFC and Reebok

In 2015, the UFC struck a major sponsorship deal with Reebok that made fighter uniforms uniform for all events. 

Although some fighters griped about the deal as it related to compensation, it most certainly changed the aesthetic of MMA events, displacing the ragtag of sponsor-slathered fight shorts with slick, branded fight gear that uplifted the identities of fighters and positioned Reebok as a leader in combat sports apparel.

Sponsorship branding provides much more than just plain money, it shapes team identity and fan experiences, and even cultural trends in the sports. 

From Michael Jordan redefining sneaker culture to Coca-Cola always being at the Olympics, it’s needless to say, all these have left their erasable stamp on the sports world.

With new and contemporary brands continuing to align with athletes and teams, it will be interesting to see how sponsorship continues to evolve regarding both styling and general culture around it.