Six ways rights holders can make themselves more appealing to sponsors

Know the audience: Sponsors don’t buy a rights holder’s logo; they buy its audience. The more clearly they can articulate who that audience is (and why they matter) the stronger the pitch. That means investing in audience data: demographics, behaviour, interests, and purchasing habits. This can then be layered with insights from social engagement, ticketing, or CRM systems to show depth of understanding.

A sponsor-friendly summary might read: “Our followers are 65% under 35, 60% female, and highly engaged in wellness and sustainability topics. They spend 20% more than average on eco-conscious brands.” Providing a level of clarity helps potential sponsors understand how your platform aligns with their target customers.

Build a strong brand narrative: Rights holders need to remember – they are brands too. As such, they need to develop an authentic story that makes them memorable. Sponsors want to know what they stand for — their purpose, values, and tone of voice. Rights holders need to ask themselves: What’s the bigger story behind what we do? Are they empowering a community, celebrating creativity, or driving social change? A strong narrative provides emotional resonance and helps brands see how partnering with them can strengthen their own positioning.

For example, a grassroots football league that defines itself as “the home of future stars” suggests a much richer story than simply “a local sports competition”.

Develop sponsor-ready assets and packages: Rights holders need to make it easy for brands to visualise the potential partnership. A professional, well-organised sponsorship pitch deck can make a world of difference. At the same time, they need to outline their key assets, physical signage, digital channels, content opportunities, hospitality, or experiential activations, and show how they connect to the brand’s real-world marketing objectives. It’s crucial to move beyond logo placement; think about storytelling, engagement, and co-created experiences.

At the same time, flexibility is key. Offer packages but be open to tailoring opportunities around a sponsor’s needs. The easier it is to say “yes,” the faster deals get done.

Demonstrate ROI and measurement capability: Sponsorship is not about intuition — it’s about impact. Before brands invest significant sums in sponsorship, they want some assurance that their investment will drive measurable outcomes.

Rights holders need to prove that they can track and report key metrics such as reach, engagement, media value, brand sentiment, or even sales impact. If they have case studies or previous success stories, they should highlight them as evidence. For example: “Our 2024 title sponsor saw a 30% lift in brand awareness among our audience, verified through independent post-event research.”

The ability to quantify success builds trust and reinforces your professionalism.

Pitch relationships, not just deals: Sponsorships thrive on collaboration. Rights holders that focus on just closing a deal rather than building a relationship will smack of short-termism – and struggle when renewal time comes around. The ideal scenario involves partnerships that evolve when both sides work together toward shared goals.

Rights holders need to engage potential sponsors early, listen to their challenges, and identify how their platform can help solve them. After a deal is signed, it’s important to stay proactive — share insights, provide updates, and celebrate joint successes.

Some rights holders host regular sponsor forums or partner strategy sessions. These not only strengthen ties but often spark new ideas and renewals.

Showcase innovation and adaptability: Standing still is the fastest way to fall behind. Brands want partners who evolve with audience expectations and tech trends. Rights holders need to experiment with new formats, influencer collaborations, interactive digital activations, AR fan experiences, or sustainability-led initiatives. They need to show their platform is forward-thinking, creative, and ready to try new things.

Innovation doesn’t always require big budgets; it just requires imagination. Being seen as adaptable makes rights holders more future-proof in the eyes of sponsors.

Final Thought

Sponsorship success isn’t just about selling space on shirts or perimeter boards — it’s about creating shared value. When rights holders combine audience insight, authentic storytelling, and collaborative thinking, they transform themselves from sponsorship sellers into brand partners. In a world where brands want more accountability and emotional connection, the best rights holders are those who offer both.

Don’t forget, the UK Sponsorship Awards has a dedicated rights holder category which offers between 3 and 5 awards each year. Details for 2026 entry can be found here.