The NFL is an absolute juggernaut on TV, boasting 93 of the most-watched broadcasts of 2023 and posting record numbers during this month’s playoffs. It is not just viewers who are fixated on the world’s richest sports league, but companies as well.
The NFL’s 32 teams generated an estimated $2.35 billion in sponsorship revenue this season, according to a new report from sponsor tracking platform SponsorUnited. The total is up 15% over the prior year and more than 50% ahead of the NBA and MLB.
Ticketing sponsorship revenue exploded last year, up 95%. The league’s Ticketmaster renewal had ramifications that trickled down to the individual teams, according to SponsorUnited CEO Bob Lynch; money the league receives is not part of these totals. SeatGeek has also pushed hard into the NFL with a half dozen team deals, including the Dallas Cowboys. Those ticketing agreements are now worth a combined $253 million annually and represent the biggest category of sponsors ahead of financial ($225 million), alcohol ($180 million), healthcare ($160 million) and technology ($120 million).
“One of the interesting components of ticketing is the data that you have on fans and consumers that is uniquely valuable,” Lynch said in a video interview. “The teams and the league are realizing they can be much savvier with how they bring value to the ticketing industry because of this data.”
SponsorUnited found that Bud Light had the most in-venue sponsorship deals, followed by Ticketmaster, Verizon, Pepsi and Miller Lite. Verizon also shows up as the top brand advertising during NFL games, followed by DraftKings, Geico, Allstate and State Farm.
On the team side, the Cowboys have the highest sponsorship revenue for at least the last 15 years, but the biggest increases were for the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos. The Jacksonville Jaguars had the most sponsorship deals for the seventh straight year, despite having the smallest social media following of any team.
The NFL remains well ahead of its fellow major U.S. sports leagues for team sponsorship revenue, per SponsorUnited. MLB ($1.5 billion), NBA ($1.4 billion) and NHL ($1.2 billion) are tightly bunched, while MLS is at $587 million.
Lynch says the total number of followers on social media platforms for players surpassed the team total last year for the first time. “The players have become incubators with their content,” Lynch said. “They are developing content around brand partnerships, and it is attracting more brands into the ecosystem.”
The top five athletes for brand partnerships include four huge NFL stars in Travis Kelce, Micah Parsons, Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. They are joined by defensive end Isaac Rochell, who was released by the Las Vegas Raiders in November but has racked up brand partners alongside his wife, social media influencer Allison Kuch.
