How do you choose the right co-branding partner for your sports team?

Selecting the appropriate co-branding partner for a sports team requires a thoughtful approach. First and foremost, the partner should align with the team's identity. Ensuring the partner resonates with fans and shares similar values is crucial. A comprehensive evaluation of benefits and risks, including potential impact on brand perception, financial implications, and legal considerations, is essential. Thorough research into the market and competitors helps identify unique opportunities and differentiators. Effective communication and collaboration between the teams for a successful partnership. Finally, a phased approach involving testing and measurement allows for adjustments, ensuring objectives and provides mutual benefits.

This, of course, assumes you're clear on your values, goals and culture. Be certain this, along with your mission and vision, are both clear and aligned within your organization. Then you'll know you have effective filters with which to vet potential partners.

There are the partners that are the low hanging fruit here - very endemic to the category of the team or sport. Maybe that is an apparel/shoe partner or a recovery drink. BE CREATIVE! Gp beyond the low-hanging fruit and try to find partners that would be a benefit to your fans or participants, think outside the box!

The key in this aspect is appropriate sponsorship fit. Therefore, choosing the right co-branding partner for your sports team is fundamentally about aligning with common values. It's vital to partner with a brand that mirrors your team's principles, ensuring a cohesive and authentic collaboration. This shared value system strengthens the relationship with fans and enhances the team's image. For instance, the partnership between Athletic Club and Kutxabank is exemplary, rooted in their mutual commitment to promoting the Basque Country's identity. Such strategic alignment not only ensures a robust sponsorship fit but also significantly impacts both entities' standing and relevance.

Don't forget that part of a team's identity is where it is. If a partner has a long-term presence or investment in the city of your team, you've got a built-in source of value in the partnership and a good reason for them not to walk away in the future. After all, if they stop supporting you, it might feel to their customers like they've stopped supporting their town...

Alignment with audience segments that have critical mass and relative value (eg spend on goods) to a partner is important, however there are 5 other elements to consider: 1. Objectives - working towards the same goals makes for a healthy and valuable partnership. Again, these don’t all have to be identical 2. Brand - shared values are important. It doesn’t need to be absolute but shared territory is needed. 3. Culture - an alignment of how you work is invaluable, especially in times of stress. Working in partnership is a good filter 4. Geographical relevance - operating in countries you engage with, or want to, is useful 5. Budget - ensuring the partner has the money to build campaigns to amplify the relationship should be considered

This is an opportunity to lean into market insights and understand from your consumers what other brands they know and love. It's also an opportunity to introduce them to smaller, more specialized brands that they may not be aware of, but would be appealing to them. Don't hesitate to listen to the voice of the consumer when considering potential partners.

It's essential to partner with a brand that resonates with your existing and potential fan base, enabling access to new segments. It can be also very helpful in the case of expanding global reach. A perfect example is the collaboration between the Polish Football Association and InPost, a Polish logistics giant. This partnership is effective because both entities are familiar to all age groups in Poland. People of all ages use logistics services and follow the national team, making this partnership strengthen their brand presence among consumers and enhance mutual visibility. Moreover, the brand is visible when the team is playing internationally.

This is important, especially looking at up and coming brands, or those going through a rough patch. The slam dunk, obvious partners are typically going to be either more expensive or a harder sell for a reason. They still may be the right choice, but if they're not, balancing the potential for bust against what smaller, less established, or recovering brands may be willing to offer benefit-wise will be extremely important in determining which is the best fit.

The fit of co-branding, like the PSG and Jordan Brand partnership, hinges on striking a balance between brand cohesiveness and team identification. This successful collaboration blends Jordan Brand's iconic, global appeal with PSG's strong fanbase and football identity. The key is maintaining each brand's distinctiveness (Jordan's basketball heritage and PSG's football legacy) while creating a unified, appealing image that resonates with both sets of fans.

It's important to choose a partner that can distinguish your team in the competitive landscape. This involves creating a unique offering for your fans and ensuring your partnership stands out, especially if the brand is already associated with other teams or sports. A noteworthy example is Venezia FC's collaboration with Kappa. This partnership succeeded because Kappa, a renowned Italian fashion brand, granted Venezia artistic freedom, resulting in a co-branded product that blended sports with fashion. This approach not only differentiated Venezia in the football world but also expanded its reach into the fashion industry, showcasing the value of innovative and market-aware partnerships.

Choosing the right co-branding partner for a sports team is a strategic decision that hinges on alignment with the team's identity, appeal to the target audience, and an evaluation of the partnership's benefits and risks. It's crucial to pick a brand that not only shares the team's values and aspirations but also has the potential to connect with and expand the fan base. The collaboration should offer mutual advantages while mitigating potential drawbacks and should fit well within the competitive landscape, offering a unique value proposition. Effective communication and a commitment to collaborate are paramount to navigate cultural or stylistic differences and to align visions and goals.

The most important aspect to this part of the process is to go into the measurement phase in complete agreement about what you are measuring. You can come up with stats to make any program look compelling or awful. Figure out the goals before and make sure that you are all on the same page and then measure those aspects.