Corporate Objectives in Sports Sponsorship

This article considers corporate objectives in sports sponsorship. The important question is to determine why companies sponsor sport when there are other promotion techniques available to them. Reasons for sponsoring sport in the first place are discussed, as well as broad corporate objectives in becoming involved in sponsorships. This study involved a sample of 45 sponsors who received media exposure in South Africa between November 1984 and March 1985. Results show that the most important reasons for sponsoring sport include potential TV coverage, promoting the corporate image and the potential of spectators as customers. Anonymous sponsorship, even philanthropic, is rare.