February marked a high-flying month for the sponsorship industry, as deep-pocketed brands capitalized on Super Bowl LVII’s 113M viewership. Of the 30 most searched brands on the SponsorUnited platform, 30% of them had a Super Bowl commercial. In addition, some very big deals made headlines including the six-year extension of MLS’s league-wide kit supplier partnership with adidas, worth a reported $830M.

After making its Super Bowl debut with a commercial encouraging consumers to “shop like a billionaire,” new online superstore Temu ranked #1 in our February rankings. The Boston-based startup then surpassed Amazon and Walmart to become the most downloaded shopping app in the U.S. one week ago–not bad for a month’s work.

In the 6th spot is Jersey Mike’s, which on February 2nd announced a multiyear US partnership that names the sub shop the “Official Sub Sandwich of the NHL”–the chain’s first partnership with a professional sports league. Besides other exclusive marketing rights, Jersey Mike's will receive broadcast exposure through Digitally Enhanced Dasherboards–the NHL’s advanced approach to dynamic dasherboard advertising–during the regular season and the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

American personal finance company, NerdWallet, lands at #7, after signing its first-ever MLS partnership last week with the Philadelphia Union, just three days before the season’s start.

Prime Hydration–a sports drink founded by Youtubers Logan Paul and KSI–follows at #8. On January 31st, the beverage brand announced a global marketing partnership designating Prime as the “Official Global Sports Drink of UFC.” The deal encompasses a wide range of activations into key UFC assets, including every UFC Pay-Per-View and Fight Night, highlighted by broadcast features and never-before-seen branding inside the world-famous Octagon.

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Feb Rankings[/caption]

With 2023 already off to a fast start as February kicks off, let’s take a look at the most searched brands by sponsorship executives on the SponsorUnited platform last month.

Peraton–a national Security and IT Services provider and sponsor of the Military Bowl since 2021—made its list debut at #1. In early January, the company was again selected by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) to provide background investigation field work services for the federal government–bringing nearly two decades of experience as the incumbent to the job. The contract is worth up to $2.25B over five years.

7th on the list is BuzzRx, which announced a multi-year partnership with the Phoenix Suns at the beginning of January–making it the first prescription savings company to sponsor an NBA team. BuzzRx had previously partnered with the Phoenix Suns Charities, which resulted in a $150K donation to nonprofits in the Phoenix metro area.

At #8, Dunkin’ was named the first-ever title sponsor of TD Garden's annual college ice hockey tournament, The Dunkin’ Beanpot. The multi-year sponsorship will see the company included in all Beanpot promotions, and builds on the strong partnership between Dunkin’, TD Garden, and regional broadcaster NESN. Dunkin’ also recently signed Hollywood star Ben Affleck to a multimillion-dollar deal that includes both a donation to his nonprofit and reportedly a Super Bowl ad directed by Affleck.

Energy drink brand Celsius lands at 15th on the list, after the company inked a deal last month with Spire Motorsports to become primary sponsor of Corey LaJoie’s No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at the Daytona 500. Celsius also announced that Logan Misuraca will be driving the No. 63 Spraker/PCW Racing CELSIUS Essential Energy Chevrolet in the 2023 ARCA Menards Series.

As we head into the holidays and the final month of 2022, here are the 30 brands most searched by sponsorship executives on the SponsorUnited platform in November.

Alcoholic beverage brand Beatbox Beverages debuted in the #1 spot with its first appearance on the coveted list this year, hot on the heels of the company’s October announcement that it raised $15M to support its national retail expansion. With over 40 sponsorship or media deals in 2022–including becoming the Official Punch of the Alabama Crimson Tide in September– the beverage company more than doubled its 2021 total of less than 20 deals, 93% of which were with music festivals.

MoneyLion also made the list for the first time this year, landing at #3. Last month was a big one for the fintech brand, which became the Official Money App and Jersey Patch Partner of NBA G League Ignite on November 3rd. MoneyLion also announced its first eight-member class of NIL partner athletes last month, which includes high-profile athletes across multiple sports, like UConn guard Azzi Fudd and USC wide receiver Brenden Rice. 70% of the brand’s partnerships are with athletes.

The Killer Brownie Company, November’s #4 most searched brand, entered the sponsorship space for the first time last month by announcing a partnership with the Cincinnati Bengals. The multi-year agreement makes the brand the Official Brownie of the team.

As we head into the home stretch of 2022, here are the 30 brands most searched by sponsorship executives on the SponsorUnited platform during October.

OOFOS, the recovery footwear leader, September’s 2nd most searched brand, tops this month's list. It’s been a busy few months for the company: OOFOS inked a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders and Derek Carr in October, hot on the heels of partnering with Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman in September.

Both deals underscore OOFOS’ commitment to community and public service, as demonstrated by the discount it offers to medical professionals, military personnel, and educators via a partnership with online identity network company, ID.me.

In September, Derek Carr teamed up with OOFOS to gift 6,000 pairs of shoes to staff at Valley Children’s Hospital in central CA near where Carr grew up. Last month, the brand announced an alliance with radio station 98.5 The Sports Hub and Swayman to raise funds for breast cancer awareness, research, and patient care through the entire NHL season. “The "Kick Saves for Cancer" campaign, which kicked off on the October 15 home opener, donates $10 for every save Swayman or any Boston goalie makes this season, up to $25,000.

OOFOS also donates 2% for every pair sold on OOFOS.com to the Jimmy Fund at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston for patient care and cancer research.

Toyota

The Japanese automobile giant takes the 2nd spot on the October list with over 550 sponsorship deals, including sub-brands like Lexus. Lately, the brand has been shifting its marketing strategy from traditional vehicle-focused advertising to a broader storytelling narrative.

In early October, Toyota Spain announced the renewal of its sponsorship deal with the Liga ACB, Spain’s professional basketball league, after a successful first year.

Intuit

Intuit climbed 6 spots from last month to #3 for October. The American business software company and its sub-brands including TurboTax and QuickBooks have over 40 endorsement deals.

The company announced a 23-year partnership with the Los Angeles Clippers in September 2021, giving the brand the exclusive naming rights to the Intuit Dome, slated to open in 2024 in Inglewood, CA. Its reported $500 million price tag made it the most expensive arena naming rights deal in NBA history.

The following brands comprised the rest of the top 30:

TwitchCon 2022, a weekend of games, activations, meet & greets and more, held at San Diego Convention Center has come to an end. Check out some of the activations seen throughout the event:

Presenting Sponsors included:

• Capital One

• Gonna Need Milk

• Prime Video

• Legion

• Intel

• Wendy's

As we charge full-force into fall, here are the top 30 most searched brands by sponsorship executives on the SponsorUnited platform during the month of September.

Thanks to a high-profile deal with the New England Patriots and New England Revolution, eco-friendly hand sanitizer maker Shimmy debuted at #1 on the list, after becoming the official hand sanitizer of both teams and Gillette Stadium.

While the partnership was announced in August, the brand has seen multiple assets with the Revolution this season, including ads on the videoboard, sponsored email content, and entertainment-related content showing fans doing the “Shimmy dance” at games. The “Shimmy Cam” has also captured Patriot fans cheering on their favorite team at the stadium in past weeks.

Another list newcomer, OOFOS, landed in the #2 spot thanks to a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders–its first sponsorship with a pro sports team in the US–that named it the team’s Official Recovery Footwear. Raiders quarterback Derek Carr also signed a multi-year partnership with the brand, highlighting how the shoes directly impact his success on the field. OOFOS currently has 11 sponsorship deals, primarily within the endurance and action sports industries.

Global tax services and software provider, Ryan LLC, made its first appearance at #3. In mid-September, ​​Dallas-based Ryan announced its inaugural MLB sponsorship, a multi-year partnership with the New York Yankees. The deal gives the brand several hospitality assets for entertaining during games, with the goal of growing its business and brand recognition in the New York metro area.

Watch maker INVICTA, another newbie to the list ranked #4. The brand has inked multiple deals during the last two months, including a licensing deal with the NHL for the rights to create a special collection honoring hockey. The collection will include all 32 NHL teams and will be available for purchase this season, which kicks off next week. Another partnership announced in August named INVICTA Official Timekeeper of the Las Vegas Raiders and Allegiant Stadium, where activations include displays on the game clock, billboards, and pop-up stores during the team’s home games.

The following brands rounded out the top 10:

• Turo

• Truff Hot Sauce

• Apple

• Kellogg's

• Intuit

• Coca-Cola

Beer–an understandably massive sponsorship category, given its popularity–has nearly 900 brands buying sponsorships and media across the sports and entertainment industries.

Three of the top brewers in the game–Anheuser-Busch InBev, Molson Coors Brewing Company, and Constellation Brands–dominate the partnership landscape with their marquee brands.

Bud Light leads the pack with more than 400 sponsorship deals–over 100 more than sister brand Budweiser in second place. Michelob Ultra’s third-place position gives parent AB InBev, the world’s largest beer company, the top three spots.

In social media, Bud Light also rules the roost with over 8M total followers (FB, TW, IG, TT). The Washington Capitals, one of its longtime partners, tagged the brand in more than 170 posts last season.

With over 200 deals, Coors Light is another sponsorship and social media powerhouse, with just north of 3M total followers. More than 10% of the beer’s total branded posts are with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, an AHL team that tagged Coors Light in 288 posts during their season. Twitter is the brand’s most utilized channel, and 29% of its partnerships include social media posts.

For 31 years, Coors has been the naming rights partner of Coors Field, home to the Colorado Rockies. Coors’ other assets throughout the stadium include:

• Seating section naming rights

• Bullpen signage

• Logo on lower bowl seats

• Interior signage

• Concourse signage

• Event content and activations, including the Designated Driver Program for fans

Corona USA, a high-wattage property of Constellation Brands, has just under 100 sponsorship deals. Earlier this year, Corona inked a contract with the MLB to become its “Official Cerveza.” The partnership marks the first time the league has split its beer sponsorship category, as Budweiser is the Official Beer of the MLB.

Corona’s MLB partnership has boosted the brand’s profile on social media: the league has tagged the beer over 40 times in posts this season, 3 of which are Corona’s most successful posts to date by total engagement.

In a separate deal within the league, the Seattle Mariners signed Corona with the same “Official Cerveza” designation. A club within T-Mobile Park was christened the Corona Beach Club as part of the naming rights included in the partnership.

As we bid a fond farewell to summer and head into September, here are the top most searched brands by sponsorship executives on the SponsorUnited platform during the month of August. Click on the link below to reveal the top 30.

PRIME Hydration, a performance beverage brand owned by high-profile YouTuber and influencer Logan Paul and YouTuber and British rapper KSI, has emerged from virtually out of nowhere to take the top spot on the August list. Founded in January 2022, the brand’s Instagram account has garnered a massive 1.1M following–likely due to the owners’ popularity–and another 400K across other social media platforms.

So far, PRIME has secured more than 5 sponsorship / media deals–some with Logan Paul or KSI brands, and 2 marquee partnerships with Arsenal and MBM Motorsports. PRIME became Arsenal’s official hydration partner this year, while securing assets including product placement on the press conference podium, stadium signage, and social posts. Meanwhile, its sponsorship of MBM Motorsports saw PRIME’s logo branded on the front hood of the vehicle driven by pro stock car driver Timmy Hill.

At the end of July, third-ranked VRBO signed a deal with the Fiesta Bowl to become the exclusive title sponsor of the popular college football bowl game. In addition, the vacation rental online marketplace became the Fiesta Bowl’s official travel sponsor, with branding at fan activations, digital and social media content, in-stadium exposure, and inclusion at other year-round events run by the Fiesta Bowl.

Meanwhile, eighth-ranked Paycor, an HR software company, signed a 16-year venue naming rights deal with the Cincinnati Bengals in August, changing the name of the team’s home venue in Cincinnati to Paycor Stadium. Paycor will be integrated throughout the venue, and has already seen exposure during the Bengals’ preseason broadcasts, with a live read commercial and a logo pop-up next to the scoreboard in the Bengals’ August 12th game against the Arizona Cardinals.

The inaugural MLS NEXT game, presented by Allstate–which took place on August 9th in Minneapolis during this MLS All-Star Week–celebrated 44 of the best young soccer players in North America. It also highlighted Allstate’s prominence as an MLS sponsor: the insurance powerhouse has deals with nearly half of the MLS clubs, and one with the league itself.

Within a top-heavy category of Property & Casualty Insurance, Allstate has made a splash in the sponsorship world, trailing just behind State Farm and GEICO with over 175 deals. More than 25% of its overall partnerships (both sponsorships and media buys) fall within the college landscape–with the Power 5 schools and conferences, where the brand has over 60 deals, its prime targets.

Allstate has sponsored the storied Sugar Bowl since 2007, when it succeeded previous sponsor Nokia. Among its array of assets at the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship, most notable was a sponsored activity which offered fans the chance to kick a field goal into a branded Allstate net. Across all partnerships, 43% of Allstates deals include TV-visible signage–whether field goal net signage, a courtside digital apron, or exit tunnel signage.

Nearly 100 partners have tagged Allstate in a social media post. In the last 12 months, 96 properties have partnered with Allstate on social channels, totaling nearly 1,300 posts–an average 13 posts per deal, with total engagement north of 1.1 million.

Allstate’s highest engaged post, at nearly 70,000 followers, is with the U.S Soccer Federation. Despite its 60-plus deals with Power 5 schools, the brand rarely sees an awareness boost from social posts: Its top performer, with Louisville, engaged just over 5,000 followers, while total engagement with 184 posts across 30 schools still falls short of its soccer post performance.

The brand’s real sponsorship success lies in live events. TV-visible signage–a bona fide brand builder–is included in 88% of Allstate’s deals within the Power 5 schools.

With summer in full swing, here’s the July list of the 30 most searched brands by sponsorship executives on the SponsorUnited platform.

*See full list below

Better-for-you cereal maker Magic Spoon continued its red-hot ascent this month, moving from third place in June to the top spot in July. The brand’s momentum keeps building, as evidenced by the $85 million Series B funding round it raised in June. Some 45% of its deals are with podcasts, including the wildly popular Joe Rogan Experience.

Meanwhile, IT company DXC Technology made the list for the first time this year, seizing second place after announcing a multi-year global partnership with Manchester United. DXC will use its digital transformation expertise to improve the way ManU engages fans through its digital platforms–including ManUtd.com and the Manchester United app–by harnessing the power of data and analytics technologies. As part of the deal, DXC will have a jersey patch for the 2022/23 season on the club’s home, away, and third kits (uniforms in British parlance). The Virginia-based company will also become the Presenting Partner of the Manchester United Foundation.

Notably, DXC’s biggest market is Washington, D.C., home to 45% of its sponsorships, including the Washington Wizards, Washington Capitals, and Georgetown Hoyas.

In other sports news, Heinz Field has become Acrisure Stadium in a new naming-rights agreement with the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The deal begins in the new 2022 season, and is estimated at $10 million annually over the next 15 years.

In fifth place, global e-commerce platform Wish was announced as the official sleeve partner of Premier League team Leeds United throughout the 22/23 campaign. The signage extends to the men’s, women’s and academy teams, across all official replica shirts, and throughout the home stadium. The branding also offers a sneak peak of Wish’s new logo ahead of its official rebrand this month.

Dunkin’ has joined the new 3ICE Hockey League as one of its main sponsors as part of an undisclosed six-figure deal, expanding the company’s sprawling portfolio of more than 370 sponsorship and media deals. Notably, hockey ranks fourth on the world’s leading baked goods and coffee chain’s list of property types in terms of total deals.

LifeBrand–a social media detection and monitoring software developer–took the top spot last month, rocketing up the list from #16 in May. Over 40% of its sponsorships are in its home market of Philadelphia, including deals with three of the city’s pro sports teams–the Eagles (largest deal by share of assets), Phillies, and 76ers. On May 31st, the tech startup welcomed Los Angeles running back Austin Ekeler as its newest brand ambassador and equity stakeholder–a nod to the company’s strategy to make inroads on the West Coast.

Meanwhile, #2-ranked VeChain, in its inaugural partnership, became the UFC’s first-ever Official Layer 1 blockchain partner. The deal grants the company an unprecedented level of integration into key UFC assets, and brand visibility with some 900 million households in 175 countries that receive UFC’s TV broadcasts.

On June 13th, better-for-you cereal maker Magic Spoon–third on the list–announced an $85 million Series B funding round, as three of its products moved to Target store shelves. Nearly 50% of its partnerships are with podcasts, including the Joe Rogan Experience and Pod Save America.

Also notable: #8-ranked Caterpillar, the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, signed a multiyear global deal with the NHL last month, becoming the league’s Official Heavy Equipment and Industrial Power sponsor, starting with the 2022-23 regular season. The company also inked a multiyear sponsorship deal with Major League Soccer (MLS) in May.

And speaking of the NHL, Gatorade–which landed in SponsorUnited’s top 30 for the first time this year–announced the end of its 16-year sponsorship with the league last month, as it shifts strategy with a big push into name, image, likeness (NIL) deals with college athletes and women’s sports. One-armed basketball phenom, Hansel Enmanuel, announced his new NIL deal with the sports drink maker on June 16th.

We highlight the sponsorship and media portfolio of GameDay Vodka. The spirit brand has a significant presence in both the National Football League and Power 5 Schools & Conferences.

A beer brewed in Mexico, Dos Equis stays close to their roots having over 35 sponsorship or media deals just across the border in southwestern United States. Dos Equis' largest deal in terms of the number of sponsorship assets is with the NBA's Phoenix Suns. In this deal, the brand has naming rights to the beer garden inside of the arena, as well as digital signage during games.

However, NCAA earns the spotlight in terms of deals with Dos Equis.

The Mexican beer has partnership deals with five NCAA Bowls and Tourneys including the Rose Bowl and the Playstation Fiesta Bowl. The brand also has deals with over 15 NCAA Schools and Conferences like the NCAA Football Champions, the Georgia Bulldogs, and The Big Ten Conference.

Aside from Official Sponsorship status, Concourse Signage is in almost 40% of all of the brands sponsorship deals. Venue Entitlements is included in 25% of all sponsorship deals like the Cool Zone in partnership with the Texas A&M Aggies.

Even with more than 30 sponsorship deals, the import and domestic beer category has many brands with even more partnerships. Dos Equis falls in the top 15 in the category which is led by Bud Light.

The year of Cryptocurrency continues in the sponsorship world as numerous new deals continue to get signed. Nearly 30% of the top 30 most searched brands on the SponsorUnited platform continued to be from the Crypto category. From the #2805 spot to #1 spot, Coinmotion was in motion last month and in the news recently due to their involvement with Bitcoin donations to Ukraine. With sponsorship execs shining the spotlight on this brand, it will be interesting to see if sponsorship deals follow.

FlexIt Fitness has seen a 361% increase month over month in search data after signing their first Major Pro Sports deal with the Florida Panthers at the end of March. So what was included in the deal?

Designated the Official Virtual Fitness Partner of the Florida Panthers, assets included in the deal are: in-person activations, venue signage, promotion sponsor, entertainment related content with the “FlexIt Flexcam” as well as having trainers outside the stadium getting the heart rate of fans up with exercises outdoors.

Signing a first-of-its-kind deal within the MLB, Motorola will become the Jersey Patch partner for the San Diego Padres. The deal adds to Motorola's growing list of sponsors having over 25 deals, up over 75% since 2020.

Within the top 100 most searched brands, the Financial category leads the way by a wide margin having 22 brands land on the list. The QSR and Technology categories are tied for 2nd with 9 each.

With the GEICO 500 NASCAR Cup Series race taking place this weekend, we take a look at GEICO's sponsorship and media activity outside of the big race.

GEICO has 300+ sponsorship deals across 80+ different leagues/associations.

#BrandSpotlight

Everyone knows sneaker collaborations are extremely popular across music artists, athletes, influencers, and teams, and brands are eager to get in on the action. So far in 2022 we’ve seen quite a few collaborations that were unique and a bit surprising.

Fruity Pebbles x Nike x Lebron

Waffle House x adidas

Sweethearts x Crocs

Just to name a few….

This past week, Waffle House x adidas created limited-edition golf shoes for the Masters. Available beginning April 7th, the three stripes on the sides will sport a brown, checkered waffle pattern.

What other brands have created limited edition footwear?

The adidas and Waffle House collab, follows in the footsteps of adidas and LEGO in mid 2021. The two organizations came together to provide LEGO fans with not only one shoe, but an entire sneaker line of LEGO branded sneakers.

Lebron James x Nike x Fruity Pebbles debuted the LeBron James 19 Low Magic Fruity Pebbles shoe. Providing promotions during the launch, fans were able to buy a box of the Magic Fruity Pebbles for 20% any items and automatically be entered into a sweepstakes for Lebron’s limited-edition shoe.

Crocs has been a leading brand within the sneaker collaboration space partnering with many music artists. Diplo, Post Malone, Saweetie, Justin Bieber amongst others have all partnered with Crocs over the last year creating Crocs that show off the artists style and vibes.

The March Brand Power Rankings are out and Cryptocurrency holds the #1 spot on the 30 most searched brands. Toyota took home this month's top spot. Why?

The month of March, Cryptocurrency secured 8 spots in the top 30, and 3 in the top 10. The most searched Cryptocurrency brands were Crypto.com, FTX and Coinbase which all moved up the list in this month’s top 10. Crypto.com now sits as the 2nd most searched brand, moving up from 6th spot in February. FTX and Coinbase, previously sitting at 8th and 10th last month, rose up to 7th and 8th, respectively in March’s power rankings.

The car manufacturing giant Toyota adds to its vast portfolio of deals with over 550 sponsorships, a 36% increase since 2020. This total includes sponsorships with more than 50% of NBA teams and deals with more than 70 Major Pro Sports teams in the US. During March, the company expanded its sponsorship holdings by inking deals with an Esports organization, Cricket team and BMX athlete.

Last month’s top 2 brands, HelloFresh and DUDE Products, both fell from their top spots this month but remained in the top 10. Quick Serve Restaurants own 30% of this month’s top 10, with Raising Cane’s, Jersey Mike’s and Dunkin’ coming in at 3rd, 4th and 10th, respectively. During the month of March, QSR brands signed more than 10 deals across various properties which moved this category towards the top of the list. Intuit enters this month’s power rankings at 8th after ranking outside the top 30 last month. Hydro Flask rounds out March’s top 10 brands coming in at 9th for the month.

Many brands take advantage of the spotlight that NCAA March Madness provides, and product launches are a common theme among many brands. More than 10 brands through the first two rounds of men’s college basketball promoted their new products using ad space during the tournament.

Coca-Cola, Sonic, Taco Bell, and Nissan are a few of the brands that capitalized on ad space for a new product while each leveraging NCAA Schools & Conferences; the most out of any other league/association. Coca-Cola and Nissan have over 120 sponsorship deals respectively across sports & entertainment.

Nissan has multiple campaigns running throughout the tournament including eight ad spots featuring six new vehicles; including the all-electric Ariya and all-new Z. 39% of Nissans sponsorship portfolio is with NCAA Schools & Conferences which amounts for over 50 sponsorship deals.

Sonic debuted their Oreo Waffle cone on CBS during the first round. 25% of Sonic’s sponsorship portfolio is with NCAA Schools & Conferences. Sonic also has deals with two teams who made the NCAA tournament this year, the Arkansas Razorbacks and Texas Tech Red Raiders.

Coca-Cola Coffee with Vanilla flavoring has been showcased during multiple rounds of the tournament. Having over 1,000 sponsorship deals worldwide, Coca-Cola's sponsorship portfolio has NCAA Schools and Conferences beating out Major Pro Sports and any other leagues as the brand has 13% of their total deals within those schools/conferences.

Nike announced their earnings this week which saw nearly $11B in revenue, their most ever which increased 5% YoY. Utilizing the revenue, Nike was able to dive deeper into sponsorships increasing their total deals 36% from 2020 to 2021. The brand debuted their first ever 3D out of home campaign in the city of Shinjuku near Tokyo, Japan, celebrating AirMax day on March 26th.

Nike has over 650 sponsorship deals ranging across over 140 different leagues/associations. Within New York, their top market, the brand has over 75 sponsorship or media deals which includes influencers, athletes and artists.

Within the NFL, Nike helped the athletes grow in total endorsement deals 51% YoY. Across the globe, athletes account for 41% of the sponsorship portfolio of Nike as they have deals with many star players across multiple sports. Most recently with athletes, Nike teamed up with Lebron James and Magic Fruity Pebbles to celebrate National Cereal Day on March 7th.

Kellogg’s has over 80 sponsorship deals while a third of those deals come within the college space including schools as well as bowl games and tournaments. Frosted Flakes deals alone span across more than 15 NCAA properties. Most notably though, Kellogg’s utilizes the Cheez-It brand as the presenting sponsor of a college football bowl game during as well as the Hall of Fame Tip-Off at the beginning of the basketball season.

Across Major Pro Sports, Kellogg’s has a league deal with the MLS which spans across 16 of their 27 teams as seen in the SponsorUnited MLS 2021 Marketing & Partnerships Annual Report. Cheez-It and Pringles are the Official Snacks of the MLS and eMLS and their other brand Eggo, is the Official Waffle. The focus of their partnership with the MLS is to engage with their younger, multicultural audience.

Within all of their sponsorship deals, 64% of their deals include TV-Visible signage including courtside aprons, digital ads on the goal line and exit tunnel signage. TV-Visible signage and Property Entitlements are the largest assets secured in Kellogg’s sponsorship deals.

Continuing their hot streak in February, nearly 1 out of every 3 brands was still in the financial category, just two less this month than January. Four of the brands in the category were Cryptocurrency brands while 3 out of the top 10 were Crypto brands as the topic of digital innovation continues to stay top of mind. The only two brands that stayed in the top 10 from January to February were FTX and Crypto.com, while Coinbase in the same category jumped in. HelloFresh saw a jump from #57 in January to #1 in February after they entered the NHL.

Their newest partners, the New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings and Nashville Predators all include a promotion sponsorship for fans who use a promo code dedicated to the team. Within each venue the brand will also be visible with digital signage such as exit tunnel signage with the Predators and Islanders.

Overall, HelloFresh has over 65 sponsorship deals having over 20 sponsorships within the podcast space and 6 sponsorship deals within the NFL and NHL. The New York Liberty and HelloFresh have a deal with 10 sponsorship assets including TV-Visible signage as well as their logo on the sideline surface. New York and Los Angeles are the top markets for the brand each having four sponsorship or media deals in the market. Interesting to note that in both markets, the brand has a deal with the WNBA team and one NHL team. Paige Turley, a reality tv influencer, posted the highest engagement with the brand within all of their branded social media posts while the LA Kings have the highest amongst teams.

In honor of National Margarita Day, here are the most active tequila brands among all sponsorships & media partnerships: Don Julio, Hornitos Tequila, and El Jimador. Of the 75+ brands tracked, Hornitos was the fastest growing across NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and MLS while Don Julio was the fastest growing within music.

Don Julio signed a deal with Austin FC during their inaugural season in 2021 having six sponsorship assets with the team. The assets they had with the team ranged from signage in the stadium to in-store point of sale activations as well as a sponsored attendee take home item. Don Julio has over 10 sponsorships within the music space including artists having a deal with country music artist, Ingrid Andress.

Hornitos has over 25 sponsorship, media or vendor deals across the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and MLS while more than five of those currently are a sponsorship deal as well. Besides use of marks, TV-visible signage is the most bought asset by the brand as it is included in 35% of deals.

El Jimador is the leading Tequila brand in the MLS with eight deals in 2021, more than doubling the second brand Lunazul Tequila. Their biggest deal in terms of sponsorship assets comes with the MLS Cup Champions, New York City FC. On the digital media front, the two organizations worked together to have a sponsored video on the website and app as well as content sponsored on the Pup Partner page on the website.

Future, a fitness app that virtually connects you with your very own personal trainer, has signed deals with the New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors. The brand will become the Official Fitness Coaching partner of both teams as they have opened up a new sponsorship category within the NBA.

The brand will be getting awareness with logo visibility at both Madison Square Garden and the Chase Center while also creating exclusive content with the strength and conditioning coaches of both teams. They will also be featured during the game with promotions available for fans attending games.

Each week SponsorUnited sends out a list of the top 25 hottest brands to current clients. This list is ranked by weekly increase in profile views by unique users of SponsorUnited. Last week after the deal was announced with the teams, Future was ranked #5 on the list while the week prior was ranked #478. It will be interesting to watch Future as the season continues. SponsorUnited will be tracking all assets Future has at both arenas which is set to debut in the next week as the All-Star break has ended. The brand has currently been activating with the Golden State Warriors on social media with branded posts called “Road Reps.”

Logitech is the most active technology brand in esports leveraging over 100 partnerships with esports leagues, teams, and influencers.

Los Angeles leads the way in terms of most Logitech sponsorship deals per market, followed closely by the New York market. Interested in learning more about Logitech along with other tech brands and their sponsorship portfolios? The SponsorUnited Technology Sponsorships Annual Report is coming soon!

Peloton is changing the way people get fit. With 15% of their partnerships tied to athletes and influencers, social media is their #1 sponsorship asset.

Notable athlete deals include partnerships with Olympic Gold Medalist, Usain Bolt and Allyson Felix.

FTX has taken their talents to CES 2022 with activations featuring multiple NFT’s. During 2021, FTX sponsorship deals increased 1,600% from 2020 while securing deals across many different industries and leagues. Some of the more notable deals they have are a venue naming rights deal with the Miami Heat, umpire jersey patch sponsorship with the MLB, and deals with more than 20 athletes which include future Hall of Famers Tom Brady, David Ortiz and Stephen Curry.

The FTX deal with the NBA's Miami Heat consists of more than 20 unique sponsorship assets that include interior TV-visible Signage, press conference backdrop logo placement and a sponsored attendee virtual take home item. As fans entered the arena, they were given the opportunity to scan a QR code to receive a free FTX Arena NFT along with a free “You In, Miami?” T-shirt.

According to SponsorUnited’s MLB Marketing & Partnerships Annual Report, FTX was the most searched brand by MLB executives on the SponsorUnited platform during the 2021 season. As we look ahead to 2022, will FTX expand their current MLB sponsorship with various teams throughout the league? We can't help but think so.

On day 1 of CES 2022 LG Electronics showcased their “The Better Life You Deserve” campaign which aims to provide convenience, safety and entertainment but in a more personable, sustainable and inclusive way than ever before.

The LG PuriCare aims to provide the consumer with an air purifying fan with a 4 season mode to fit the needs of the consumer. The brand new LG OLED tv is a smart TV that connects to all LG smart televisions in your home using a room to room share transfer.

More products LG is releasing includes the LG UltraGear Gaming Speaker, updated LG Washer and Dryer to be completely customizable, LG InstaView Refrigerator and much more.

LG Electronics not only provides for their consumers but they also look to obtain partnerships across the globe. According to SponsorUnited’s Technology Sponsorships Annual Report coming out later this month, LG is the #2 most active brand within Athletes, Endorsers & Influencers as well as Major Pro Sports in the United States within the Consumer Electronics and Technology Multiline category. They also take the top spot Internationally beating out Samsung. Toronto is also a major sponsorship hub for the brand as they have 6 deals there which include the Toronto Maple Leafs, Raptor, Blue Jays & Toronto FC.

Hisense showcased their sponsorship status with the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 at CES. Not only do they have a sponsorship deal with FIFA but according to SponsorUnited’s Technology Sponsorships Annual Report coming out later this month, they also are the third most active brand international within the Consumer Electronics and Technology Multiline category.

60% of Hisense deals include a social media post while their sponsorship deals have TV-Visbile Signage 56% of the time. Mainly securing partnerships internationally, Hisense did lock in two large athlete deals in the United States with Rob Gronkowski and Dwyane Wade.