Blogs

Owen Laverty Chief Innovation Officer, Ear To The Ground Let’s be honest. The talent game is broken. Too many deals still follow the same old formula – chase reach, overpay for fame, cross fingers for ROI. In the meantime, younger fans are rewriting the rules, gravitating towards voices who ... read more

Will Dowdy VP Global Partnerships Music matters to people. When the world around us seems to get bleaker each day (I’ve given up opening X or watching Channel 4 News!) music is often the escape. And people want to ‘be there’ sharing in it. With that in mind it’s no wonder the live music ... read more

When 'great' was no longer enough to succeed at the ESA Awards Matthew Leopold Chair, ESA Awards Judges Panel A packed awards hall. A room filled with the sharpest minds in sponsorship. Months of analysis, debate and data-crunching have all led to this moment. The envelope is ... read more

Jamie Aitchison General Manager, UK In brief, what does HBS do, and what is your approach to sponsorship and partnerships? HBS is a market leader in storytelling in the world of sport. Working across the full spectrum of content types for our clients, their partners, sponsors and other ... read more

Matthew Leopold ESA Awards Committee Chair There was a time when sponsorship was simple. A logo on a billboard, your brand on a T-shirt or the VIP box at the stadium. No matter how loudly I screamed in protest, visibility was everything. Brand awareness was the name of the game. Fast ... read more

The ESA Diploma Scholarship was introduced in 2022 and has enabled four scholars to graduate with the Dip ESA qualification to date. We are delighted to announce an expanded cohort of three Scholars in 2025. Following the successful experience of both Sinem Pozanti and Deji Faremi in 2024, Ashley ... read more

SXSW is the largest music and innovation conference and festival in the world. ‘The UnXpected’ is an official SXSW music event organised by BLENDID Music & Artists, featuring world class music artists from the UK and USA and special guests.  Including ‘unexpected’ collaborations and live ... read more

Benedikt Becker Marketing Director In brief, what does Shikenso Analytics do, and what is your approach to sponsorship and partnerships? At Shikenso Analytics, we focus on the science so the industry can focus on the art. Sponsorships are complex, and we simplify that complexity with ... read more

Jakub Krampl Founder and CEO In brief, what does On Air do, and what is your approach to sponsorship and partnerships? On Air is a streaming service for on-stage entertainment. The company provides artists, labels and other rightsholders with content production, marketing, streaming and ... read more

Salina Janzan Senior Fundraising Manager What’s your name and position within the organisation? My name is Salina Janzan and I am the Senior Fundraising Manager at Irish humanitarian agency, GOAL. I’m privileged to head up the GOAL team who bring our flagship events like the GOAL Mile, ... read more

Sinem Pozanti ESA Diploma Scholar, 2024 ESA introduced the ESA Diploma Scholarship in 2022 to increase industry diversity as part of its mission as the essential and inclusive community for all professionals working in sponsorship. The first recipients of the Scholarship were Nobandile ... read more

Deji Faremi ESA Diploma Scholar, 2024 ESA introduced the ESA Diploma Scholarship in 2022 to increase industry diversity as part of its mission as the essential and inclusive community for all professionals working in sponsorship. The first recipients of the Scholarship were Nobandile ... read more

Alex Reese Commercial and Brand Strategy Director In brief, what does Oak View Group (OVG) do and what is your approach to sponsorship and partnerships? OVG is transforming how live entertainment venues operate. Our founders, Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff, bring decades of industry ... read more

Andy Brember Head of Commercial In brief, what does Turnstile do and what is your approach to sponsorship and partnerships? Turnstile is the global market leader in the transparent assessment of the fair market value of sponsorships. Engaged by brands and rightsholders, but with no ... read more

Jeremy Thompson CEO and Founder, caytoo A lot has changed in sponsorship over recent years. A lot hasn’t. In our five years helping rights holders with lead generation, one thing that hasn’t is the dilemma when selling sponsorship. Do they cast the net wide with a generic message (quickly ... read more