ESA Awards blog: Sponsorship is changing. Are you keeping up?

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 forward a decade, and the landscape looks a lot different – at least when we view those sponsorship campaigns that have entered the ESA Awards. Sponsorship is showing signs of transforming into something sharper, more digital, and unmistakably purpose-driven.

The brands that are thriving? They’re not just attaching their names to events; they’re embedding themselves in culture, conversation and community. Might this be the making of the industry – a shift into something sustainably value-adding?

As I clearly don’t have enough to do, I’ve jumped into the ESA Awards archive and started to examine how the world of sponsorship has changed, through the entries we have received.  The past seven years of ESA Awards entries tell a fascinating story. Some categories have surged forward, while others have faded, no longer able to capture the imagination of modern audiences or brands.

The rise of purpose-driven sponsorship

Perhaps the most striking transformation has been the explosion of sponsorships rooted in social purpose and environmental responsibility. A decade ago, partnerships focused purely on commercial exposure (or, tragically, merely chased brand exposure). Brands are now expected to stand for something bigger. Sponsorships championing sustainability, diversity and inclusion have seen a significant rise, particularly in the past three years.

At the ESA Awards, categories that recognise social impact sponsorships have more than doubled in participation. Sustainability-led sponsorships have moved from niche to mainstream, with brands actively aligning themselves with climate action initiatives and environmental causes.

Diversity and inclusion-focused sponsorships, once a fringe consideration, are now among the most competitive categories, reflecting the growing expectation that brands should play a meaningful role in driving societal change.

This shift isn’t just theoretical. It’s financial. Brands that embrace purpose-driven sponsorships are seeing tangible benefits. Consumers are rewarding companies that take a stand, and those that fail to do so risk being left behind in a world that demands more than just a transactional relationship between brand and audience.

The digital battleground

If sponsorship was once defined by physical presence, today it is dictated by digital engagement. In the last seven years, categories centred on content creation, technology integration, and digital activations have skyrocketed. The rise of social media-first sponsorships has been staggering, with brands shifting (or at least balancing) their focus from in-person events to immersive, online-first experiences.

At the ESA Awards, entries in technology-driven sponsorships have seen some of the most dramatic growth. Campaigns that once relied on traditional advertising now leverage augmented reality, live-streamed content, and gamified experiences to create deeper audience connections. The brands excelling in sponsorship today aren’t just appearing at events; they’re embedding themselves into people’s digital lives.

Meanwhile, sponsorships rooted purely in traditional media placements have struggled. Categories focused on static brand exposure, without an interactive element, have seen declines, as audiences increasingly demand engagement over passive advertising. The message is clear: sponsorships that fail to integrate digital innovation are being left behind.

The reinvention of event sponsorship

The pandemic years forced a reckoning for live event sponsorships, which saw a tragic drop during periods of lockdown and restriction. Instead of fading into irrelevance, the category adapted. Virtual activations surged in response, filling the gap left by in-person restrictions.

As the world reopened, live event sponsorships made an aggressive comeback. The data from ESA Awards entries shows that brands have returned to physical events, but with a new mindset. Hybrid sponsorship models – ones that combine the physical and the digital – are becoming the industry norm.

The most successful sponsorships no longer rely solely on in-person engagement; they incorporate real-time digital extensions, ensuring that events reach audiences far beyond those attending in person.

Experiential activations, which allow consumers to engage with brands in multi-sensory ways, have solidified their dominance. Static sponsorships, on the other hand, are fading into the background, no longer able to compete with the immersive, interactive campaigns that are winning audiences over.

The immovable giant

While many sponsorship categories have experienced disruption, sport sponsorship remains the industry’s powerhouse. Year after year, it attracts the highest levels of participation at the ESA Awards, demonstrating its resilience in an evolving landscape.

But even here, change is evident. The nature of sport sponsorships is shifting, moving beyond traditional branding deals towards more data-driven, fan-focused activations. In recent years, sustainability has become a significant theme, with major rights holders and sponsors investing in eco-friendly initiatives tied to sporting events.

Fan engagement, too, has undergone a transformation, with sponsorships increasingly leveraging second-screen experiences, interactive data and real-time digital content to deepen the connection between brands and sports fans.

What remains constant, however, is the sheer emotional power of sport. In a world of fragmented media and shifting attention spans, sport remains one of the few platforms capable of delivering mass, engaged audiences. That’s why, despite all the industry’s changes, sport sponsorship remains the king of sponsorship for many brands.

What’s next?

The trends shaping sponsorship today will continue to accelerate in the coming years. Digital-first engagement, social purpose and hybrid experiences will define the next era of sponsorship success.

Artificial intelligence is already creeping into sponsorship activations, with brands exploring how AI-driven experiences, gamification and immersive storytelling can deepen audience engagement. Meanwhile, competition for consumer attention is fiercer than ever. More brands than ever before are recognising the power of strategic partnerships, raising the bar for creativity, authenticity and impact.

One thing is certain: the old sponsorship playbook no longer applies. Simply showing up is no longer enough. The brands that succeed will be the ones that innovate, engage and create experiences that truly matter and deliver a business return.

The 2025 ESA Awards ceremony takes place on 13 March 2025 in London