MATCHPLAN, an agency specializing in sports and sponsorship marketing, announces its affiliation with the European Sponsorship Association (ESA), becoming the first agency in Romania to join this leading European industry organization.
This affiliation comes one year after the agency’s launch and represents a strategic step toward direct connection with the international ecosystem in this field, as well as the consolidation of the agency’s position in the local market.
Access to international standards and insights
As member of ESA, MATCHPLAN gains access to industry-relevant international market studies and research, frameworks, and best practices used by brands and agencies across Europe, as well as to an extensive network of brands, federations, clubs, and rights holders.
For the local market, this type of access can accelerate the development of sponsorship projects through a faster know-how transfer and alignment with international standards for strategy, evaluation, and activation.
A natural next step after the first year of operations
“In the first year, we laid the groundwork: clients, projects, and market validation. Joining ESA is the next logical step. It connects us directly to the industry at European level and allows us to deliver greater value to our clients through access to international know-how and opportunities.”
— Victor Voicu, Managing Partner at MATCHPLAN
“We are delighted to welcome Matchplan as the first ESA member in Romania. Matchplan join a vibrant community of sponsorship professionals from all over Europe and we hope that many more Romanian companies will follow Matchplan’s lead and join ESA to benefit from our world-leading education, events, resources, industry connections and the recognition of excellence.”
— Sophie Morris, ESA Chair
Projects and Industry Recognition
In its first year of operation, the agency developed strategy, communication, and activation projects for brands and partners in the sports and entertainment sector, and these results were recognized in industry competitions, including:
- Bronze at COMMA (Romania’s Communication Awards) 2026
- Silver Award at Romanian PR Award 2025
- Gold at Romanian Sustainability & CSR Awards 2026
- Nomination at EMEA SABRE Awards 2026
A favorable environment for growth, with an international outlook
The affiliation with ESA comes at a time when sponsorship is evolving from a visibility tactic into a strategic business tool, and the demand for integrated projects spanning strategy, execution, and measurement is growing steadily. With this in mind, MATCHPLAN aims to raise the standard of sports marketing projects in Romania, facilitate local brands’ access to international opportunities, and develop partnerships with key players in Europe..
-ENDS-
Managing Partner, MATCHPLAN
MATCHPLAN provides consulting services in strategy, communication, and partnerships, connecting brands with sports and entertainment with the goal of generating real business impact. Our approach combines an understanding of brands’ commercial objectives with direct access to rights, platforms, and key industry players. MATCHPLAN’s mission is to build partnerships that matter, with real impact for brands, athletes, and communities. We believe in sports as a driver of growth and in strategic collaborations as business tools. That is why every project is designed and developed to maximize the real value of partnerships.
About the European Sponsorship Association
The European Sponsorship Association (ESA) is the essential and inclusive community for all professionals working in sponsorship. We inspire more successful sponsorships, drive confidence in decision making and grow a diverse community through world-leading education, events and resources, industry connections and recognition of excellence. A not-for-profit membership association, ESA’s reach encompasses all types of sponsorship activity from sport, broadcast, education, charity, arts and culture to environment and the community. Its members include sponsors, rights holders, agencies and consultants, professional advisors and suppliers.
