In MarketCast’s latest Sponsor Breakthrough study of NFL fans, iconic brands (and long-term sponsors), such as Gatorade, Pepsi, Bud Light, Verizon, and Visa, scored big as the most recognized sponsors for the 2023-24 season.
A whopping 62 percent of NFL fans correctly identified Gatorade as an official league sponsor, sealing its status as the season’s most recognized sponsor. This extends Gatorade’s run as the NFL’s most recognized sponsor, a title it’s held since MarketCast teamed up with the Sports Business Journal (SBJ) to measure NFL sponsors in 2007.
Rounding out the NFL’s top performing sponsors were Pepsi with 46 percent, Bud Light with 41 percent, Verizon with 38 percent, and Visa with 32 percent sponsor recognition among fans.
Playing the Long Game
According to MarketCast’s sports sponsorship research, being a long-term and engaged sponsor is critical to making an impact with NFL fans, as well as across the other professional and collegiate leagues tracked by MarketCast and the SBJ.
All five top performers from this past NFL season have been league sponsors for well over a decade, proving the power of longevity and fan familiarity. In fact, Gatorade (#1) and Visa (#5) have backed the NFL since 1983 and 1995, respectively—way back when the two Joes (Montana and Theismann) ruled the gridiron and before many of our current NFL stars were even born.
Sponsors on the Rise
Bud Light continues to make positive moves with NFL fans, experiencing the largest year-over-year growth of any NFL partner, increasing their awareness by 10% from 2023 to 2024.
While newer sponsors are also making a mark with fans, including Subway (#6) and Lowe’s (#7) and Little Caesars (#9), all of whom have invested heavily in cross-platform campaigns featuring star NFL players.
MarketCast has tracked Sponsor Breakthrough metrics for SBJ since 2007 across the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, NASCAR, PGA Tour, NCAA, and WNBA. To learn more about our Sports Sponsorship Research, contact us.