Sport commands outsized attention, which invites added scrutiny, but brands and property owners can disproportionately benefit from a values-based approach to sponsorship.

Values-based deals outperform “traditional” partnerships across several metrics, and can contribute quantitatively to partners’ ESG reporting targets. Fan engagement on social and environmental-themed posts reportedly outperforms typical promotional posts by an average factor of 4x.

Ice hockey team Seattle Kraken’s estimated $800m, 20-year deal with The Climate Pledge, an initiative by Amazon, is just one example cited in this WARC exclusive.

Why values-based sponsorship matters