• February 27, 2013

The average amount requested in sponsorship proposals increased in 2012, per Sponsorium, a sponsorship software firm. The company runs a thrice-yearly study on the sector, the latest of which covers 145 countries and consists of nearly 50,000 opportunities and partnerships all taking place in 2012. 

The report says sports accounts for the largest slice of the sponsorship industry in most markets. In the U.S., 71% of partnerships are in sports, 19% higher than the global totalIn Canada 49% of sponsorship spending is on sports. Only in Europe did voluntary organizations (e.g., Habitat for Humanity) rank as second-most popular (Education is the most popular CSR sector in all markets).

Following sports are festivals and fairs, though the firm says average spend per sponsorship is trending down, mainly due to multiple smaller partnerships being formed and the overall economic climate. Within corporate social responsibility related fields, education and youth programs rank 1st globally comprising 44% of partnerships. 

The firm says that, on a per market basis, the U.S. spends more on sports than any other market, while festivals and fairs are less popular here than in the other markets.

Canada sees a more even split among the top sectors of sports, arts, festivals and fairs exists in Canada than in any other market, per the firm, which reports that canada is the only market where sports is not the most popular sector. And the study says spending towards the arts and community events is higher in Canada than any other market.

Said Paul Pednault, founder and president of Sponsorium, “Corporate marketing budgets are on the uptick, and the sponsorship industry’s share remains at a point where continued spending justification is necessary.”