For this 2021-2022 season, the National Football League (NFL) will record historic sponsorship revenue.
In total and according to IEG, the NFL and its 32 franchises will generate a total of $1.8 billion in sponsorship revenue over the season. A figure up 12% compared to the previous season according to the consulting company. On the sports business planet, this figure is obviously a record for a professional league.
As Peter Laatz, Managing Director of IEG, reminds us at CNBC, the lifting of the sports betting ban in the vast majority of states has allowed the league and some franchises to sign new numerous contracts with sports betting, casino and lottery operators. In this category, sponsorship revenue would have increased by +140% compared to last season. For several months, DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, BetMGM, WynnBET, … have multiplied investments in the NFL and its teams.
If the gambling category is an important new source of sponsorship revenue, IEG data reminds us that the tech category remains the most important, with in particular Verizon or Microsoft. The latter would have a contract of 100 million dollars per season which allows him in particular to place his Surface tablets on the edge of the field.
Before the health crisis linked to the Coronavirus, the NFL had recorded revenue of approximately $16 billion over the 18-19 season.
A figure that could well rise again in the years to come, thanks in particular to the new broadcast contracts which will bring in more than 10 billion dollars per season on average!
