ABSTRACT
The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the fundamental principles and concepts of corporate partnerships as they relate to sport organizations. This chapter also seeks to explore corporate partnerships amid the dynamic global context characterized by emerging media, a wealth of new innovations and technologies specific to sport including masses of ‘big data’ and emerging trends that impact relationships between sport organizations and their partners. We begin this chapter by discussing how sport SPONSORSHIP has evolved by encompassing the contemporary partnerships paradigm in marketing. Choosing partners, leveraging partnerships, networks, and the role of corporate social responsibility as a catalyst for, and the focus of, relationships are also discussed. This chapter draws attention to the emerging phenomenon of digital content marketing and its capacity to support marketing and business objectives, and explores the role of social media as it pertains to co-branding sport properties and their partners. Emerging trends in sport partnerships and unique partner evaluation and measurement approaches are presented. The chapter concludes with an overview of ambush marketing that includes progressive commercial rights management practices and novel approaches sport managers have undertaken to protect their brand and those of their corporate partners from this growing threat to sport sponsorship. The conclusion of this chapter offers insight into future research related to sport partnerships and their impact on the sport industry. The chapter also includes case studies as exemplars of the nature and impact of sport partnerships as they impact the sport industry on a global basis. Ultimately, the goal of this chapter is to convey fundamental aspects of contemporary corporate partnerships and the challenges of managing corporate–sport relationships that are essential to the business of sport.
