Inside Sponsorship

No doubt you have noticed that rights holders and venues across the world of sports are on a constant quest to enhance the spectator experience – at events and for those watching remotely – by adding entertainment elements, such as concerts, fan zones and enabling more access to star athletes. Taylor Swift’s pre-race concert at the 2016 United States Grand Prix, the theatre-style lighting deployed at the ATP World Tour Finals in London and, of course, the Super Bowl half-time show are all examples. There are also many examples of new entertainment events built around a sports element, including Andy Murray Live, an evening of music and exhibition tennis, and the Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastic Champions, a 36-city tour of US Olympic gymnasts designed to capitalise on the team’s success at Rio 2016. The NFL and Cirque du Soleil, meanwhile, have partnered to create a major showcase installation in Times Square, due to open next month. Trend four in Nielsen Sports Commerc