But what is intellectual property worth?

Valuing intellectual property (IP) in sponsorship agreements is both an art and a science. However, advances in research and analytics are transforming the process, enabling marketers to move beyond simple exposure metrics and into evidence-based valuation models. These models not only measure a sponsorship’s performance but also determine what rights should fairly be worth.

At its core, sports sponsorship has never been just about placing a logo on a jersey or buying airtime during a game.

It’s about IP, the key ingredient, the right to associate with the passion, culture, and equity of sport.

And yet, while billions are invested in partnerships each year, the methods for valuing IP remain fragmented and, in many cases, outdated.

Traditional Valuation Approaches

Historically, rights holders and brands have leaned on two core methodologies:

• Cost-Based (Replacement Value):
  What would it cost to replicate the same reach or impact without IP rights (e.g., equivalent media spend)?

• Market-Based (Comparables):
  What have similar sponsorship rights sold for in the same market or league?

While useful, these methods overlook a crucial dimension: the real impact on consumers.

Too often, negotiations focus narrowly on inventory, price, and reach, without considering how IP integration influences customer attitudes, brand equity, or sales.

A more complete approach combines these traditional models with research into customer impact.

At Dentsu Sports Analytics, we have pioneered a proprietary tool “Amplification” to meet this challenge.

Amplification: Measuring the True Impact of IP

Amplification is designed to measure how the inclusion of a rights holder’s IP, such as marks, logos, and likenesses changes customer perceptions and improves the effectiveness of brand marketing.

For rights holders, Amplification provides credible, evidence-based valuations that accelerate negotiations and enhance packaging value.

For brands, it delivers insights into how IP improves marketing ROI, identifies the audiences most affected, and informs creative optimisation for activation planning.

Examples of Sponsorship IP

• Logos, names, and trademarks (e.g., placing a team’s crest on packaging).

• Athlete image/likeness rights (endorsements, appearances, social content).

• Event associations (naming rights, title sponsorship, “Official Partner” status).

• Merchandising and licensing rights.

Amplification Methodology

Amplification is rooted in consumer response, not just exposure metrics or fan-base scaling. Our approach tests how partner marketing assets perform with versus without IP integration.

Respondents are randomly shown either “Test” (with IP) or “Control” (without IP) executions. We then measure differences across four dimensions:

If used effectively, Sponsorship IP can increase marketing effectiveness by an average of 16% across all four quadrants of the consumer purchase funnel.

We measure the Amplification effect throughout each stage of the consumer purchase funnel:

We have conducted 130+ individual Amplification tests for premium global rights holders which provides us with a library of benchmarks to support both brands and rights holders in this space.

How does this translate into successful application?

NFL Team 1 & their partner brands

Aggregated results across three of NFL team 1’s partner brands across beer, sports hydration and wellbeing, show the significant impact of NFL team 1’s IP.

Marketing assets featuring the NFL team 1’s marks and logos were found to be +25% more effective than identical assets without IP integration.

Key findings:

• Sponsorship with the NFL team 1 increased the likelihood of capturing consumer attention.

• Inclusion of marks improved perceptions of brand likeability and community involvement.

• Partners using NFL Team 1 IP were more likely to be seen as differentiated, relevant, and “cool.”

• Sponsorship measurably lifted consumers’ likelihood to recommend and purchase partner products.

In practical terms, including the NFL team 1’s IP can improve the effectiveness of a partner’s advertising spend by 25%.

 

NFL Team 2 & effective marketing strategy

Another NFL team engaged DSA to measure the Amplification effect of their marks and logos across multiple marketing channels (on-pack, POS, advertising). The insights delivered more compelling sales pitches, justified higher asking prices, and illustrated the added value of official sponsorships over equivalent media buys.

 

A leading golf equipment brand & their ambassadors

This golf brand partnered with DSA to evaluate the impact of sponsoring star PGA and LIV Tour golfers. Research focused on how athlete IP amplified the brands marketing assets, helping them understand which athletes added the most value to brand equity and key performance indicators.

The Takeaway

Intellectual property is the magic ingredient in sports sponsorship, but valuing it properly requires moving beyond traditional models. Tools like “Amplification” reveal how IP truly shapes consumer perception and behaviour, allowing rights holders to price more accurately and brands to activate more effectively.

When IP is measured holistically across attention, connection, perception, and conviction sponsorship ceases to be just a cost of exposure. It becomes a proven driver of marketing impact and business growth.

To find out how “Amplification” can support your team’s sponsorship valuation, sales and packaging approach or optimise your brand’s sponsorship effectiveness and negotiation position, please get in touch.

Alex Gummer
SVP Dentsu Sports Analytics EMEA
alex.gummer@mktg.com