For many of us in this crazy business, particularly those in sports marketing, when we’re asked what makes our field unique or special, we probably offer a variety of soft answers, vague anecdotes intended to satisfy the inquisitive.

“People sure love sports, don’t they?” or maybe something humbler like, “Well, it’s a bit like working in a circus. Lot of manure to shovel.”

But we think one thing is certain. When we’re collectively pressed about big-time sports, sponsorship is always included in that discussion.

Why? Well, for many, sponsorship is synonymous with sports marketing. Our part of the trillion-dollar industry has even spawned a scholarly journal, the International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship.

Second, research makes clear that sports sponsorship accounts for a major portion of all sponsorship investments (by consumer brands) and keeps growing. According to numerous sources, the NFL, league and clubs combined, generated more than $2.5 billion in annual sponsorship revenue last year, almost double what was reported in 2019.

We think we know why.

The 19th annual Canadian Sponsorship Landscape Study — or CSLS (an industry study one of us has led for nearly two decades, supported by The T1 Agency and IMI International) — was recently presented to large audiences, first at SponsorshipX in October 2025 and then to the Sponsorship Marketing Council of Canada in January.

The data was the best — by........

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