Question 1: How aligned is your current sponsorship portfolio with your brand’s strategic objectives?
Options: Fully aligned | Somewhat aligned | Not very aligned
Alignment to Objectives
An effective sponsorship portfolio should directly support a data-driven, insights-led strategy that drafts closely under your broader commercial and brand strategies. For many brands, however, even if a sponsorship strategy exists, it may not fully integrate or advance these key strategies.
Each property within your portfolio should have a clear purpose, defined objectives, and a robust measurement model to track effectiveness and efficiency. A property scorecard that aligns with strategic goals can ensure each sponsorship decision is intentional, and results focused.
Question 2: What level of confidence do you have in the value you’re receiving from each sponsorship investment?
Options: Very confident | Somewhat confident | Not confident
Value Proposition
The value-to-rights-fee ratio should be a central metric for evaluating each property within your sponsorship portfolio. This ratio should be benchmarked with specific targets based on geography and property type. Ideally, no more than 4-6% of your spend should be with properties that fall below the lower range of your target ratio—except in cases where a lower value proposition is accepted for strategic or competitive reasons, with clear awareness of the trade-offs.
In a non-optimized portfolio, properties typically fall into one of five performance categories. The goal is to maximize those that align with the “right place, right assets, right spend” model, ensuring each sponsorship delivers meaningful value.
Question 3: How often do you review and optimize your sponsorship portfolio?
Options: Annually or more | Occasionally | Rarely/ Never
Portfolio Hygiene
With a solid sponsorship strategy and strong governance, portfolio optimization should be a continuous, systematic process. Properties that no longer fit or fail to deliver value should be phased out at term end, while new properties are rigorously assessed to meet “right place, right assets, right spend” criteria.
In addition, a comprehensive portfolio review is recommended every three years, especially for larger portfolios with multiple contributors and potential team turnover. This review should coincide with a refresh of your sponsorship strategy, with annual check-ins in between to ensure alignment—assuming there are no significant shifts in commercial or brand strategies.
Ready to take your portfolio to the next level? Reach out today to book a free 30 minute, no obligation consultation.
