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As students buckle down for a new school year, IEG Sponsorship Report expects corporate spending on college sports to reach an all-time high.North American-based companies are expected to spend $515 million on college athletic programs, conferences and events in 2007, a 12.5 percent increase over the $458 million spent in ‘06.
The increase outpaces IEG SR’s projected 11.7 percent increase for the overall sponsorship industry, reflecting corporate marketers’ growing interest in using college athletics to reach students, alumni and staff.
In general, as schools and conferences have taken a more sophisticated approach to sponsorship — including bundling media buys and working with third-party aggregators such as Host Communications and CBS Collegiate Sports Properties — they have significantly raised the value of their offerings.
On the corporate side, many sponsors have demonstrated increased interest in college sports, whether to reach students, alumni and/or fans. For example, State Farm Insurance Cos.’ multi-faceted college marketing program now includes a partnership with the NCAA, title of the Missouri Valley Conference basketball championship and sponsorship of more than 75 colleges and universities.
State Farm earlier this year signed a four-year partnership with ANC Sports Marketing that affords signage on basket support arms at more than 40 college basketball arenas. The program is similar to The Allstate Corp.’s Good Hands program through Van Wagner Sports Group that affords visibility on field goal nets at more than 55 college football venues.
State Farm activates its ties with text message and other youth-centric promotions. “You have to find nontraditional ways to reach and connect to college students,” said William Chipps, IEG Sponsorship Report’s senior editor.
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