Vol 20, No.

10;Oct 2013

Events Sponsorship: A Framework for Efficient

Management

Prof. Marios Sotiriadis, PhD

Visiting Professor/Researcher
Department of Transport Economics, Logistics and Tourism,
University of South Africa (UNISA),
Club One, cnrDely and Albert Street, Hazelwood
PO Box 392, UNISA, 0003, Pretoria, South Africa
Tel: +27(0) 12433-4699
E-mail: sotermarios@gmail.com / marsot@staff.teicrete.gr

Abstract
During the last two decades the events industry emerged and the corporate sector fully recognized the
tourist and promotional value of events. Event sponsorship is one of the most challenging topics to be
addressed by event organisers and managers. The aim of this paper is twofold: (i) to examine the main
issues in the business relationship between event organisations and sponsors, and to highlight the
factors determining a mutually beneficial partnership; and (ii) to suggest a framework for efficient
event sponsorship management. The paper discusses the benefits that event organisations can attract
from reciprocal partnerships with sponsors. It argues the need for sponsorship policies to guide
decision making by event organisers and sponsors, and the need to develop strategies to manage event
sponsor relationships and achieve positive and enduring relationships with sponsors, and outlines the
sequential stages in developing a sponsorship strategy. Finally, it discusses the management of event
sponsorship and proposes a framework for efficient management. It concludes by formulating a series
of recommendations for event organisers and managers in rendering the interrelationship between
events and sponsors a mutually beneficial partnership.
Keywords: Events, Sponsors, Marketing and Financial Perspectives, Partnership, Management
Framework.

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1. Introduction
Events perform a powerful role in tourism industry. During the last two decades the events industry
emerged and the business sector fully recognized the economic, tourist and promotional value of
events (Bowdin et al, 2011). Nowadays there is no doubt that the events industry is facing a series of
challenges. There is a number of important perspectives - i.e. government, corporate sector; and
community - that have implications for event managers in planning, managing and delivery of events.
From an event organisations perspective, sponsorships are fast becoming business partnerships that
offer resources beyond money (Getz, 1997; Crompton, 1994).It is estimated (e.g. Goldblatt, 2008;
Masterman, 2007; Crompton, 1994) that event sponsorship is one of the most challenging topics to be
addressed by event organisers / managers. Over the past decade, there has been an important increase
in literature relating to sponsorship (Masterman, 2007; Jeffries-Fox, 2005; Grey & Skildum, 2003;
Skinner & Rukavina, 2003; Geldard & Sinclair, 2002), indicating the increasingly significance of the
topic. This paper examines the event sponsorship interrelationship. It begins with a definition of
events, the main stakeholders involved and a brief presentation of corporate / business perspective. In
the following section the main issues of sponsorship i.e. definition, determining factors and the two
perspectives of sponsorship as a marketing tool and as a source of income / revenue generation - are
outlined. In the next section the partnership between event organisations and sponsors is discussed, by
exploring the benefits that event organizers and sponsors seek and the prerequisites / factors
determining the reciprocal success. In the fifth section a framework of managing event sponsorship is
presented by highlighting the policies, strategies and actions needed for successful event sponsorship.
The paper concludes by providing a series of recommendations for efficient and mutually beneficial
partnership between event organisers and sponsors.

2.Events Management: Stakeholders and Corporate Perspective

It is worth pointing out that there is no a universal, standardized definition of events. The term event
may be viewed in a variety of ways. According to Getz (1997, p. 4) events are temporary occurrences,
either planned or unplanned. They have a finite length, and for planned events this is usually fixed and
publicized. People know and expect that events end, and this fact provides a major part of their appeal.
When it is over, you cannot experience it again. True, many events are periodic, but each one has a
unique ambience created by the combination of its length, setting, management (i.e., its program,
staffing, and design), and those in attendance.

Bowdin et al (2011, p. 17) suggested as more

appropriate the definition of The Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX) Industry Glossary of terms.
According to APEX, an event is, an organized occasion such as a meeting, convention, exhibition,
special event, gala dinner, etc. An event is often composed of several different yet related functions. A
principle applying to all events is that they are temporary and every event is unique, stemming from
the blend of management, program, setting, and people. People and organisations with a legitimate

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interest in the outcomes of an event are known as stakeholders (Getz &Andersson, 2010). Who are the
main stakeholders in the field of events?The stakeholders involved in events, their role as well as their
impact / benefit are shown in Table 1.

(Here appears Table 1)

Events are attracting the involvement and support of the corporate, government and community sector.
It is no longer sufficient for an event to meet just the needs of its audience. It must also embrace a
plethora of other requirements, including government regulations, media requirements, sponsors needs
and community expectations (Getz & Andersson, 2010; Andersson & Getz, 2008). One of the main
tasks of event management is to identify the range of stakeholders in an event and manage their
individual needs, which will sometimes overlap and conflict (Bowdin et al, 2011; Andersson & Getz,
2008). There are various perspectives to consider events, namely government, destination,
community/social, environmental, and corporate (organizers/business). Our interest focuses on the
latter - i.e. corporate/business perspective - and Table 2 presents the corporate actors involved in events
and their respective role and goals.

(Here appears Table 2)

The following section examines the issues related to sponsors and sponsorship.

3. Sponsors and Sponsorship

The last two decades have seen enormous increases in sponsorship and a corresponding change in the
way that sponsors perceive events (Masterman, 2007; Skinner & Rukavina, 2003). There has been a
shift many large companies from approaching sponsorship as primarily public relations tool generating
community goodwill, to regarding it as an important part of the integrated marketing communications
approach (Pike, 2008). Major businesses invest large amounts in event sponsorship and devote
additional resources to supporting their sponsorships in order to achieve corporate and marketing
goals. What is important is that sponsors must be seen as partners in events (Bodwin et al., 2011;
Goldblatt, 2008; Getz, 1997). The International Chamber of Commerce International Code on
Sponsorship (ICC, 2003, p. 2) defines sponsorship as: any commercial agreement by which a sponsor,
for the mutual benefits of the sponsor and sponsored party, contractually provides financing or other
support in order to establish an association between the sponsors image, brands or products and a

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sponsorship property in return for rights to promote this association and/or for the granting of certain
agreed direct or indirect benefits.(cited in Bowdin et al, 2011, p. 442). A range of trends influence the
growing worldwide interest in sponsorship, including the following factors (Bowdin et al., 2011; Hinch
& Higham 2004;Shone& Parry, 2004; Duncan 2002; Getz, 1997; Crompton, 1994):

sociocultural factors: e.g. popularity of events as leisure experiences, unique social

environments, growing interest in sports and arts;

business: e.g. globalization and commercialization of sports, reduced firms promotional

budget, imperative for efficiency;

marketing and media: proliferation of brands, products and services, need for brand
awareness, change in marketing itself with the shift away from simple transactions to
relationships, seek for effective methods and tools, etc.

In this context, the event managers task of making strategic decisions about an events portfolio of
sponsors become even more critical as sponsorship matures as a marketing medium. All these
environmental trends underline the need for event organisers / managers to perform an integrated and
comprehensive analysis of the sponsorship environment. Authors (e.g. Rowley & Williams, 2008;
Jeffries-Fox, 2005;Walle, 1995; Crompton, 1994)suggested that the role of sponsorship is twofold,
namely a communication tool and a source of income, as it is briefly outlined hereafter.
3.1 Marketing perspective: sponsorship as a communications tool
Sponsorship has become a critical element in the integrated marketing communication mix of many
businesses and organisations (Goldblatt, 2008; Duncan, 2002). Sponsorship is now a commonly used
component of the marketing communications mix and among the different types of media / tools, it is
considered to be one of the most powerful media now used to communicate and form relationships
with stakeholders and target markets (Pike, 2008; Grey & Skildum-Reid, 2003). Creating a successful
event or gaining event sponsorship means establishing a reciprocal relationship between the
organisation providing the sponsorship (corporate, media and/or government) and the event. However,
it also means an emotional connection must be made with those consumers targeted by both the event
and its sponsors (Nadav et al, 2010; Cornwell et al, 2005). This three-way relationship, which
underpins the success of sponsorship, is called the trinity of sponsor, event and audience (Bowdin et
al, 2011, p. 443-444). Sponsors use events to emotionally tie their product or service to a market
segment that identifies with the event and consequently identifies with the sponsors product.
3.2 Financial perspective: sponsorship as a source of income
Few event organizations have the luxury of guaranteed and sustained revenue to fund their events.
Most have to work hard to acquire necessary resources and manage them efficiently. One of the
sources of income is sponsorship (Jeffries-Fox, 2005; Getz, 1997). Sponsorship, either provided as
cash or in-kind support (i.e. products or services offered free of charge; in other words, sponsorship

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paid for in services supplied by the sponsor, such as air travel or accommodation if the sponsor is an
airline or hotel chain), is central to the revenue and resources of events (Bowdin et al., 2011; Shone &
Parry, 2004; Skinner & Rukavina, 2003).Event managers are usually actively engaged in tasks such as
identifying potential sponsors, preparing sponsorship proposals and managing their ongoing
relationships with sponsors, as event sponsorship is a large part of event management.The main
management task is to attain mutual benefits for both the event organiser and sponsor.
It is worth stressing that the two perspectives are simultaneously truefor both parties involved: (i)
sponsorship is a communications tool for sponsors and a marketing variable for event organisations; it
is used by both of them for integrated marketing communication purposes; and (ii) sponsorship is a
source of income for event organisations and an investment for sponsors. Obviously this fact
constitutes a positive and favourable factor determining a common ground for mutual aims and
actions, a cooperation platform within a business partnership.
4. Events and Sponsors: A Business Partnership
Literature (e.g. Nadav, Smith, &Canberg, 2010; Sunshine, Backman, & Backman, 1995; Crompton,
1994) suggested that part of ensuring the success of the events sponsorship strategy is in deeper
understanding the range of benefits available to sponsor partners, not just the benefits to be accrued by
the event.What is a partnership? It is an arrangement in which parties agree to cooperate to advance
their mutual interests. In the most frequently associated instance of the term, a partnership is formed
between one or more businesses in which partners (organisation managers) cooperate to achieve
business aims(Mowery, Oxley & Silverman, 1996). Partnerships exist within, and across, sectors; all
types of organizations may partner together to increase the likelihood of each achieving their mission
and to amplify their reach. A typical example of partnership is a strategic alliance, that is an agreement
between two or more parties to pursue a set of agreed upon objectives need while remaining
independent organizations.
4.1 Potential benefits for event organizers and sponsors
Sponsorships are pursued by events and purchased by corporations, media and government based on a
thorough assessment of the benefits to be derived. Event managers must therefore obtain a good
knowledge of the full range of potential benefits that a sponsorship will bring to their event and their
sponsors so they can customise their strategies. The following Figure 1 shows the exchange
relationship between events and the sponsorship partners, as suggested by Crompton (1994).

(Here appears Figure 1)

In a similar approach, Getz (1997) suggested the need forcreating sponsorship platforms; in other

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words, events must be viewed and managed as marketable products in order to succeed at sponsorship.
The platform consist of one or more bases upon which sponsors can build on-site plus
augmentedprograms. The usual platforms are the entire event and sub-components, but the
organisation itself can be a platform, especially if it has an events portfolio. Getz (1997, p. 221-222)
provided a framework for understanding and developing event sponsorship: On one hand, the sponsors
provide to the event cash, in-kind donations, enhanced marketing and expertise. On the other hand, in
exchange they expect gain the following benefits: visibility, merchandising, hospitality, use of brand
name, data on customers, and equity in event. The usual platforms are the entire event and subcomponents. This system must be balanced and mutually beneficial to sponsors, organizers, and
participants or it will cause problems. Event managers should systematically audit their organization
and events to identify and value platforms and potential benefits to offer, and then target them to either
general types of sponsors or to specific companies. For many events, sponsorship brings a valuable
opportunity for long-term business partnerships that assist in growing not only the event but also the
audience numbers.

However, event organisations have to fully understand the management

implications of attracting business partners (Geldard & Sinclair, 2003; Walle, 1995).
4.2 Sponsors marketing benefits
An appreciation of the sponsorship effects on event attendees helps to understand the engagement of
businesses and organizations with events. Knowledge and familiarity with a corporate or product
brand, as well as attitudinal and behavioural effects have been linked with event sponsorship. The
sponsors investment assisting a festival or sport is believed to create goodwill among attendees, which
in turn influences their attitude and behaviour towards the sponsors brand (Rowley & Williams, 2008;
Roy & Cornwell, 2004; Meenagham, 2001). There is an array of marketing benefits of event
sponsorship gained by corporate sponsors, including the following (Bowdin et al, 2011; Getz, 1997):
access to specific niche/target markets; corporate brand image creation/enhancement; building brand
awareness for an organisation and its services/products; influencing consumer attitudes about a product
or service brand; associating a product or service with particular lifestyle; improving relationships with
distribution channel

members; achieving product

sales and

merchandising opportunities;

demonstrating product attributes; and creating goodwill and a climate of consent for an organisations
activities.
4.3 Leveraging the sponsorship investment
It is well documented that sponsorship is an investment (see e.g. Goldblatt, 2008; Masterman, 2007;
Jeffries-Fox, 2005). To fully capitalise on a sponsorship investment, most business and organisations
develop a leveraging strategy (i.e. adding value to the investment) or a range of marketing activities
that extend the sponsorship benefits well beyond the events promised offer. Clearly some additional
benefits might be gained from leveraging a sponsorship in target markets with higher levels of event
knowledge involved or highly active event consumers are more likely to make an effort to process

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a sponsors message (Roy & Cornwell, 2004).Thats why most corporate businesses put an emphasis
on leveraging the sponsorship investment. Literature(see e.g.Bowdin et al, 2011; Gwinner & Bennet,
2007; Cornwell et al, 2006;) suggested a series of factors contributing to a successful leveraging of a
sponsorship, including: dedicated internal marketing strategy, intensive consumer-branding campaign,
dedicated business-to-business marketing campaign, and careful analysis of the fit between the event
organisation and the sponsors market (Soteriades & Dimou, 2011).As for the latter, it is worth
stressing thatfit has been defined as the extent of the congruence between the sponsors products and
markets and the events. Some studies (e.g. Gwinner & Bennet, 2007; Cornwell et al, 2006) showed
that the greater the fit between sponsor and the event, the more effective the sponsorship will be for
both parties. The fit phenomenon leads to significant elements and results, including: good brand
cohesiveness, strong event identification, favourable attitude towards the sponsor, high goodwill, and
purchase intentions.
From the above discussion the author estimates that arises a need to suggest a framework for efficient
management of event sponsorship. This framework is presented hereafter.

5. Event Sponsorship: A Management Framework

Just as most corporate will establish a sponsorship policy to guide their decision making, Grey &
Skildum-Reid (2003) strongly recommended that all events seeking sponsorship design a policy to
guide their actions. A policy must lead to a strategy formulation and implementation as well as to the
appropriate management plans.
5.1 Event sponsorship strategy
A strategy means knowing the direction in which the organisation is headed, which also applies to the
events sponsorship (Soteriades & Dimou, 2011; Okumus, Altinay, & Chathoth, 2010). Developing an
event sponsorship strategy is a very important task. It will have an interactive relationship with the
events marketing strategy, and event managers will need to be creative about how to can integrate the
sponsors brand with the events marketing plans. For event organisers / managers, this involves
thinking about event attendees / consumers and the fit they might have with corporate brands. It also
involves considering the attributes and values of the event and companies that might share those
values, the blend of sponsors who together might create a close-knit sponsor family and brainstorming
the kinds of partnerships that will grow the event in other words, enhancing the fit (Bowdin et al,
2011). The stages / steps in developing the event sponsorship strategy are illustrated in Figure 2.
(Here appears Figure 2)
Following to the strategy formulation is the stage of implementation consisting of: preparing and
presenting sponsorship proposals, undertaking the sponsorship screening process, and negotiating

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event sponsorship contracts. Once sponsorship has been secured with an agreement, it must be
effectively managed in order to ensure that the benefits that were promised are delivered (Masterman,
2007; Geldard & Sinclair, 2002).
5.2 Managing sponsorships
A sponsorship management plan is essential for successful events, allowing the efficient management
of marketing needs listed in the sponsorship agreement and to build a quality, long-lasting relationship
with events sponsors. Effective management of sponsorship agreements involves effective
relationships between two parties, built on a strong foundation of communication, commitment and
trust. Geldard &Sinclair(2002) provided a number of suggestions and techniques for effective
sponsorship management, used in ensuring managing sponsorship relations, namely: fully understand
the sponsors needs, one written form (contract), motivate events organisations staff about the
sponsorship; acknowledge the sponsor at every opportunity, sponsorship launch, media monitoring,
proper communication techniques.In other terms, there is a need for sponsorship management plans to
service sponsors.Furthermore, there is a need for monitoring, evaluation and feedback, i.e. the
assessment of the overall impact of the partnership. This task constitutes a shared responsibility of the
event organisation and its sponsor. Jeffries-Fox (2005) estimated that there are two components to
measurement and assessment, namely: (i) the evaluation of partnerships effectiveness and how the
sponsor and event have contributed to; and (ii) the measurement of the consumer-related marketing
objectives set by the sponsor. While most events seek some feedback from their sponsors about
effectiveness of their sponsorship management, much more efforts need to be devoted to measuring the
consumer effects of sponsorship. The most common method used is market research.
Based upon the above presented analysis it appears possible to suggest a framework for efficient
management of event sponsorship; in other terms, a framework for a reciprocally beneficial
partnership between event organisations and sponsors. The starting point/cornerstone of this approach
is a mutual understanding of marketing and management needs of both parties involved. The main
steps in determining a management framework for event sponsorship are based on a rational sequence
of steps (Soteriades & Dimou, 2011; Okumus et al, 2010) consisting of policy, strategy (formulation
and implementation), and management of event sponsorship; these stages are briefly presented in Table
3.
(Here appears Table 3)
The components of the suggested framework are better illustrated into Figure 3.
(Here appears Figure 3)

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It is clear that the above proposed management framework is taking into account the key factors
determining and influencing the event sponsorships management. It equally highlights the mutual
interest of both parties event organisations and corporate business involved in sponsorship and
simultaneously focusing on two perspectives, namely: marketing (events marketing sponsors
integrated communications) and financial (source of income for event investment for sponsor).
Obviously the event sponsorship must be effectively managed in order to ensure that: (i) the benefits
that were promised are properly delivered; and (ii) positive and enduring relations are developed with
sponsors. One of the critical tasks of management is the assessment of achieved outcomes. This
involves evaluating the partnerships effectiveness and the mutual and separate contribution of sponsor
and event organisation. As it might be observed in Table 3, this assessment encompasses two
components to measurement and assessment: (i) the effectiveness of sponsorship management; and (ii)
a final evaluation of sponsorship marketing outcomes through a market research.

6.Conclusions: Summary and Recommendations

Sponsorship is now a commonly used component of the integrated marketing communications of many
businesses and organisations. Influences on sponsorship growth worldwide can be found in the
business and marketing environment and in the diversity of consumer and stakeholder benefits that
sponsorships create. From an event organisations perspective, sponsorship represents a significant
potential source of revenue. Furthermore, sponsorships are fast becoming business partnerships that
offer resources beyond money. In this paperthe topic of sponsorship has been discussed and the key
issues in managing event sponsorships were explored. The study has provided insights in
understanding the benefits for events and sponsors and has considered the stages in developing the
event sponsorship strategy and the management of sponsorships. Finally, the article has proposed a
framework for efficient management of event sponsorship taking into consideration the marketing and
financial perspectives and the key factors determining a successful partnership. The author estimates
that this framework illustrates the need for understanding, developing and applying a management
approach for obtaining strategic benefits for event organisations and sponsors.
In concluding this paper it is worth formulating a series of recommendations and suggestions to event
organisers and managers in order to render this business partnership effective and mutually beneficial.
It is estimated that a crucial issue is to fully analyse and apprehend the potential costs and benefits of
sponsorship to event organizers and sponsors. It is equally necessary to build attractive sponsorship
platforms / proposals into the event organization that provide corporate sector/sponsors with benefits
linked to visibility, networking, and effective integrated communications. To succeed in attracting and
keeping the sponsorship agreements, event organisers must thoughtfully develop policies and
strategies, providing a clear framework for both events and sponsors to decide on the appropriateness
of potential business partnerships. Before looking for potential sponsors the event organisation should
determine the event benefits available for sale and a clear management plan. These two elements

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constitute a very good starting point for seeking sponsorship / business partnership. Furthermore, event
managers have to develop a sponsorship plan including consideration of mutual benefit and risks, the
fit between event and sponsor. It is strongly recommended that the sponsorship proposal must be
based on comprehensive research of the benefits that the event creates for sponsors and the potential
sponsor. Relationships with sponsors should ideally be on a long-term partnership basis. Additionally,
event organizations must cultivate mutually beneficial relationships and help sponsors get the most
value for their investment, a higher leverage. It is also suggested that a balanced portfolio of sponsors
should be attained; including cash, in-kind, and media benefits; and sponsors must be used to augment
the marketing reach of the event. Finally, the events sponsorship agreements must be properly
managed so that commitments made to sponsors are met and there is a need to perform market and
impact research to assess outcomes and to demonstrate benefits to sponsors. All these elements must
be integral components of an adequate event sponsorship management plan.

References
Andersson, T., & Getz, D. (2008). Stakeholder management: strategies of festivals. Journal of
Convention & Event Tourism, 9, 199-220.
Bowdin, G., Allen, J., O'Toole, W., Harris R., & McDonnell, I. (2011).Events management, 3rd edn.
Oxford: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann.
Cornwell, T., Humphreys, M., Maguire, A., Weeks, C., & Tellegen, C. (2006). Sponsorship linked
marketing: the role of articulation in memory. Journal of Consumer Research, 33(3), 312-321.
Cornwell, T., Weeks, C., & Roy, D. (2005). Sponsorship-linked marketing: opening the black box.
Journal of Advertising, 34(2), 21-43.
Crompton, J. (1994). Benefits and risks associated with sponsorship of major events. Festival
Management and Event Tourism, 2(2), 65-74.
Duncan, T. (2002).IMC: Using advertising and promotion to build brands. Boston: McGraw-Hill
Irwin.
Geldard, E., & Sinclair, L. (2002).The sponsorship manual: sponsorship made easy, 2nd edn. Victoria,
Australia: Sponsorship Unit.
Getz, D. (1997). Event management & event tourism.New York: Cognizant Communication
Corporation.
Getz, D., & Andersson, T. (2010). Festival stakeholders: exploring relationships and dependency
through a four-country comparison. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 34(4), 531-556.
Jeffries-Fox, B. (2005). A guide to measuring event sponsorships. London: Institute for Public
Relations.
Goldblatt, J. (2008). Special events: the roots and wings of celebration, 5th edn. New Jersey: John
Wiley & Sons Inc.

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Grey, A. M., & Skildum-Reid, K. (2003).The sponsorship seekers toolkit.2nd edn. Sydney: McGrawHill.
Gwinner, K., & Bennet, G. (2007). The impact of brand cohesiveness and sport identification on brand
fit in a sponsorship context. Journal of Sports Management, 22(4), 410-426.
Hinch, T., & Higham, J. (2004).Sport tourism development.In C. Cooper (ed.) Aspects of tourism.
Clevedon: Channel View Publications.
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International Chamber of Commerce [ICC] (2003).International code on sponsorship. (Internet)
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Masterman, G. (2007). Sponsorship for a return on investment. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Meenagham, T. (2001).Understanding sponsorship effects.Psychology and Marketing, 18(2), 95-122.
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Strategic Management Journal, 17(1), 77-91.
Nadav, S., Smith, W.W., & Canberg, A. (2010).Examining corporate sponsorship of charitable events
in the Greater Charleston area.Event Management, an International Journal, 14(3), 239-250.
Okumus, F., Altinay, L., & Chathoth, P. (2010).Strategic management for hospitality and tourism.
Oxford: Elsevier.
Pike, S (2008). Destination marketing: an integrated marketing communication approach. Oxford:
Butterworth-Heinemann, Elsevier.
Roy, D., & Cornwell, T.B. (2004).The effects of consumer knowledge on responses to event
sponsorship.Psychology and Marketing, 21(3), 185-207.
Rowley, J., & Williams, C. (2008).The impact of brand sponsorship of music festivals.Marketing
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Shone, A., & Parry, B. (2004).Successful event management, a practical handbook, 2nd edn. London:
Thomson Learning
Skinner, B.E., & Rukavina, V. (2003).Event sponsorship. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons Inc.
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Sunshine, K., Backman, K., & Backman, S. (1995). An examination of sponsorship proposals in
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Watt, D.C. (1998). Event management in leisure and tourism. Harlow: Longman.

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Tables

Table 1.Event and Stakeholders: Role to and Benefit from Events

Table 1 presents the roles to events, as well as the benefits and impacts from events for the various
stakeholders involved in this field
Stakeholders

Role to Events

Benefit from Events

1. Host organisation
Participation / support
Participation / support
2. Participants and spectators
Participation / support
Entertainment / reward
3. Host community
Context
Impacts
4. Co-workers
Labour / support
Payment / reward
5. Media
Promotion
Editorial / advertising
6. Sponsors
Money/in-kind
Acknowledgement
Source: Retrieved from Bowdin et al., 2011; Getz & Andersson, 2010; Andersson & Getz, 2008.

Table 2. Events The Corporate Perspective

This table presents in a synoptic way the corporate perspective to events, i.e. the business actors
involved in events and sponsorships, as well as their respective role and aims.
Corporate Actors Involved
(1)Organizers: events are organized by:
1.1. Private sector

Role & Goals

1.2. Government agencies and public-private

groups
1.3. Non-profit or voluntary sector

To foster sports, health, or social integration;

appreciation and participation; to create jobs.
To attract revenue and support for multiple
community benefits.
Provide money and grants in return for specific
benefits.
Marketing orientation. Pay for the event experience.

(2) Sponsors and Other Partners

(3) Customers: Audience

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Marketing purposes; Attractions and image makers.

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Table 3. Managing Event Sponsorship: Stages, Tasks and Outcomes

Table 3 summarizes the various stages in developing a strategy and in managing event sponsorship
with the respective tasks and outcomes.
Stages
1. Event sponsorship
strategy formulation

2. Implementation
sponsorship strategy

3.
Managing
Sponsorship

of

Event

Tasks
1.1 Profiling the events audience
1.2 Establishing the offering of event
1.3 Building the event sponsorship
list
1.4 Matching events benefits with
potential sponsors
2.1 Preparing sponsorship proposals
2.2 Undertaking the sponsorship
screening process
2.3 Negotiating event sponsorship
contracts
Effective sponsorship management of
marketing needs listed in the
sponsorship agreement
Managing sponsorship relations
Assessment of the overall impact of
the partnership

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Outcomes
Determine the target markets
Events assets / benefits offered
to sponsors
Establish a list of potential
sponsors
Sponsorship fit / mutual interest
Present draft proposals
Select a short list of sponsors
Sponsorship agreements
A sponsorship management plan
to service sponsors
Implement the appropriate
techniques
Feedback on effectiveness of
management
Measuring the consumer-related
marketing objectives set by the
sponsor (i.e. consumer effects of
sponsorship)

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Figures
Figure 1. Exchange relationship in event sponsorship
This figure illustrates the rationale of exchange relationship between event organisations and
businesses in sponsorship, as suggested by Crompton (1994).

EVENT ORGANISATION

BUSINESS

seeks:

seeks:

- Financial investment

Increased

brand

awareness

- In-kind services

- Brand image enhancement

- Marketing & media expertise

- Product trial and service exposure

- Event brand enhancement

- Sales or hospitality opportunities

- Product and service offers for event

- Market interactivity.

attendees.

Source: Crompton, 1994

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Figure 2. Event Sponsorship Strategy: Steps

Figure 2 illustrates the four stages / steps to be followed in developing and formulating an event
sponsorship strategy.

Profiling the event audience (the

target markets)

Establishing the events offering

(events assets / benefits offered to
sponsors)

Building the event sponsorship list

(establish a list of potential
sponsors)

Matching event benefits with

potential sponsors (fit / mutual
interest)

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Figure 3. Event Sponsorship: a Management Framework

Figure 3 depicts the various components of the suggested framework for efficient managing of a
mutually beneficial partnership in the field of event sponsorship.

EVENTS
Financial & Marketing Concerns
(seeking for funds / income)

BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP

E
f
f
i

CORPORATE / SPONSORS

Marketing Communications &

Investment

(seeking for promotion)

n
c
y

Event Sponsorship Management

(1) Policy: guiding decision making and
actions.
(2) Strategy: knowing the desirable direction
to go.
Evaluation & Feedback

(3) Management: efficiently organising and

directing sponsorship agreements.

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