Sponsering: I den bedste danske fodboldrække

Abstract

Sponsorship has been a market with significant growth for a long period, but because of the macro economical factors 2009/2010 became a period with no growth and a change in focus from the marketers. This change of circumstances and focus gave us an approach, which was exiting and relevant for a research paper. The research on sponsor and sponsee relations is historically very limited, but a very exciting area to research. Our paper is focusing on this area with a specific concentration on the best Danish football league and the relation between the clubs and their sponsors. We want to base our paper on a qualitative and quantitative research approach containing seven interviews and two questionnaires, one for the sponsors and one for the clubs. Furthermore we will combine the research with litterateur as the fundament of our assumptions, analysis and interpretations. Our output will be parted in two: 1. a model of the key success factors from our market research analysis We based the model of the success factors on our questionnaire and with some of the accepted hypotheses as factors. It shows us that experience, long-term strategy, strong relations, activation through VIP-tickets and TV-commercials, choice of club, measuring effect continuously, and because of the financial crises the sponsors influence on contract negotiations are the variables which can secure success. 2. a process model, called LPSP, which can support a firm to direct and optimize its approach on being or becoming a sponsor The LPSP model contains three faces, pre-, meanwhile and post face. The pre-face focuses on the important reflections from the company on their goals, how to activate the sponsorship, choice of club (sponsee) and investment resources. The importance lay in the reflections and creation of a clear and orderly strategy that makes it easy to implement the factors throughout the company’s choices concerning the sponsorship. The meanwhile face focuses on the importance in a clear well debated cooperation and relationship, which can avoid misunderstandings and mistakes and therefore a bad relationship. After insuring a good cooperation, the activation of the sponsorship and continuous dialog between sponsor and sponsee are the most importance factors for both actors to concentrate on throughout the contract time. The last face is the evaluation, where the sponsor decides whether the sponsorship was successful, or the returns was not satisfactory. Thereby the sponsor can evaluate if it can improve and continue sponsoring or wants to quit its sponsoring activities.