Soft drinks brands dominate sports sponsorship in the Americas with soccer deals, GlobalData reveals.
The soft drinks sector continues to be one of the most active sports sponsorship sectors in the world. Some of the world’s most recognizable beverage companies, including PepsiCo and Coca-Cola, dominate sports sponsorship in the Americas, with football deals accounting for more than 40% of total deal volume in 2024, reveals GlobalDataa leading data and analytics company.
The latest report from GlobalData, “ Sponsorship Sector Report – Non-Alcoholic Beverages Americas 2024 reveals that the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) partnership with PepsiCo ranks as the largest soft drink deal in the Americas. Across the region, Coca-Cola is the most active brand with 101 active offers in 2024.
Olivia Snooks, analyst sport at GlobalData, comments: “ With an estimated annual value of $20 million, the largest transaction in terms of annual value is Coca-Cola’s partnership with US Soccer. Following closely behind soccer in second place is American football, with the sport’s biggest deal being PepsiCo’s partnership with the National Football League (NFL).
The NBA’s partnership with PepsiCo allows the soft drink brand to be the exclusive food and beverage partner of the NBA, G-League and WNBA. Lasting five years, the total value of the agreement is estimated at $500 million. The NFL’s deal with PepsiCo allows the company to use the NFL’s premium rights for its brands. Pepsi also gets pouring rights at major NFL events, with its Gatorade sports drink maintaining high visibility on the sidelines. The total value of this agreement is estimated at $375 million over five years.
Snooks continues: “ Major U.S. sports leagues dominate soft drink brand spending in the region. Given the popularity and market power of these sports leagues, including the NBA, NFL, National College Athlete Association (NCAA), and National Hockey League (NHL), it is no surprise that companies like PepsiCo and Coca-Cola have concentrated their spending on these properties.
Coca-Cola and PepsiCo are the two most dominant soft drink brands in the Americas region. Coca-Cola is the most active, while PepsiCo is the biggest spender in 2024. In terms of brand spending, Keurig Dr. Pepper ranks third; However, there is a significant gap between Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, and the rest, as both brands have a much larger presence in the Americas than any other brand in the industry.
Snooks concludes: “ Both PepsiCo and Coca-Cola have established vast dominance in terms of sports sponsorship, especially in the Americas region. Both brands have expanded beyond their core products to include a variety of beverages, which has given them a greater presence in the market, in terms of sports sponsorship.
About GlobalData
4,000 of the world’s largest companies, including more than 70% of FTSE 100 companies and 60% of Fortune 100 companies, make more timely and insightful business decisions using GlobalData’s unique data, analytics and experts and innovative solutions, all on a single platform. GlobalData’s mission is to help our clients decode the future to be more efficient and innovative across a range of industries, including healthcare, consumer, retail, finance, technology and professional services.
