Executive summary

While much of the world is still trying to shake off the effects of the recession, football grabbed the headlines again last month when Standard Chartered Bank agreed to a four-year, £80-million shirt sponsorship with English Premier League team Liverpool. The massive sums of money involved in such deals seem to put the prospect of sports sponsorships or endorsements out of the reach of anyone without an advertising budget that is larger than some national GDPs.

But wait! Even if your brand is still just one of the little guys, you don’t have to give up quite yet.

“There are many opportunities for smaller brands in less commercialised or more ‘niche’ sports, where the big brands aren't heavily involved,” explains Philip Shaw, Director, Brand & Communications, for Synovate in the United Kingdom.