Predicting the future is a seductive pursuit, yet it’s often an exercise in navigating uncertainty with incomplete information.
While patterns and data can provide a glimpse into what might be, the future is shaped by countless variables—technological breakthroughs, cultural shifts, and human choices—that defy rigid forecasting.
The paradox lies in our yearning for control in a world that thrives on chaos and possibility.
The most effective futurists aren’t those who claim to know what’s next, but those who prepare for multiple outcomes, embrace adaptability, and remain attuned to the subtle signals of change that others overlook.
In essence, the future isn’t about certainty—it’s about readiness.
This is exactly why we do this each year with The Inches Podcast.
In this episode, Rich & I dive into our 2025 predictions for the sponsorship industry.
You can listen to the whole episode HERE, but as always I dive into the key points below.
Prediction 1. Sponsorship will take an even bigger step into year-round expectations.
We’ve spoken about this for what seems like a decade…but each year it becomes bigger and bigger.
In the ‘Old’ days, we primarily reached our fans during the season. Once the season was over…there was very little expectation or demand to reach our fans year-round.
Digital & performance marketing changed all of that.
Brands expect, and have access to, reach fans 24/7/365 in compelling and meaningful ways. Mainly because they have the access to do so through digital advertising.
While our games are the cream of the crop when it comes to attention, that just isn’t good enough. Your brands will expect to be able to reach your passionate fans year-round.
The good part of this, it means we can make year-round money. More reach means more revenue for our team…IF we have channels to successfully engage and reach that fan all year.
So as you head into 2025, do a quick audit on your off-season inventory. Do you have enough? Is what you have engaging enough? Is it compelling enough to buy?
As brands look more and more toward year-long revenue, the teams that have it and are successful with it will drive more revenue.
Prediction 2. AI in sponsorships, currently, is a good second brain — but not the full answer.
How could we do a 2025 prediction without talking about AI?
It is the hot topic of the upcoming year. It is going to change everything. It is bigger than the internet.
BUT…it isn’t quite there yet.
While AI will absolutely get to a place where it can successfully manage, ideate, and execute sports partnerships better than humans can. It currently can’t (if you are good at your job).
There are a lot of companies out there claiming that they already have the full answer in sponsorships, but they don’t.
That is because A.I. in its current form is a really, really good second brain. It can do many tasks and analyses faster than we can. It can uncover things we didn’t see.
But it can’t quite yet replace us or full tasks.
So as you navigate how AI can help your sponsorship department in the near future (which you absolutely should be doing), be curious but skeptical. Challenge the ‘answer to all our problems’ solutions and use it as a second brain.
I will end this one by saying I am not clueless as to what AI can do in our industry. It will change everything, and you should be utilizing it. But from what I have seen (which I could be wrong) it is in its infancy. Question it before you blindly pay a lot of money to adopt it.
Prediction 3. Growth of demand for Very, Very Important Person (VVIP) Experiences.
Experiences are a vital piece of inventory for teams in sponsorships. We have the ability to create memorable moments for fans through behind the scene looks, exclusive game moments, and experiences that they can’t find anywhere else.
But this year, Rich sees the demand for that taking it up a notch.
In a world of transactional sales, relationship building is a premium to stand out. If you sponsor sells B2B or high priced items…they do it based on building trust.
One of the best way to do this is through reciprocity, and one way to reach that is by taking a prospective client to sit courtside with you during warm ups.
So as you head into 2025, make sure that you are identifying the sponsors who may be selling enterprise solutions…or a high priced product.
If they are, adding VVIP experiences into your packages can drastically increase thier sponsorship spend.
If you don’t have this inventory in your suite of offerings yet…build it.
Prediction 4. Being able to reach multiple generations based on how they consume will be essential.
2025 brings a wide and fragmented set of ways to reach humans.
And it really comes down to HOW & WHERE they consume their content.
Facebook & Email is usually the older generation.
Tik Tok & Youtube, the yonger.
You see, it no longer is a question of what demographics your current social channels reach. It is a question of can you reach EVERY demographic.
Why? Because it sets you up to be able to say yes to the following question from a brand “We are targeting 55-80 year olds, can you get us in front of them?”.
If you have successfully built an engaged following across ALL of these channels, you will be able to say yes to any demographic they throw at you.
And this isn’t to say you simply have presence on these channels. You need to have power.
You need to have the ability to drive engagement and results. To post content that truly connects with the fans who consume on these platforms.
In 2025, it will be more important than ever to have a plan on how you will successfully engage fans on each distribution channel so you can rech more age demographics for your sponsors.
Prediction 5. More emphasis will be put on tapping into Purpose & Passion.
We have passionate fans. This is probably the biggest asset we sell.
They are die-hard. They stand by the team. They are literally emotionally tied to outcomes.
But these fans also have other passions. Other purposes they support. Other things they care deeply about.
Some examples? Animal wellness, social issues, environmental preservation.
These are things that help tap into our fan’s passion as a human on a deeper level.
Most of the time…brands struggle to tap into these items. Many times it comes with authenticity.
It is a bit hard for them to take the transactional nature out of support for these causes. Many times it comes off as only doing it to drive more revenue.
Luckily, we as a team have built trust with our fans — and brands can piggy back off that trust to more successfully tap into these passions.
Some examples are adopt a dog nights, or 3’s for Trees. It is a way that the brand can support and tap into these passions without comping off as inauthentic.
More brands will be looking for this inventory in 2025.
So as you build and prepare for the new year, make sure that you are finding the brands that care about these issues and building in ways to help them authentically tap into your fan base.
In the end, the future remains an enigma not to be solved but to be embraced.
It is less a destination and more a canvas—painted with the bold strokes of human ambition, the unexpected turns of innovation, and the steady march of time.
While we may never predict it with precision, our capacity to dream, adapt, and persevere ensures that we are not mere spectators of what lies ahead.
Instead, we are its co-creators, shaping tomorrow through the choices we make today.
Create your 2025.
