This article was originally published in the Brand Finance Banking 500 2025 report
Sports Services Senior Consultant,
Brand Finance
Sports sponsorship has long been a cornerstone of marketing strategies for banking brands, but recent trends indicate that a deeper, more integrated approach is now emerging.
According to Brand Finance's 2025 Banking 500 Study, 91 of the 100 most valuable banking brands leverage sports sponsorships to enhance brand equity, reach new audiences, and strengthen community ties.
Weaving brands into the community fabric
North American banks increasingly view sponsorships not merely as tactical manoeuvres for short-term gains but as strategic, long-term investments that weave their brands into communities' cultural and social tapestries.
Securing naming rights to sports stadiums and arenas exemplifies this commitment while offering banks continuous and prominent exposure, as every event, broadcast, and mention of the venue inherently promotes the bank.
By reinforcing brand recognition over extended periods, venue naming rights deals often surpass the impact of intermittent, smaller event-based sponsorships that have traditionally been the predominant trend.
One long adopter of this strategy is TD Bank, which announced a 20-year extension to its naming partnership of the TD Garden in 2023, deepening their commitment to Boston and greater New England communities.
BNP Paribas also exemplify long-term sponsorship commitments. BNP Paribas, Europe's 4th most valuable banking brand has proudly celebrated sponsoring tennis worldwide for over 50 years, including record partnerships at Roland Garros and BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. Consistent and authentic brand-building activities through sponsorship have contributed to stronger brand value performance among these top banking brands.
25 of the 152 stadiums and arenas across the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and MLS - the leading sports leagues across the US - have long-term naming deals with North American banks, representing 16% of the stadiums.
Banking brands account for nearly a quarter - 23% - of all stadium naming rights deals in American Football, which Brand Finance data indicates is followed by 41% of Americans, making it the most followed sport in the US (Figure 1).
Targeting affluent audiences through strategic sponsorships
Banks are also aligning their brands with sports that attract affluent demographics. Golf, for example, predominantly appeals to business professionals, investors, and high-income groups—key targets for premium banking services. Brand Finance's Global Brand Equity Monitor research indicates that high-net-worth individuals who follow golf and tennis over-index by 66% and 81%, respectively, compared to the general population.
Recognising this, several American banks have invested in major golfing events. Citi sponsors the Ryder Cup, RBC backs the RBC Heritage PGA Tour event, and Morgan Stanley supports The Players Championship. These sponsorships have led to notable improvements in brand consideration and reputation among affluent audiences, positioning these banks as premium financial service providers (Figure 2).
Embracing women's sports and mega-events
Another significant shift in sports sponsorship is increased investment in women's sports. Banks recognise the commercial potential and cultural impact of supporting women's leagues.
Most notably, Bank of America expanded its commitment by becoming an official partner of the U.S. Soccer Federation, backing both men's and women's national teams. Ally Financial, the official banking partner of the NWSL, has also increased its investment in women's sports media by 300% in 2022 and is on track to achieve equal spending across men's and women's sports by 2027. This action is synchronised with Ally’s mission to make women’s sports unmissable in the US.
On the other side of the Atlantic, Barclays recently doubled its investment in the world’s fastest-growing sport, women’s football (soccer), through its continued title sponsorship of the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship in the United Kingdom.
Bank of America is also capitalising on major international sporting events held domestically. Through its sponsorship of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the bank has an opportunity to engage a diverse global audience and reinforce its reputation as a leading financial institution in North America.
According to research by Brand Finance, this sponsorship is already beginning to have a positive impact.
US football (soccer) fans are 19% more likely to consider Bank of America as their banking brand (Figure 3), whilst the increase is higher among women football (soccer) fans at 20%.
Measuring the impact of long-term sponsorships
Measuring the impact of long-term sponsorships is essential for banks, as accurate measurement ensures strategic alignment, optimises marketing spend and maximises return on investment. Brand Finance researches banks to measure how effectively sponsorships enhance brand perception, customer loyalty, and market positioning over time, providing clarity on whether sponsorship objectives, such as community engagement, ESG targets, or brand differentiation, are being met.
Moreover, by quantifying sponsorship outcomes, banks can refine future initiatives, improve stakeholder communication, and demonstrate accountability to shareholders and regulators, thereby safeguarding reputation and justifying continued investment in strategic partnerships.
Good brand measurement is essential to good brand management.
- https://www.tdgarden.com/news/detail/td-bank-delaware-north-extend-td-garden-naming-rights-through-2045#:~:text=Boston%2C%20MA%2C%20(January%2012,keeps%20the%20beloved%20landmark%20and
- https://newsroom.bankofamerica.com/content/newsroom/press-releases/2024/12/bofa-builds-on-partnership-with-fifa-to-become-official-partner-.html#:~:text=In%20August%202024%2C%20Bank%20of,all%20ages%2C%20abilities%20and%20backgrounds
- https://www.sportico.com/business/sponsorship/2024/ally-financial-usga-partnership-womens-sports-investment-1234765004/
- https://www.pgamediacenter.com/press-releases/2023-08-08-citi-becomes-a-worldwide-partner-of-the-ryder-cup-through-2025
- https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2024/08/14/pga-tour-2025-schedule-rbc-sponsorship/#:~:text=The%20PGA%20Tour%20this%20morning,2025%2C%20similar%20to%20last%20year
- https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/latest/2025/03/12/morgan-stanley-eagles-for-impact-2025-the-players-championship-tpc-sawgrass#:~:text=Morgan%20Stanley's%20ongoing%20partnership%20with,%2C%20teamwork%2C%20and%20giving%20back
- https://newsroom.bankofamerica.com/content/newsroom/press-releases/2025/01/u-s--soccer-federation-and-bank-of-america-announce-new-long-ter.html
