Author: Sean Connell

Sean Connell is the Editor of The Sponsor, a magazine dedicated to the business of sponsorship. With a background in brand and asset valuation at Brand Finance and experience advising both sponsors and rights holders, Sean brings industry-leading insight into what makes partnerships valuable, measurable, and impactful.

Lidl and UEFA: When a sponsorship works, have the conviction to go all in

Lidl and UEFA: When a sponsorship works, have the conviction to go all in

May 7, 2026 |

A partnership that's truly aligned and delivering fully against brand objectives is hard to find. If you're lucky enough to achieve one, the next step is to invest with conviction and build something that lasts. That’s the partnership LIDL is building with UEFA. We spoke to Robin Ruschke, Head of Marketing at Lidl International, about what that decision looks like in...
JM Finn and Surrey: Proof that sponsorship value compounds

JM Finn and Surrey: Proof that sponsorship value compounds

Apr 30, 2026 |

Long-term value beats new audiences. There is always a pull in sponsorship towards the new: new audiences, new platforms, new sports. More often than not, however, the brands that generate the most value are the ones that stay. Not because they lack ambition, but because sponsorship value compounds. The longer a partnership runs, the stronger the association becomes, the...
How do you convince the board your sponsorship is working?

How do you convince the board your sponsorship is working?

Apr 27, 2026 |

How do you know your sponsorship is working? It’s a question that sits at the heart of every sponsorship strategy, yet one that remains surprisingly difficult to answer with certainty. Ask a group of marketing leaders privately and the responses tend to converge on the same theme: they have a sense of impact, but proving it in hard financial terms is another matter...
Data driven sposnsorship