Author: Sean Connell

Sean Connell is Editor of The Sponsor. He regularly publishes articles, interviews senior marketing leaders, hosts private events and leads The Sponsor's valuation research, market analysis and annual industry studies.

A new chapter for Fuse as culture reshapes its leadership team and strategic approach

A new chapter for Fuse as culture reshapes its leadership team and strategic approach

Jan 15, 2026 |

Culture has become a defining battleground for brands looking to stay relevant in an increasingly fragmented media landscape. As fan behaviour shifts and audiences engage across sport, entertainment and live experiences in new and more fluid ways, agencies are being challenged to help brands connect with culture in a way that is both meaningful and measurable. Fuse’s is the...
Sponsorship outlook 2026: The trends and market forces shaping the year ahead

Sponsorship outlook 2026: The trends and market forces shaping the year ahead

Jan 13, 2026 |

Regulation, shifting fan behaviour, challenger formats and new market entrants. 2026 is shaping up to be a year of opportunity for brands and rights holders that understand how the marketplace is changing, where budgets are moving and how value is created. The result is a more active but competitive environment. One defined not by fewer deals, but by savvier buyers, greater...
Why IBM’s Wimbledon renewal is the sponsorship all brands should envy

Why IBM’s Wimbledon renewal is the sponsorship all brands should envy

Jan 7, 2026 |

IBM and Wimbledon have just extended their partnership for another multi-year term, taking one of sport’s most enduring commercial relationships beyond 35 years. In an industry obsessed with novelty, few sponsorships survive a single leadership cycle, let alone three decades. Fewer still are renewed because they continue to do exactly what both sides...
Data driven sposnsorship