Top 10 Sports Sponsored Content Pieces Of 2024

👋 Welcome back to Sponcon Sports, a weekly newsletter dedicated to sponsored content strategy in the sports industry!

Has anyone else noticed a surge in NFL player gifting coverage this season?

My social feeds are packed with stories of players treating their teammates:

• Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley: Personalized golf carts for their O-lines.

• Josh Jacobs: Spent $100K+ on diamond chains for his O-line.

• Daniel Jones: Limited-edition Clase Azul bottles for his Giants linemen.

And it’s not just the media highlighting this. Teams are joining in:

• Kansas City Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes’ gift to the O-line (7.2M views) + Chris Jones’ gift to the D-line (928K views).

• Pittsburgh Steelers: Russell Wilson’s gift package (625.8K views). A $10K Airbnb gift card, a Louis Vuitton duffel bag in Steelers colors, custom-made Steelers Good Man Brand shoes (Wilson’s premium men’s clothing brand), and a bottle of his wife Ciara’s TenToOne Rum.

• San Francisco 49ers: Brock Purdy Brock Purdy surprising his O-line with Toyota cars (1.1M views).

• Buffalo Bills: The Bills’ O-line gifted Josh Allen an MVP necklace (590K views).

This got me thinking—could player gifting social content drive revenue for rights holders through sponsorships? It's tricky:

1. Avoid implied endorsements (don’t focus too much on a single player).

2. Work with a brand that sponsors both the team and the player.

3. Watch for conflicts from the branded gifts with existing sponsors.

If you’re thinking, hey we need to keep these moments “authentic”, remember that Mahomes, Wilson, and Purdy all gave gifts from brands they’re tied to.

Here’s an idea: bundle player gifting into a Season of Giving campaign. The platform will be primarily built on community-focused content, but adding player gifting boosts the package’s social value (see above), and placing player gifting under the Season of Giving umbrella helps you avoid implied endorsement.

In Today’s Edition:

• ‘24’s Top 10 Sponcon 🏆️

• CFP’s Down Marker Magic 🏈

• Bucks’ Tunnel Walk Twist 💧

🏊️ DEEP DIVE
2024’s Top 10 Sports Sponsored Content

2024 was a banner year for sponsored content in the sports industry. From heartfelt moments to behind-the-scenes access, this year’s best activations didn’t just entertain fans—they set the standard for how brands can authentically integrate into the action.

This Top 10 list celebrates campaigns that didn’t just put logos on screens but became part of the story.

Note - show this to anyone who still believes sponsored content doesn’t work.

Ready to see how the best in sports sponcon raised the bar this year? Let’s dive in.

10: Pittsburgh Penguins x Dick’s Sporting Goods - Junior Starter Mic’d Up

The Pittsburgh Penguins turned an in-venue activation into amazing social content with Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Through the Junior Starter Program, a kid gets to skate on the ice and stand next to a player for the national anthem. But the Penguins took it one step further. They mic’d up the junior starter and gave us a look at her perspective of this once-in-a-lifetime moment.

The video captured everything: her nerves, excitement, and pure joy. Even cooler, with a camera person skating alongside, you could really tell how big Sidney Crosby felt in the eyes of the junior starter.

It was emotional and absolutely memorable.

This creative approach generated 2.4M impressions, 113K+ engagements, and a 4.7% engagement rate. More importantly, it convinced me that with the right execution, in-venue partner activations have a place on social media through sponsored content.

Full breakdown here (see Sponsored Content of the Week).

9: Philadelphia Eagles x Sleep Number - Week In The Life Of An NFL Player

The Philadelphia Eagles did the impossible: making engaging social content for a brand focused on rest and recovery.

In partnership with Sleep Number, the Philadelphia Eagles created “A Week in the Life of an NFL Player,” an 11-minute all-access video following right tackle Lane Johnson as he takes us through an entire game week, highlighting rest, recovery, and preparation.

Fans loved the exclusive, behind-the-scenes look, learning things like why players lift heavy the day after a game or how Johnson uses a 110-pound roller to recover.

So, what made this work?

• The access: Fans got to see moments they normally wouldn’t see on broadcast television.

• The relevance: Lane’s role on the offensive line is physically demanding, making rest crucial.

• The balance: Sleep Number appeared twice, for 15 seconds with product placement, so it stayed engaging without feeling like an ad.

The result? Over 840K YouTube views!

While many teams might settle for a basic social post focused on a player’s recovery routine, the Eagles flipped the script by creating content that captured fans’ attention and seamlessly delivered brand messaging.

Full breakdown here (see Sponsored Content of the Week).

8: NFL x Fast Twitch Energy Drink - Creators Survive Player Workouts

The NFL and Fast Twitch Energy challenged creators to survive player workouts.

Seeing stars like Myles Garrett, Justin Jefferson, George Kittle, and Tua Tagovailoa train was exciting, but adding creator collaboration made it even better.

• It brought the NFL and Fast Twitch to new audiences.

• It highlighted players’ strengths by contrasting them against non-athletes.

• It lets the players and creators shine. Players focused on their workouts, while creators hosted effortlessly.

No forced messaging here. The series showcased how Fast Twitch powers peak performance, keeping the story authentic and fan-friendly.

Full breakdown here (see Sponsored Content of the Week).

7: Fox Sports x State Farm - Caitlin Clark Cam

A game-changer for the sports industry.

The Caitlin Clark Cam debuted in February as FOX’s first-ever live basketball stream on TikTok (via @CBBonFOX).

This iso-cam followed Clark all game. No commentary, just crowd noise, and her every move.

It was fittingly sponsored by State Farm, tying into their partnership with the former Iowa star.

While the visuals could be cleaner, the real-time graphics for stats and tune-in were a nice touch.

This concept paved the way for MLS’ Lionel Messi Cam this fall, which hit over 130K concurrent viewers in just two minutes. With younger fans prioritizing players over teams with their fandom, this idea has massive potential to sell and scale in 2025.

Full breakdown here (see Sponsored Content of the Week).

6: Google Pixel x SLAM Magazine - 250th Issue Shot On Google Pixel

Google Pixel entered the print space this Spring.

To celebrate the WNBA season tipoff, Google Pixel teamed up with Slam Magazine for a historic milestone: the 250th issue. It featured rookies Angel Reese and Cameron Brink—shot entirely on a Google Pixel.

The collaboration was impossible to miss.

“Photographed on Google Pixel” was prominently displayed on the covers and within each web story (Reese story + Brink story).

They were also tagged in behind-the-scenes social content (Reese BTS, Brink BTS, Both BTS), reinforcing the high-quality photos that a Google Pixel camera can capture.

This is product integration done unexpectedly—positioning the Pixel camera beyond the UGC realm (as laid out above) and rather as a pro-level tool for capturing iconic sports moments.

Full breakdown here (see Sponsored Content of the Week).

5: NFL x New Era Cap - Draft Cam

The NFL makes its second appearance, cracking the top five with Draft Cam, presented by New Era Cap.

When first-round picks get drafted, they put on their new team’s hat before meeting Commissioner Roger Goodell. It’s a moment fans see every year on air and online.

The NFL and New Era turned this hat moment into exceptional sponsored content, letting players see themselves in their new team’s hat, and strategically placing a camera to capture their joy and excitement.

This is a perfect example of an authentic product-moment fit and one that’s seemingly so simple, that you’re jealous you didn’t think of it.

4: Boston Celtics x FanDuel Sportsbook - All In Playoffs Docuseries

The Boston Celtics launched an all-access docuseries chronicling their 2024 playoff run.

All In presented by FanDuel aired exclusively on X and was produced by Tom Brady’s production company, Shadow Lion.

The five-episode series released in real-time during the NBA playoffs showcased the Celtics’ journey to their historic 18th championship.

The partnership with FanDuel featured its logo shown throughout each episode, while the collaboration with X provided branded notifications, platform support, and extensive promotion.

With over 46M views, the series delivered incredible exposure for FanDuel, and All In now serves as a timeless documentation of the team’s success.

Full breakdown here (see Sponsored Content of the Week).

3: Mercedes F1 x WhatsApp - W15 Livery Tease And Reveal

Mercedes and WhatsApp set the tone for what was the digital partnership of the year.

Last winter, Mercedes teased their car’s new livery with a simple, yet brilliant post: The car was covered by a tarp that read, “Built Privately” alongside WhatsApp’s logo.

The connection was perfect. With WhatsApp all about private messaging, it aligned so well with F1’s secretive car designs.

The teaser ignited fan excitement during peak offseason hype, and the social performance was as strong as expected.

But the cherry on top was fans getting an exclusive first look at the W15 via Mercedes’ WhatsApp Channel.

And when the car was unveiled, Mercedes revealed another clever touch: a WhatsApp radio button added to the drivers’ steering wheels.

Full breakdown here (see Sponsored Content of the Week).

2: Liverpool FC x Google Pixel - Pixel Perfect Highlight

What a kickoff to Google Pixel's first season as a Liverpool FC sponsor!

Their key digital asset? On-field highlights shot on a Google Pixel - which stole the spotlight in March’s nailbiting 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest.

In the climactic 99th minute, as Darin Núñez headed in the game-winning goal, the LFC content team was perfectly positioned, Google Pixel in hand, capturing every thrilling second.

But the real cherry on top? Liverpool’s captain, Virgil van Dijk, grabbed the phone and recorded the ensuing celebration before the phone then became part of the celebratory scrum with Núñez and his teammates.

This highlight was branded throughout with a “Shot on Google Pixel” logo, and exploded across social channels, generating nearly 10M views and over 600K engagements - not to mention some earned media pickup in The Daily Mail, Sport Bible, and more.

Putting the Virgil van Dijk moment aside, there’s a reason this is one of the most common sponsored content series across properties (e.g. Toronto Raptors, Arsenal, NWSL).

• It gives fans a field-level angle of the action on the pitch only the rights holder can provide.

• The content matches what works on social - raw, phone footage.

• The product is good enough to capture content worthy of posting on social media.

• The brand message speaks for itself by simply including the Shot on Google Pixel logo.

Most importantly, on-field highlights are an easy sponsorship asset to activate and tell fans that the Google Pixel is capable of making sure your sports memories will stay with you far beyond the final whistle.

Full breakdown here (see Sponsored Content of the Week).

1: Wrexham AFC x HP - Contract Printer

Thousands of Wrexham fans (myself included) spent a Saturday staring at… a printer.

Why?

The club teased a big signing, revealing it live on an HP Smart Tank printer. Front and center on the live stream, the printer churned out a player contract for goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo—followed by his photo for extra clarity.

And this wasn’t just a one-off moment. The contract printer became a fixture for all their summer signings, racking up over 2.4M views on X alone.

Using an HP printer as the star of this content made perfect sense. After all, you need a printer for players to sign their contracts, and HP is Wrexham’s global technology partner.

It’s a perfect example of product-moment fit, similar to the NFL x New Era Draft Cam (shown above). The product was naturally part of the action—even without the sponsorship.

Bottom line: when you take a high-value content series like player signings (one of the best things a brand can sponsor) and seamlessly integrate a product without distracting from the moment, you’ve earned the top spot for sponsored content of the year.

Full breakdown here (see Sponsored Content of the Week).

🔍 SPONCONSPIRATION
Steal These Ideas

Shoutout to whoever came up with the postgame down marker idea for this year’s College Football Playoff. During locker room celebrations, the winning team flips the marker (e.g. Texas, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Penn State) to unveil their next bowl game, complete with the branded logo. Brilliant earned exposure for those sponsors.

ICYMI: Here’s my breakdown of last week’s MLS Schedule Release.

The Golden State Warriors’ Dub The Vote campaign, presented by Google Cloud, is worth keeping an eye on. Their All-Star Game initiative stands out because they go beyond game footage—like Steph Curry casually hitting 30 straight three-pointers at shoot-around.

Saving this for my design team: I love how the NHL used a picture-in-picture effect on the lead card of this Sidney Crosby carousel. It’s swipe-worthy while the headline text ensures it works even with the sound off.

Well played, Philadelphia 76ers. The name How We Roll for this stat graphic presented by Amoroso’s Bakery is great. I could also see On A Roll working (posted pregame or on off days) for players stringing together a few standout performances. It could even be a trigger promotion for when the team wins consecutive games.

We’ve seen pregame tunnel walks sponsored, but the Milwaukee Bucks flipped it with their postgame Victory Walk series, part of Michelob ULTRA’s #UltraDrip campaign (formerly Ballers Champagne territory). Player arrivals are still sponsored by Motorola, but this has me thinking—why not mimic the Bucks and double your tunnel walk inventory? The demand for this kind of content is definitely there.

🚨 ICYMI
What To Watch For

Spectrum Sprint: The 76ers and Crypto.com launched Spectrum Sprint, a Web3 mobile game where fans can unlock digital collectibles and win exclusive prizes while racing through a pixelated journey of Philadelphia landmarks. The 76ers are the first team in the NBA to launch a series of Web3 video games to celebrate a uniform.

Social Zone: The Cleveland Cavaliers are using digital ads in Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse concourses to run sponsored sweepstakes and generate leads.

Create With United: Manchester United has launched its official Creators' Academy, an initiative to help young creators build skills and gain experience. Participants get access to Men’s, Women’s, and Academy matchdays, exclusive events at Old Trafford, and player appearances.

Affiliate Links Upgrade: Facebook is upgrading its affiliate link capabilities for creators, testing an update that displays affiliate links more prominently across creators' Reels, videos, photos, and text posts [via Lindsey Gamble].

Reflect And React: Pittsburgh Pirates Social Media Director Zachary Galia shares five key strategies shaping his 2025 content approach—and it’s a must-read.

From Sponsorship To Partnership: Álvaro González explores if a brand not investing in sponsorships can still be relevant in 2025 [via Barca Innovation Hub].