The Next Move — October 15, 2025
Strategic insights for brands, properties & partners driving the business of sport.
Today’s Spotlight: Longevity, Athlete Leverage & Retail Expansion
1/ Sunoco poised to renew NASCAR sponsorship
Sunoco will continue its longstanding role as the exclusive fuel sponsor of NASCAR, strengthening one of the most enduring commercial partnerships in motorsport.
→ Why it matters: Fuel partnerships have traditionally served as visibility anchors. However, the future involves embedding them into digital storytelling, fan data, and experiential touchpoints — shifting from simply supplying to strategic activation.
2/ AC Milan × Emirates: 20 years of partnership and renewal
AC Milan and Emirates extended their partnership, marking twenty years of collaboration that has become one of the most notable brand-club relationships in international football.
→ Why it matters: In a sponsorship world fixated on newness, longevity becomes a key differentiator. Long-lasting partnerships enable brands to establish culture and maintain consistency — two forms of value that attention alone cannot acquire.
3/ Teofimo Lopez pursues Puma sponsorship ahead of next bout
Boxing star Teofimo Lopez is reportedly negotiating with Puma as he prepares for his upcoming fight against Shakur Stevenson.
→ Why it matters: Elite athletes are proactively creating brand opportunities rather than waiting for inbound offers. They synchronize narrative momentum — such as fight build-ups and media campaigns — with deal timing, a model that agencies should help standardize and expand.
4/ Wolt Ads expands retail media partnerships
Wolt Ads has announced new partnerships with AdTech companies Magnite, Koddi, Skai, and StackAdapt to integrate in-app brand content into offline retail and experiential marketing channels.
→ Why it matters: This marks the next phase in sponsorship convergence, where retail media integrates into the sponsorship mix. For brands, linking in-venue fan engagement with retail sales completes the feedback loop.
SponsorshipNext Take
1. Longevity is the new disruption. Sunoco × NASCAR and Milan × Emirates demonstrate that lasting presence can outperform innovation — when approached as storytelling rather than routine upkeep.
2. Retail and sport are converging. Wolt’s retail expansion highlights a wider trend: sponsorship visibility will progressively lead to shoppable outcomes, beyond mere impressions.
3. Renewal ≠ repetition. Renewed deals offer opportunities to refresh creative tone, tech integration, and fan engagement — provided they are managed deliberately rather than out of habit.
Follow SponsorshipNext for daily insights on how brands, agencies, and properties are redefining the sponsorship landscape.