For many youth sports tournament operators, sponsorship has long lived in a gray area: important, but often secondary. It’s viewed as supplemental revenue — helpful, but unpredictable — and frequently limited to banner placements, program ads or logo inclusion.
New data suggests that mindset may be costing tournament planners real money.
A recent study on the ROI of sponsorship in youth sports, conducted by Priority Partnerships in collaboration with YouGov Sport brings this point front and center. Based on their survey of 1,345 U.S. adults, including 922 parents of youth sports participants, the research quantifies that youth sports sponsorship doesn’t just perform well, it outperforms nearly every major advertising channel in capturing parent attention, building trust and driving purchase behavior.
For tournament planners operating in a competitive youth sports economy, this research offers validation through data and strategic framing that can elevate sponsorship for youth sports organizers from a side revenue stream to a core business pillar.
The Sponsorship Advantage Built Into Youth Sports
Youth tournaments are uniquely positioned within the sponsorship landscape. Unlike professional sports where fans may divide loyalty among teams, leagues, and entertainment options, youth sports parents are deeply invested. They’re present, engaged and emotionally connected to the experience from whistle to whistle.
The Priority Partnerships study underscores this point clearly. Parents of youth athletes consistently report higher attention levels and more favorable brand perceptions toward companies that sponsor youth sports compared to brands advertising through traditional media or pro sports platforms.
According to the study:
- 84% of youth sports parents report net positive sentiment toward brands sponsoring youth sports programs
- Negative sentiment is negligible at just 3%, eliminating a common concern around brand backlash
- Even among the general population, 57% report net positive sentiment, indicating support extends beyond just parents
In practical terms, this means sponsors aren’t just being seen, they’re being noticed, remembered, and trusted.
For youth tournament organizers, that’s a powerful differentiator when pitching sponsorships. Your events don’t offer passive impressions; they deliver meaningful, repeated exposure to a highly engaged audience over multiple days.
Attention, Trust, and Purchase Intent: The Metrics Sponsors Care About
One of the most valuable aspects of this study is that it moves beyond surface-level awareness metrics. According to the research, youth sports sponsorship drives impact across the full marketing funnel:
When parents were asked which marketing channels are most likely to capture their attention, sponsoring their child’s youth sports program ranked #1 overall:
- 81% net likelihood of capturing parent attention
- Compared to:
- 54% for sponsoring a pro sports team
- 51% for TV commercials
- 32% for influencer marketing
This matters because sponsors are increasingly held accountable internally. Marketing teams are expected to justify spend with measurable outcomes. According to this data, youth sports sponsorship delivers results that align directly with those demands.
Why Youth Tournaments Amplify Sponsorship Value
Tournament-based events may benefit even more than leagues or single-site programs.
Multi-day tournaments create repeated brand exposure in a short time window. Families see sponsor logos on signage, schedules, digital communications, apparel and on-site activations often dozens of times over a weekend. That repetition, combined with emotional context, strengthens recall and affinity.
Additionally, tournaments attract traveling families who spend on hotels, restaurants, gas, retail, and entertainment. This makes youth tournaments particularly attractive to:
- Destination marketing organizations
- Hospitality brands
- Local and regional service providers
- Health, wellness, and family-focused brands
The study reinforces that when sponsorship feels relevant to the experience — rather than intrusive — parents are receptive and appreciative.
Parents are up to 79% more likely to engage with brands that sponsor their child’s youth sports program than brands sponsoring pro teams.
ROI of Sponsorship in Youth Sports — Priority Partnerships
Reframing Sponsorship: From “Support” to Strategic Partnership
One of the biggest takeaways for tournament planners is the need to rethink how sponsorships are positioned and sold.
Too often, sponsorship is framed as:
- “Helping support youth sports”
- “Getting your logo in front of families”
While goodwill matters, the data shows sponsors are receiving far more tangible value than that. Tournament operators should be able to confidently articulate it.
Effective sponsorship conversations should highlight:
- Audience quality (engaged parents, not casual spectators)
- Emotional context (trust and community connection)
- Full-funnel outcomes (not just impressions)
- Repetition and duration of exposure
When framed this way, sponsorship becomes a strategic marketing investment, not another charitable contribution.
Common Sponsorship Pitfalls the Data Helps Correct
The study also indirectly highlights several missteps common in youth tournament sponsorship programs:
Undervaluing inventory
If youth sports sponsorship drives higher attention and purchase intent than traditional media, pricing solely on logo placement undersells the opportunity.
80% of parents say they would choose a brand that sponsors their child’s youth sports program over a similar competitor.
Overemphasizing assets instead of outcomes
Sponsors care less about how many banners they receive and more about what those banners actually achieve.
Short-term thinking
One-off sponsorships miss the long-term brand relationship potential that youth sports uniquely support.
By anchoring sponsorship packages in outcomes supported by data, tournament planners can elevate both pricing confidence and sponsor retention.
SPG Planning Insight: How to Use This Data in Sponsorship Conversations
For tournament organizers, this study offers practical ammunition:
- Lead with credibility: Reference independent research when pitching sponsors — it immediately elevates the conversation.
- Sell engagement, not exposure: Parents are attentive, present, and emotionally invested.
- Tie sponsorship to business results: Awareness, trust, and purchase intent matter more than logo size.
- Build multi-event partnerships: Repetition across tournaments compounds value for sponsors.
- Position sponsorship as part of the event experience: The more integrated it feels, the stronger the ROI.
A Stronger Business Model for Youth Tournaments
Youth sports tournaments operate in a high-cost, high-expectation environment. Facilities, officials, staffing, technology, and participant experience all demand investment. Sponsorship, when approached strategically, can help stabilize revenue while enhancing the event itself.
The Priority Partnerships study provides something tournament planners have long needed: data-backed proof that youth sports sponsorship works — and works exceptionally well.
For operators willing to move beyond outdated sponsorship models, the opportunity is clear. Youth tournaments aren’t just competitive events. They’re one of the most effective, trusted and impactful sponsorship platforms available today.
