Which metrics would you track to measure the ROI of a youth sport sponsorship program from awareness to advocacy?

• A. Only ticket sales and merchandise revenue
• B. Brand lift, reach/impressions, engagement, activation recall, attendance, registrations, earned media value, advocacy metrics
• C. Production costs
• D. Number of logos displayed on uniforms

Answer: (B)

Measuring sponsorship ROI across the full journey means using metrics that show change from awareness to advocacy, not just sales. Brand lift captures shifts in attitudes and recognition; reach or impressions gauge how many people were exposed to the sponsorship; engagement reveals how the audience interacted with the sponsorship content; activation recall assesses whether people remember the sponsor’s activation activities. Attendance and registrations translate exposure into actual participation and commitment, which are closer to tangible value. Earned media value estimates the PR and third-party coverage generated by the sponsorship, treating earned exposure as a monetary result. Advocacy metrics track how fans start recommending and promoting the sponsor, fueling organic growth over time. Together, these metrics illustrate both immediate effects and longer-term brand equity, supporting a true ROI assessment. Relying only on ticket sales or merchandise ignores brand impact; production costs cover costs but not outcomes; the number of logos on uniforms measures exposure, not whether it changed attitudes or behavior.