America loves football and advertisers love making money. Automotive brands invest millions every year to be the official vehicle sponsors of all of your beloved NFL teams. This season this NFL features 32 sponsors league-wide featuring a variety of sponsorship categories coming from many different products. A sponsorship with the NFL can mean advertising on both TV and radio as well as benefits known as hospitality benefits.
General Motors or GM was the official sponsor of the NFL since the year 2001. However, since then Hyundai and Ford have joined the ranks as the NFL’s official vehicle sponsor. Other automobile and automotive brands have various partnerships and sponsorships within the NFL through stadium ownership and other advertisement opportunities.
Automotive manufacturers know that America loves football and can count on plenty of fans tuning in to watch the games every week. The Superbowl Halftime show is one of the most watched musical performances on television during the year. Advertisers of car brands see the NFL as a huge opportunity to gain more customers and boost car sales.
Automobile and Automotive Related NFL Sponsorships
- Bridgestone (Tires) – Proud Sponsors of the NFL since 2007
- Castrol (Motor Oil) – Proud Sponsors of the NFL since 2010
- Nationwide Insurance (Auto Insurance) – Proud Sponsors of the NFL since 2014
- Hyundai (Automobile Sales and Manufacturing) – Proud Sponsors of the NFL since 2015
- Genesis (Luxury Vehicle Sales and Manufacturing) – Proud Sponsors of the NFL since 2017
NFL Team Sponsorships
- Ford F-150 (Automobile Sales and Manufacturing) – Official Truck of the Dallas Cowboys since 2016
NFL Stadium Automotive and Automobile Partnerships
- Ford – Ford Field – Detroit, Michigan: This multi-purpose stadium is an indoor venue located in the downtown district of Detroit. The stadium is currently home to the Detroit Lions.
- Mercedes-Benz – Mercedes-Benz Superdome – New Orleans, Louisiana: The Mercedes-Benz Superdome is often just called the Superdome. It is a large venue in New Orleans and hosts numerous concerts and other events throughout the year when football is not in season.
- Nissan – Nissan Stadium – Nashville, Tennessee: Home to the Tennessee Titans, the Nissan Stadium is located in Nashville, Tennessee among other attractions in historic downtown Nashville.
Huge Investment, Huge Reward
While we can only wonder what is in store for the official sponsorships of the NFL in the future, it is clear that automotive sponsorship opportunities in the National Football League are a very competitive market. From owning stadiums to directly partnering with teams, there are a variety of different ways vehicle manufacturers can partner with the NFL.