Did you know that banks are the new silent giants of sports sponsorship?

They’re not just in the stadiums… they’re writing the new rules of the game. Data from the latest Brand Finance Banking 500 2025 report makes it clear: → 91 of the world’s 100 most valuable banking brands are using sports as their main strategy for positioning, emotional connection, and reputation building. Yes, while others are still trying to “get noticed”… banks are building places, memories, and legacy.

Why are banks dominating the sponsorship game? 

▸ Naming Rights: It’s not just about showing up… it’s about belonging. They put their names on stadiums, arenas, and iconic venues. They don’t buy temporary visibility… they buy cultural territory. Every event, every broadcast, every ticket… carries their name. 25 of the 152 stadiums in the major U.S. sports leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS) already bear a bank’s name.

▸ Premium sport = Premium clients. Golf and Tennis = the jewels of banking sponsorship. Why? Because that’s where high-value profiles are. According to Brand Finance: → Golf fans: +66% more likely to be high-net-worth clients. → Tennis fans: +81% above the average. Star sponsorships: Citi → Ryder Cup RBC → Heritage PGA Tour Morgan Stanley → The Players Championship Here, ROI isn’t measured in impressions… it’s measured in million-dollar accounts.

▸ Women’s sports: Where visionary brands are investing. It’s no longer a trend. It’s strategic territory. Bank of America sponsors women’s national teams. Ally Financial increased its investment in women’s sports media by +300%. Barclays doubled its investment in women’s football in the UK. Investing in women’s sports today… means ensuring belonging tomorrow.

▸ Global mega-events = Guaranteed local impact. Bank of America is already playing at home in the 2026 World Cup (USA, Mexico, Canada). Measured results: +19% more likely to be considered by football fans. +20% among female football fans. Sport connects what advertising can’t buy: trust.

And the most important thing: It’s not just about sponsoring… it’s about measuring. Banks are obsessed with: Measuring brand perception. Measuring real engagement. Measuring social and ESG impact. Measuring return in reputation and business. Because if you don’t measure… you don’t grow.

SPECIAL CASE: MEXICO IS NOT FALLING BEHIND. Banks are also leaving a mark (and names) in Mexican sports.

TOP examples:

▸ Estadio Azteca → Estadio Banorte (2025) The temple of Mexican football is changing names after a historic deal. Banorte investment: $2.1 billion pesos. It will be “Estadio Ciudad de México” during the 2026 World Cup, as per FIFA rules.

▸ Estadio BBVA (Monterrey) Since 2015, the Rayados’ home stadium has carried a bank’s name. Contract valued at $3.5 million dollars per year.

▸ Estadio Banorte (Monterrey – Tec de Monterrey) Home of Borrego Stadium, with a banking naming deal since 2021.

▸ Estadio Akron (Guadalajara) Although not a bank, it’s another great example of active naming in Mexico.

SMART Final Reflection: The future of sports sponsorship isn’t about visibility… it’s about cultural ownership. Today, banks are proving that the best place to build a brand… isn’t on a commercial. It’s in emotions. It’s in stadiums. It’s in people’s memories.

#SMARTSponsorshipEvolution

 Where others see a stadium… we see a legacy strategy..