A new survey carried out by sponsorship consultancy ONSIDE in collaboration with Sport for Business, highlights AI, emerging sports and new sporting infrastructure as possible opportunities for the sponsorship industry in Ireland.
According to the survey, 7 in 10 industry experts see a lot of opportunities in the use of AI in their organisation while 56% are concerned about AI and data privacy. This concern comes on the back of recent high-profile data breaches and reflects a desire to avoid a head-first rush into AI tools.
However, industry professionals also identify the increasingly important role of AI in their industry with 33% seeing AI as a tool to differentiate within the sports industry – a significant opportunity as 65% of professionals agree that it is becoming more difficult for brands to stand out in the growing sponsorship marketplace in Ireland. The survey notes that 1 in 3 respondents referred to the “increasing clutter” in the marketplace as an issue for their organisation.
Meanwhile, 56% of Sport for Business members see a lot of opportunities in the use of AI in sports sponsorship, with 50% of practitioners already investing in the use of AI within their organisation.
ONSIDE’s Director of Intelligence and Insight, Kim Kirwan explains: “The AI balancing act remains a hurdle for what is a sizable level of optimism around the use of the technology in sponsorship. With challenges around standing out in the industry, those who unlock the use of AI effectively and securely will be well set for the future.”
Rugby, GAA and Olympics are ranked as the top three sporting properties in terms of attractiveness by the industry, while gymnastics, motor racing and padel emerge as the top sporting properties experiencing the strongest growth in appeal.
The rising interest amongst both public and professionals in emerging sports is underscored by the 62% of industry practitioners in agreement that sponsorship of emerging sports such as American Football, padel, ice hockey and esports is a good way to connect with new audiences, while 59% agree that sponsorship of emerging sports is a good way to stand out in a cluttered sponsorship landscape.
Significantly, over 9 in 10 of members agree that new sporting infrastructure will improve Ireland’s ability to attract and host high-profile events, with 89% agreeing that sponsors play an important role in improving fan experiences at sporting events. The research identifies a buoyant industry with twice as many organisations entering into new sponsorships as have dropped out of them since the start of 2025 and 85% are optimistic about how the industry will perform in the next two years.
According to Rob Hartnett, founder and editor-in-chief of Sport for Business: “We’re measuring a strong appetite for future AI implementation, particularly when it comes to developing fan insights and measuring performance metrics, as mentioned by over 3 in 5 industry professionals.”
“We’re also seeing tremendous enthusiasm around the prospect of new sporting infrastructure in Ireland. This sentiment is likely in part driven by the recent unveiling of Ireland’s first dedicated winter sports and entertainment arena in Cherrywood, south Dublin. The industry will no doubt be watching to see how a dedicated arena could influence the growth of that sporting category domestically and what impact that has on the sponsorship landscape in Ireland”.
This is the eighth wave of the ONSIDE Sports Impact Monitor that was first launched during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. All respondents are members of the Sport for Business community and the survey undertaken in June 2025.
