Opening the Conversation: Your Why and the Room

• Who are the primary decision-makers we should include as we explore a naming rights opportunity? Options: CEO, CMO/Head of Marketing, CFO, Board Members, Legal/General Counsel, External Agency/Media Buyer, Corporate Communications/PR, Other
• What is the single most important business objective driving interest in naming rights right now?
• Which outcomes would you point to internally to say this investment was a success? Options: Top-line revenue impact, Brand awareness lift, Media impressions/value, Market share growth, Hospitality and client access, Community engagement, Other
• How does the board or executive team typically feel about decade-long brand commitments—enthusiastic, cautious, or mixed? Tell us about a prior long-term commitment and the mood around it.
• How comfortable is leadership with multi-year, high-dollar marketing agreements? Options: Very comfortable, Somewhat comfortable, Cautious but open, Reluctant / high scrutiny

What Are You Really Buying?: Value, Visibility, and Forever Bets

• Are you prepared for your brand to be permanently associated with this venue and every future headline it generates? Options: Yes — we’re prepared for a long-term association, Prepared with contractual protections, Not sure — need more assurances, Prefer limited-term branding
• Which metrics do you prioritize when translating venue exposure into commercial value? Options: Impressions (broadcast + digital), CPM / cost per impression, Brand lift studies, Ticketed attendance, Local market penetration, Hospitality value, Other
• Tell us about any naming rights or large-sponsorship decisions you've made before — what exceeded expectations and what missed them?
• How essential is alignment with a winning team or marquee events to your brand strategy? Options: Essential, Important but not essential, Neutral, Prefer to avoid reliance on team performance
• What are three non-negotiables for brand fit (content, audience, community stance, categories to avoid)?

What Keeps You Up at Night?

• If the team or venue became embroiled in controversy, would you prefer a contractual exit, public relations remedies, or to stay the course? Options: Exit rights required, Renegotiation / protections, We would stay and manage reputationally, Unsure — need options explained
• Which specific reputational risks concern you most (player behavior, political disputes, ownership issues, safety incidents, other)?
• Which contractual protections would you expect to see before committing? Options: Termination for cause, Reputational covenants, Escrow or escrowed payments, Short-form performance guarantees, PR response obligations, Insurance requirements, Other
• How long has reputational risk been a deciding factor for your marketing investments—and what triggered that focus?
• Who in your organization would own monitoring and escalations if a media or reputation issue surfaced? Options: Legal, Corporate Communications/PR, Brand/Marketing, Risk/Compliance, External agency, Other

Show Me the Numbers: Market, Media, and Attendance

• Are the projected impressions and media value you’ve seen likely realistic—or do you suspect numbers are optimistic to support a headline price? Options: Realistic, Possibly optimistic, Likely inflated, Unsure — need validation
• Which data points do you require to validate impressions and media value? Options: Historical attendance by event, TV broadcast minutes & ratings, Streaming and OTT viewership, Social and digital reach, Local DMA ratings, Third-party verification/audits, Event calendar with marquee dates
• Do you use internal benchmarks or an agency model to value sponsorship impressions? If so, describe the model or the benchmark ranges you accept.
• At what geographic granularity does this opportunity matter most to you? Options: City-level, Designated Market Area (DMA), Regional, National, Global
• Are there upcoming venue changes, relocations, or calendar shifts that materially alter expected impressions across the proposed term?

Money, Structure, and What 'Fair' Looks Like

• Would you rather pay more up-front for contractual guarantees or pay less up-front with performance-based contingencies? Options: Prefer guarantees/up-front payment, Prefer performance-based structure, Hybrid approach, Undecided / want to see options
• Which financial structures would you consider for a naming rights deal? Options: Annual fee, One-time lump sum, Equity or revenue share, Activation budget included, Performance-based milestones, Barter / marketing services, Other
• What is your target total budget range for a 10–20 year naming rights commitment?
• What payment cadence does your finance team prefer for large sponsorships? Options: Annual installments, Quarterly payments, Upfront lump sum, Staged payments tied to milestones, Flexible — negotiable
• What internal approval thresholds (board vote, procurement RFP, CFO sign-off) could materially delay or alter deal structure?

How Will This Be Activated and Measured?

• If activation is minimal, would this deal still be worthwhile as a costly logo placement—or must activation prove its worth? Options: Must include robust activation, Logo-only acceptable in some cases, Depends on price and term, Unsure — want to evaluate both scenarios
• Which activation channels are essential for you to consider the partnership valuable? Options: Stadium signage, Broadcast mentions, Digital rights & content, Social campaigns, Hospitality/client access, Community programs, Naming in promotions and tickets
• Describe an activation in another sponsorship that materially moved the needle for you — what made it stand out?
• Which KPIs will you insist on in ongoing reporting? Options: Impressions (broadcast + digital), Brand lift/awareness, Attendance influence, Hospitality usage metrics, Digital engagement, Earned media value, Other
• Who will internally own partner performance and quarterly reviews—marketing, agency, or another function? Please name roles.

Timeline, Governance, and Decision Velocity

• If the ideal asset becomes available today, how quickly could you realistically decide to sign? Options: Less than 3 months, 3–6 months, 6–12 months, Longer than 12 months, Unsure
• Which approvals must be secured before a final commitment? Options: Board approval, CEO approval, CFO approval, Legal sign-off, Procurement/Finance review, Agency endorsement, Other
• What internal milestones, audits, or procurement steps typically slow deals of this magnitude?
• Do you operate blackout periods (earnings season, board cycles, holidays) that would pause negotiations? Options: Yes — specific blackout periods, No — continuous review, Sometimes — depends on calendar
• If the timeline slips by six months, what are the real consequences for budget, strategy, or competitive positioning?

Red Lines, Flex Points, and Next Steps

• What single issue would make you walk away from a naming rights conversation—price, unacceptable risk, brand mismatch, governance, or something else? Options: Price, Unacceptable reputational risk, Brand mismatch, Governance/board refusal, Activation or reporting gaps, Other
• List the contractual protections that are absolute red lines for your organization.
• Which concessions would you be willing to trade to bridge gap with a seller? Options: Longer term, Higher upfront payment, Expanded activation commitments, Reduced exclusivity, Flexible signage / rights, Other
• Who should be on our next joint call from your side, and what concrete outcome should that meeting aim to achieve?
• Which next step would you prefer right now to move forward? Options: Run confidential valuation/modeling, Sign NDA & start prospecting, Introductory call with stakeholders, Draft indicative term sheet, Other

• Market & Current-State Calibration
• Comparable Deals Modeling Workshop
• Brand Fit & Long-Term Risk Assessment
• Media Value & Activation Effectiveness Review
• Executive Validation & Decision Readout

• Produce an activation-to-impressions mapping document with owners and timelines.
• Update model if client supplies additional comps or corrected data within agreed turnaround.
• Coordinate with legal/advisors to flag structural items (up-front vs. annual, equity components) that materially change model outputs.
• Brand Objectives & Red-Lines Recap
• Confirm brand fit criteria and document absolute red-lines.
• Quantify likely reputational exposure across defined negative scenarios.
• Agree on mitigation measures and governance that materially reduce long-term risk.
• Decide whether modeled outcomes remain acceptable given residual risk.
• Create a risk register with scenario impacts, likelihoods, and mitigation owners.
• Draft suggested contract clauses and PR escalation flow for legal review.
• Schedule a follow-up tabletop exercise for the highest-impact scenario with comms and legal teams.
• Present Modeled Media-Value Outputs
• Validate that planned activations can realistically deliver the modeled impressions and media value.
• Agree on a measurable attribution framework and reporting cadence for ongoing validation.
• Determine incremental activation spend scenarios that materially change valuation or delivery risk.
• Introductions & Meeting Objectives
• Finalize measurement plan and reporting template to be used during contract term.
• Set up initial data feeds or pilot measurement run for first event or broadcast window.
• One-Sentence Current State & Consequence
• Secure executive alignment on modeled expectations, acceptable risk, and the recommended negotiation posture.
• Obtain commitment to the decision timeline and list of approvals required to move to Solution Scope and Mutual Commit stages.
• Identify any outstanding executive concerns that must be addressed before commercial negotiation.
• Prepare and distribute an executive brief (1–2 pages) that includes current state, model outputs, risks, and recommendation.
• Collect sign-offs or list of required approvals and schedule the decision meeting with required approvers.
• If proceeding, instruct advisory/legal teams to begin drafting commercial term sheet reflecting the agreed baseline and mitigations.
• Produce and get stakeholder agreement on one clear current-state sentence.
• Quantify top-line consequences (media impressions, rough media value delta, and reputational exposure) to create urgency.
• Agree and assign ownership for any missing data inputs required for reliable modeling.
• Establish decision participants and timeline for the solution experience track.
• Deliver consolidated data pack (attendance, calendar, broadcast schedules, historical impressions) to the modeling team.
• Owner to confirm any sensitive constraints or non-starters for brand fit (red-lines) in writing.
• Identify finance/marketing contact to validate monetary assumptions used in consequence mapping.
• Approach & Modeling Principles
• Confirm a defensible comparable set and valuation methodology.
• Produce baseline model outputs (impressions, annual media value, implied valuation) and a scenario range.
• Force stakeholder validation that model assumptions reflect the customer's reality and consequence mapping.
• Define the model variants that must be included in the executive readout.
• Publish the complete modeling workbook with notes on assumptions and comparables.
• One-Sentence Current State
• Activation Mapping — Deliverables to Impressions
• Historical Risk Map & Precedent Review
• Select & Agree Comparable Set
• Executive Summary of Modeled Outcomes
• Risk Summary & Mitigations
• Scenario-Based Risk Modeling
• Measurement & Attribution Framework
• Assumptions Review (Impressions, Rates, Activation)
• Data Review — Attendance, Calendar, Media Reach
• Cost vs. Benefit & KPI Trade-offs
• Live Model Run — Baseline Scenario
• Consequences & Cost Mapping
• Mitigation & Governance Controls
• Trade-offs & Recommended Path
• Sensitivity & Alternative Scenarios
• Validation & Sign-Off on Reporting
• Decision Criteria & Timeline
• Validation & Threshold Decision
• Validation Check & Open Issues
• Next Steps & Data Handover
• Q&A and Immediate Actions

• Comparable-Deal Valuation Report
• Media-Impressions and Exposure Modeling
• Qualified Prospect Identification List
• Confidential Outreach and Introductory Pitches
• Competitive Bid Process Facilitation
• Term Sheet Drafting and Negotiation
• Naming Rights Contract Drafting and Closing
• Payment, Escrow, and Fee Structuring
• On‑Property Signage Design Implementation
• Signage Fabrication Oversight and QA
• Broadcast and Digital Integration Deployment
• Activation Budget Management and Invoicing
• Sponsor Onboarding and Operational Handover
• Annual Performance Reporting and Media Reconciliation
• Exclusivity Monitoring and Enforcement Actions

Comparable-Deal Valuation Report

• What primary valuation objective should the report prioritize? Options: Establish asking price, Benchmark vs. market, Internal board approval, Investor / audit support, Tax/accounting valuation
• Which deal comparables are most relevant (geography, sport, venue type)? Options: National comparable venues, Regional/local venues, Same sport/league, Mixed-use/entertainment venues, Other
• What historical timeframe should comparables cover? Options: Last 3 years, Last 5 years, Last 10 years, Custom - specify in next field
• Do you require deliverables as a full technical report (PDF) and a modeling workbook (spreadsheet)? Options: Both PDF and spreadsheet, PDF only, Spreadsheet only, Executive summary only
• Are third‑party audit or certification of the valuation required (e.g., for board or accounting)? Options: Yes, No, Maybe - need guidance

Media-Impressions and Exposure Modeling

• Which media channels should the impressions model include? Options: Broadcast (TV), Radio, Digital (social/display), Out-of-home / signage, PR/earned media
• What level of granularity do you need for impressions (annual total, per-event, by media type)? Options: Annual totals, Per-event estimates, By media channel, Custom - please specify
• Do you want modeled scenarios (conservative / expected / aggressive) for media value and impressions? Options: Yes - three scenarios, Yes - two scenarios, No - single case
• Is integration with local market ratings or Nielsen-equivalent data required? Options: Yes, No, Unsure - advise
• Are brand-fit or sentiment risk adjustments required in the exposure model (e.g., discount for controversy risk)? Options: Yes, include adjustments, No adjustments, Discuss recommended approach

Qualified Prospect Identification List

• Which buyer profiles should we target when building the prospect list? Options: National consumer brands, Regional/local brands, Financial institutions, Media/telecom, Technology/healthcare
• How many qualified prospects do you want on the initial shortlist? Options: 5-10, 11-25, 26-50, 50+
• Do you require firmographic data and decision-maker contacts included (company size, revenue, CMO/CEO contacts)? Options: Yes - include contacts, Yes - firmographics only, No
• Should prospects be screened for activation capability (marketing budget, prior sponsorship experience)? Options: Yes - mandatory, Optional - provide as note, No
• Are there any companies or industries to exclude from outreach (e.g., competitors, regulated sectors)? Options: No exclusions, Yes - specify in free text

Confidential Outreach and Introductory Pitches

• What confidentiality level is required for outreach (NDA before intro, mutual NDA after interest, no NDA)? Options: NDA before intro, NDA after initial interest, No NDA required
• Which outreach formats do you prefer for initial contact? Options: Email + executive summary, Introductory call, Warm intro via network, LinkedIn outreach
• Do you want tailored pitch decks for different prospect segments? Options: Yes - tailored by segment, One standard deck, Executive memo only
• Should outreach include modeled media-impression highlights and headline valuation figures? Options: Yes - include headlines, No - high-level only, Include only on request
• Are there specific timeline constraints for outreach (e.g., confidential window, embargo dates)? Options: Yes - provide dates, No constraints

Competitive Bid Process Facilitation

• Do you want an open auction, sealed bids, or a negotiated invite-only process? Options: Open auction, Sealed bids, Invite-only negotiated process, Hybrid
• What evaluation criteria should be weighted in bid review (price, activation plan, term length, guaranty)? Options: Price, Activation plan, Term length, Payment structure, Brand fit/risks
• Should we run multiple bid rounds with shortlist tightening? Options: Yes - multiple rounds, Single round, Flexible based on responses
• Do you need standardized bid templates and submission portals? Options: Yes - required, Optional, No
• Who will have final decision authority and what governance approvals are needed to award? Options: Owner/Board, Executive committee, External stakeholders/agency, TBD

Term Sheet Drafting and Negotiation

• Which commercial terms are priority negotiables (annual fee, upfront payment, term length, CPI escalator)? Options: Annual fee, Upfront payment, Term length, Escalation/indexing, Equity/other consideration
• Do you want standard legal terms pre-drafted for quick negotiation (yes/no)? Options: Yes - provide standard term sheet, No - custom only, Provide template to modify
• Are activation commitments and measurement metrics required to be coded into the term sheet? Options: Yes - mandatory, Optional - summarized, No
• Do you require negotiation support onsite/virtual during bidder discussions? Options: Yes - support during live negotiations, Advisory only (as-needed), No assistance required
• Should confidentiality, exclusivity windows, and break fees be pre-specified in the term sheet? Options: Yes - include clauses, Optional, No

Naming Rights Contract Drafting and Closing

• Do you require full legal drafting of the naming rights agreement or review of a buyer draft? Options: Full drafting, Review and negotiate buyer draft, Both - draft + review
• Which contract elements must be explicitly defined (scope, signage specs, termination, indemnities)? Options: Scope of rights, Signage & placement, Termination & default, Indemnities & IP, Brand usage guidelines
• Will closing require coordination with multiple stakeholders (team, venue, municipality)? Options: Yes - multiple stakeholders, No - single owner
• Is there a required timeline to reach executed contract (e.g., within 30/60/90 days)? Options: 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, Flexible
• Do you want escrow, holdback, or conditional closing mechanics included in contracts? Options: Yes - include mechanics, No, Discuss recommended structure

Payment, Escrow, and Fee Structuring

• Which payment structures are preferred for the deal? Options: Annual payments, Upfront lump sum, Combination (upfront + annual), Equity or non-cash consideration
• Is escrow or trustee-managed receipts required for buyer payments? Options: Yes - escrow required, Optional, No
• Do you need fee schedules for advisory fees and success fees documented? Options: Yes - documented in schedule, No - separate agreement, Discuss options
• Are tax, withholding, or cross-border payment considerations relevant? Options: Yes - international tax considerations, No, Unsure - advise
• Should payment milestones be tied to deliverables or activation milestones? Options: Yes - tie to milestones, No - fixed schedule, Hybrid

On‑Property Signage Design Implementation

• Do you require full signage concept design or design review only? Options: Full concept design, Design review and approval, Technical drawings only
• Which signage elements should be covered (primary exterior, interior concourse, digital boards)? Options: Primary exterior, Interior concourse, Jumbotron/digital boards, Wayfinding and donor walls
• Are brand guidelines and co-branding rules available for designers? Options: Yes - will provide, No - need to develop
• What level of stakeholder review is required (owner, team, city planning)? Options: Owner only, Owner + team, Owner + team + municipality
• Do you need 3D mockups or sightline studies to approve placements? Options: Yes - 3D mockups/sightlines, No - 2D drawings sufficient, As-needed

Signage Fabrication Oversight and QA

• Will fabrication be managed in-house or via third-party vendors? Options: In-house, Third-party vendor, Hybrid
• Do you require vendor pre-qualification and bidding for fabrication? Options: Yes - pre-qualify and bid, No - use preferred vendor, Prefer vendor shortlist
• What QA checkpoints are required (materials, structural, installation mockups)? Options: Material certification, Structural engineering sign-off, On-site installation inspection, All of the above
• Are regulatory permits or city approvals required for fabrication/installation? Options: Yes - permits required, No, Unsure - need assessment
• Do you want warranty and maintenance provisions specified for signage? Options: Yes - include warranty terms, No, Discuss recommended terms

Broadcast and Digital Integration Deployment

• Which broadcast integrations are required (logo stings, name references, on-screen graphics)? Options: Logo stings, Name references in commentary, On-screen lower thirds, Event naming in promos
• Do you require integration with team/league broadcast partners or direct control of digital assets? Options: Coordinate with broadcast partners, Direct control of digital assets, Both
• Should digital integrations include social, website, app placements and API delivery? Options: Yes - all channels, Select channels only, No digital integrations required
• Are measurement hooks required to track on-air mentions and digital impressions? Options: Yes - measurement hooks required, No, Recommend options
• Do integrations need to meet broadcast technical standards or delivery timelines? Options: Yes - adhere to standards/timelines, Flexible

Activation Budget Management and Invoicing

• Do you want a dedicated activation budget tracked separately from naming rights payments? Options: Yes - separate budget, No - included in fee, Hybrid
• How detailed should budget tracking be (line-item, category-level, summary only)? Options: Line-item, Category-level, Summary only
• Do you require monthly invoicing, milestone invoicing, or custom schedules? Options: Monthly, Milestone-based, Custom (specify)
• Should we provide vendor payment management and reconciliation services for activation spend? Options: Yes - manage vendor payments, No - client manages payments, Partial management
• Are pre-approval workflows required for activation spend above thresholds? Options: Yes - set thresholds, No, Ad-hoc approvals

• Binding Term Sheet / Letter of Intent
• Naming Rights Agreement (Master Contract)
• Statement of Work (SOW)
• Payment Schedule & Escrow Instructions
• Contingencies & Termination Clauses
• Governance, Board & Agency Approvals Tracker
• Schedules & Exhibits (Signage, Activation, Media Rights)
• IP, Brand Usage & Co-Branding License
• Insurance, Indemnity & Risk Allocation
• Confidentiality & Announcement Plan
• Escrow Agent & Payment Release Authorization
• Closing Checklist & Milestone Signoffs
• Change Order and Amendment Process
• Post-Closing Governance & Reporting Schedule

• Success Measurement Kickoff
• Post-Activation Performance Review
• Media Value Reconciliation & Audit
• Attendance Impact & Local Market Analysis
• Continuous Improvement & Governance Cadence

• Identify and commit to specific measurement improvements to increase attribution confidence.
• Decide on remediation or optimization actions where outcomes diverge from expectations.
• Capture any measurement disputes and agree on escalation/resolution path.
• Circulate the full reconciled evidence pack (spreadsheets, logs, methodology notes) within 3 business days.
• If discrepancies exist, initiate a reconciliation workflow with named owners and a 10-business-day resolution target.
• Produce a short remediation/optimization plan with cost and impact estimates where improvements are required.
• Log unresolved items in the shared channel and trigger governance as needed.
• One-Sentence Current State & Scope
• Produce an auditable, stakeholder-signed media-value figure with documented assumptions.
• Agree tolerance thresholds for future reconciliations and a standard audit template.
• Ensure agencies and sellers have a shared, defensible methodology for long-term reporting.
• Deliver the audited reconciliation spreadsheet and assumption log within 5 business days.
• Publish an agreed 'valuation playbook' that documents CPMs, discounts, and seasonality adjustments.
• Obtain formal sign-off from buyer, seller, and agency on the final media-value number.
• Baseline Attendance & Event Calendar (Diagnosis)
• Produce a defensible estimate of attendance uplift attributable to the activation.
• Introductions & Meeting Objectives
• Quantify ancillary economic impacts to inform sponsor ROI conversations.
• Implement ticketing tags or promo-code tracking for the next event cycle and confirm data flow.
• Run a short fan survey within 2 weeks post next event and share results.
• Provide historical baseline exports and the new tagged data export to the analytics owner.
• Review Open Issues from Shared Channel (Diagnosis)
• Keep a prioritized, actionable backlog of optimizations and ensure owners and budgets are assigned.
• Resolve or escalate open measurement or performance disputes through agreed governance.
• Maintain transparency of risk and contingency plans tied to performance outcomes.
• Publish the prioritized enhancement backlog and owners within 2 business days.
• Authorize any approved budget reallocations and update financial trackers.
• Escalate unresolved high-impact issues to the executive sponsor with recommended remediation.
• Create a single, explicit measurement statement (current state) agreed by buyer, seller, and agency.
• Agree on KPIs, definitions, and calculation rules that will be used for all subsequent reporting.
• Secure commitments for data access and set up the shared reporting channel and cadence.
• Surface the business consequence of not resolving measurement gaps to create urgency for data delivery.
• Deliver the consolidated measurement plan (KPIs, formulas, data sources) within 5 business days.
• Grant read or API access to all agreed data sources (ticketing, broadcast logs, social) within 10 business days.
• Create and populate the shared channel (owner, escalation path, reporting folder).
• Schedule the first Post-Activation Performance Review meeting aligned to report availability.
• Executive Summary (Diagnosis)
• Confirm audited delivered impressions and agreed media-value to a reconciled figure.
• Validate attendance uplift and the attribution method with stakeholders.
• Methodology Recap (Diagnosis & Proof)
• Current State Summary (Diagnosis)
• Impressions & Media Value Proof
• Performance Trends & Optimization Backlog (Proof)
• Attribution Methodology & Evidence
• Consequence Quantification
• Source-by-Source Reconciliation
• Attendance Impact Analysis
• Fan Sentiment & Perception Metrics (Proof)
• Budget Reallocation & Approval Requests
• Risk Register & Contingency Triggers
• Future State & KPI Definitions
• Economic Impact & Ancillary Revenue
• Valuation Sensitivity & Adjustments
• Activation Effectiveness Diagnosis
• Measurement Gaps & Future State Improvements
• Data Sources, Access & Ownership
• Enhancements Roadmap & Owner Commitments (Validation)
• Consequences & Business Impact
• Validation & Sign-Off Criteria
• Decide Next Steps & Owners