Initial property and audience targets

• Which property types are you prioritizing right now? Options: League or major team, Venue or arena, Single-event or festival, College sports, Esports, Other (please specify)
• Do you already have specific properties, markets, or audience segments in mind? If so, list them or briefly describe the audience profile.

Budget

• Is there an allocated sponsorship budget range for this opportunity? Options: Under $250,000, $250k–$1M, $1M–$5M, $5M–$10M, $10M–$25M, Over $25M, Not allocated yet / exploratory
• Do you expect the funds to come from an existing sponsorship/marketing line or will this require additional approval? Options: Within existing sponsorship/marketing budget, Requires CMO or executive approval, Requires Finance/CFO or Board approval, Unsure / need to confirm internally

Decision-makers and stakeholders

• Who will be the primary decision-maker for selecting a sponsorship partner, and which roles will materially influence the decision? Options: VP/Head of Brand Marketing, CMO, Head of Partnerships or Sponsorships, Chief Revenue Officer, Finance/CFO, Legal, Other (please specify)

Timeline and go/no-go drivers

• What timeline are you working toward for making a decision and going live? Options: Decision 0–3 months (live 3–6 months), Decision 3–6 months (live 6–12 months), Decision 6–12 months, 12+ months, No target date yet / exploratory
• What is the primary driver of that timing? Options: Current sponsorship contract expiry, New CMO or leadership timeline, Upcoming campaign or product launch, Competitive activity in market, Budget planning / fiscal calendar, Other (please specify)

Next step readiness

• Based on this snapshot, are you open to a 30-minute discovery to validate fit and review comparable activations? Options: Yes — please schedule discovery, Maybe — need internal alignment first, No — not ready for discovery, Prefer a short written summary/proposal first

Quick check-in, so we start on the same page

• Tell me briefly who on your team will own sponsorship performance and approvals
• How soon are you expecting to commit budget for a new sponsorship Options: Immediately, Within 30 days, 30–90 days, 3–6 months, 6+ months
• Which budget range are you prepared to consider for a single property this year Options: Under $500k, $500k–$2M, $2M–$5M, $5M–$10M, Over $10M
• Which product, campaign, or business priority should this sponsorship most directly support
• Are there hard timing constraints driven by product launches, fiscal reviews, or board calendars Options: Yes, product launch date, Yes, fiscal/budget calendar, Yes, board review window, No hard constraints

Brand ambition under pressure: the question leadership will ask

• If the CEO asked tomorrow, 'how will this sponsorship move the brand in six months', what answer would you struggle to give
• Who internally will hold you accountable for those outcomes and what form of proof do they trust most Options: Brand lift study, Sales attribution, Engagement metrics, Audience reach reports, Other
• How has leadership previously reacted when a sponsorship failed to produce measurable movement Options: Reduced budget, Stricter KPIs, Changed vendors, Called for pilot tests, No visible reaction
• Walk me through the last time a marketing partnership shifted perception for your brand, what specifically changed

Your target customer, close up

• Name the audience segment that currently drives most growth, and share the evidence you use to prove it
• What demographic slices matter most for you, age bands, household income, purchase frequency, or something else Options: Age bands, Household income, Purchase frequency, Loyalty tier, Geography, Other
• List the channels or live moments that most reliably drive acquisition or loyalty for that segment Options: Live events, Social content, Paid search, Retail promotions, CRM nurtures, Other
• Do you have a CRM segment name, recurring survey, or first-party behavior signal we can use to validate audience overlap Options: Yes, CRM segment(s), Yes, recurring survey, Yes, behavioral signal, No, not available
• If fewer than 30 percent of a property's audience matches your core segment, will you walk away Options: Yes, walk away, No, depends on activation plan, Unsure, need more data

Past sponsorships, wins and lessons

• Tell me about a sponsorship that looked great on a deck but failed in execution, what specifically broke
• Describe the measurement approach you tried and why it fell short
• What resource gaps, budget, agency time, or internal headcount, most often undercut execution Options: Underfunded activation, No dedicated PM, Insufficient creative budget, Measurement not funded, Other
• Name the single past failure that would make you refuse a similar package today
• Explain the governance or approval changes that followed that failure

Obstacles and risks that stop deals

• Identify the one gating risk that would make leadership veto this sponsorship Options: Audience mismatch, Brand safety concern, Measurement gap, Compliance/privacy, Cost vs ROI
• List the legal, regulatory, or brand-safety checks that have blocked deals before Options: Third-party endorsement rules, Gambling/age restrictions, International advertising rules, Data transfer/privacy, Other
• Provide the typical timeline, in weeks, from agreed commercial terms to signed contract Options: 1–2 weeks, 3–4 weeks, 5–8 weeks, 8+ weeks
• Identify any stakeholders who can single-handedly pause a deal and the evidence they require Options: Legal sign-off, Procurement terms, Brand safety approval, Finance budget sign-off, Other
• Would a privacy or compliance review longer than 8 weeks be a showstopper Options: Yes, No, but timeline shifts, Depends on mitigation

Competitive landscape and the other options on the table

• Who else are you seriously considering to solve this sponsorship need, including internal options Options: Incumbent property, Direct deal with property, Another agency, In-house solution, Do nothing
• Is there an existing sponsorship or internal program that you would need to replace to free budget Options: Yes, existing sponsorship, Yes, internal program, No replacement needed, Unsure
• Outline the conditions under which you would keep the current approach rather than switch
• Has anyone on your team proposed solving this without an outside partner and what plan did they suggest Options: Expand internal team, Negotiate directly with property, Scale current partner, No internal plan
• Would you stay with an incumbent or DIY plan that met your top three measurement needs during a pilot Options: Yes, would stay, No, would switch, Depends on long-term cost

Operational readiness and integration reality

• Imagine we need to ingest your first-party audience data and run a brand-lift panel in eight weeks, what would break
• Specify the systems that hold your audience and activation data, for example your CRM, analytics, and ad platforms Options: Primary CRM, CDP, Data warehouse, Ad platform(s), Analytics suite, Other
• Provide the role or team that controls API access and whether they could provide credentials within your timeline Options: Yes, can provide in timeline, Needs 1–2 weeks, Needs 3–4 weeks, No, cannot provide
• Do you have a legal or privacy checklist we must satisfy before any data transfer Options: Yes, documented checklist, Yes, informal reviews, No checklist available
• Could closed systems or inability to export data block this engagement within the quarter Options: Yes, deal would block, No, alternate measurement possible, Unsure

Activation preferences and measurement non-negotiables

• Give the three measurement outcomes that would convince your CFO to approve this program
• Rank the activation types you value most and briefly explain why, choose from hospitality, content, digital, experiential, or naming rights Options: Hospitality, Content, Digital, Experiential, Naming rights
• Select the measurement methods you consider acceptable Options: Independent brand lift, Matched sales attribution, Matched exposure panels, Engagement and dwell metrics, Proprietary scoring
• Choose your required reporting cadence Options: Daily dashboard, Weekly operational, Monthly executive, Quarterly board
• Indicate whether requiring an independent brand lift that increases cost by 15 percent would stop the program Options: Yes, would stop, No, would proceed, Would negotiate scope

Decision timeline and critical approvals

• Provide any board or executive calendar dates that would render this opportunity no longer specific
• Specify the titles or roles that must sign commercial terms and the final contract Options: CMO/Head of Brand, Head of Partnerships, VP Finance/CFO, General Counsel, Procurement
• Give the typical number of legal review cycles and the common issues that add extra cycles Options: 1 cycle, 2 cycles, 3+ cycles
• Is the opportunity closed if approvals cannot be secured before the next budget freeze in 6 weeks Options: Yes, No, timeline shifts, Depends on mitigation
• Please list the day-to-day point of contact's title and responsibilities during negotiations

Next step commitment: what accelerates this to a signed deal

• Assuming the pilot hits your audience overlap and brand-lift targets, what immediate step would your leadership expect us to take Options: Sign pilot MOU, Approve full year budget, Extend pilot to larger property, Other
• Outline the internal approvals or budget holds you need to clear before a launch window can be locked
• Indicate the earliest possible number of business days in which your team could sign a memorandum of understanding after we share a pilot scope Options: 0–5 days, 6–10 days, 11–20 days, 20+ days
• Could a time-boxed pilot that guarantees audience match and a brand-lift study enable you to sign within 30 days Options: Yes, No, Maybe, depending on cost
• Point to the single internal blocker that, unless addressed, will prevent you from moving forward in the next quarter

• Integrated Activation Walkthrough

• You confirm at least one activation concept in each channel (hospitality, content, digital, experiential, naming) maps to your objectives and KPIs.
• Confirm the current state and cost
• Deliver three tailored activation concepts with estimated reach, cost ranges, and measurement plans within five business days.
• Align objectives and target audience
• You agree the presented measurement approach provides the evidence required to model ROI for leadership.
• Run the ROI model for the preferred concept and deliver a one-page summary showing expected audience, projected brand lift, and sales attribution assumptions.
• Provide target customer profile, top-line KPIs, and recent sponsorship performance data for comparable activations within three business days.
• You agree the remaining evidence and a delivery timeline needed to move to Sponsorship Scope.
• Walkthrough: Hospitality and experiential concepts
• Confirm a date to review the ROI model and finalize the preferred concept and scope details.
• Walkthrough: Content and digital concepts
• Walkthrough: Naming-rights and integrated package
• Present measurement and attribution approach
• Validate fit to your objectives
• Agree remaining evidence and next steps toward commercial scope

• Integrated Activation Walkthrough
• Solution Experience Deck
• Integrated Activation Brief

• meeting
• slides
• document

• Negotiate Multi-Year Sponsorship Agreement with KPIs
• Structure Exclusive Category Rights and Placement
• Secure Naming Rights Package and Contract Execution
• Negotiate Media and Content Rights for Sponsor Use
• Deliver Audience Demographics and Reach Report
• Deliver Media Exposure Valuation for Sponsorship Impressions
• Implement Brand Lift Study and Reporting
• Integrate Sales Attribution Tracking and Tagging
• Produce Branded Content Series and Distribution Assets
• Activate Digital and Social Campaigns During Events
• Deploy Onsite Experiential Activation and Staffing
• Operate VIP Hospitality, Ticketing, and Guest Experiences
• Manage Activation Fulfillment and Vendor Coordination

Negotiate Multi-Year Sponsorship Agreement with KPIs

• Do you intend to sign a fixed minimum term or prefer a performance-triggered renewal structure? Options: Fixed minimum term, Performance-triggered renewal, Hybrid (ramp + performance), Undecided
• Which specific KPI categories must be contractually tracked (pick all that apply)? Options: Brand lift (survey), Media impressions, Sales/attribution, Hospitality conversions, Social engagement, Other
• Who on your team will be the contract owner and authorized signer for the agreement?
• How do you prefer payment milestones to align with deliverables? Options: Annual installments, Semi-annual, Quarterly, Milestone-tied to KPI delivery
• Provide the measurable acceptance criteria that will define KPI success for the term (example: % brand lift, incremental sales volume).

Structure Exclusive Category Rights and Placement

• Select the scope of exclusivity you require within category definitions. Options: Single product category, Multiple defined categories, Territory-limited exclusivity, No exclusivity
• Specify the physical and digital placement types you require exclusivity over (examples: jersey sleeve, on-site signage zone, official app placement).
• Who must approve any competitor carve-outs or co-sponsorship exceptions on your behalf?
• Indicate how exclusivity violations should be monitored (e.g., merchandise SKU audits, partner placement logs, weekly placement report). Options: Merchandise SKU audit, Partner placement logs, Third-party monitoring report, Other
• When should exclusivity protections commence relative to contract signature (on-signature, first activation, season start)? Options: On signature, On first activation, On season start date, Other

Secure Naming Rights Package and Contract Execution

• Identify which assets you want included in the naming scope (venue name, concourse, practice facility, specific concourse zones). Options: Primary venue name, Concourse/entry naming, Practice facility, Concierge/club areas, Other
• Specify the signage and wayfinding deliverables you expect (example: bowl signage count, exterior façade, exterior pylon).
• Name the timeline you require from artwork approval to physical signage installation (in weeks). Options: Under 4 weeks, 4-8 weeks, 8-12 weeks, 12+ weeks
• Confirm any trademark, name-approval, or legal clearance workflows required for naming assets.
• Who will supply final artwork and physical signage specifications (your creative team, an agency, or we produce)? Options: Your creative team, External agency, We provide production, Undecided

Negotiate Media and Content Rights for Sponsor Use

• Choose the content rights your campaign requires for sponsor use. Options: Broadcast clips, Short-form social clips, Archive footage, Live-stream overlays, Full-length match/event rights
• Indicate the desired usage window for licensed content (campaign-limited, limited term, perpetual). Options: Campaign-limited, 1 year term, 3 year term, Perpetual
• Who will handle content clearance including music and talent releases for deliverables?
• Specify how content delivery and watermarking should be integrated with your asset management endpoint (file specs, watermark standards, hosted ingest URL).

Deliver Audience Demographics and Reach Report

• Identify which markets or audience footprints the reach report must cover (single event DMA, season average, national). Options: Single-event DMA, Season average, Rolling 12 months, National
• Specify the demographic buckets required in the report (age bands, gender, household income, ethnographic segments).
• Indicate preferred reach metrics (unique viewers, cumulative impressions, average time-in-view) to be included. Options: Unique viewers, Cumulative impressions, Avg time-in-view, GRP-equivalents
• Provide the minimum demographic threshold that must be met for the property to qualify (example: X% of reach aged 25-34).
• Who on your team will review and sign off on the final demographics and reach report?

Deliver Media Exposure Valuation for Sponsorship Impressions

• Select which channels must be included in the exposure valuation. Options: Linear broadcast, Streaming, Social amplification, Out-of-home on-site, Earned press
• Indicate the valuation model you prefer for media equivalency. Options: CPM benchmarking, Earned media value model, Prevented media spend comparison, Custom hybrid model
• Specify the output units required in the valuation report (impressions, viewable seconds, GRPs, AVE). Options: Impressions, Viewable seconds, GRPs, AVE, Custom
• Who should receive and review the exposure valuation and any supporting calculation spreadsheets?
• When do you need the baseline media exposure valuation delivered relative to campaign start? Options: At contract signing, 30 days before launch, On launch day, Post-launch report

Implement Brand Lift Study and Reporting

• Choose the brand metrics the lift study must measure. Options: Awareness, Favorability, Purchase intent, Message recall, Consideration
• Indicate the target sample size and segmentation for the study (examples: 1,000 nationally representative; 500 event-attendees). Options: 500-1,000, 1,000-2,500, 2,500+, Undecided
• State the cadence for measurement you require (pre/post single event, rolling quarterly, ongoing). Options: Pre/post single event, Quarterly, Monthly during season, Ongoing continuous
• Provide the acceptance thresholds for study results including minimum sample size and statistical significance requirement (example: p < 0.05).
• Identify acceptable respondent sources for the study (first-party CRM audience, randomized online panel, market research panel). Options: First-party CRM, Randomized online panel, Market research panel, Undecided

Integrate Sales Attribution Tracking and Tagging

• Select the conversion paths you need instrumented for attribution. Options: Promo codes, CRM lead capture, E-commerce transactions, In-venue QR/NFC scans
• Specify the tagging endpoints and data flows required (UTM convention, pixel endpoint URL, server-to-server postback).
• Who will own ingestion of first-party leads into your CRM and mapping to downstream sales outcomes?
• Indicate any privacy, consent, or regulatory constraints that affect customer-level tracking (for example GDPR or CCPA restrictions). Options: No constraints, GDPR, CCPA, Other
• When do you expect a tracking QA run or proof-of-concept to validate attribution flows? Options: 2 weeks before launch, 1 month before launch, On launch day, Post-launch

Produce Branded Content Series and Distribution Assets

• Choose the content formats and runtimes you require. Options: Short-form social (15-30s), Hero video (2-3 min), BTS shorts (30-60s), Long form episodic
• Specify required file specs and masters (resolution, codecs, aspect ratios, and cut counts).
• Who will approve scripts, storyboards, and the final masters?
• Indicate the distribution endpoints that must be provisioned (brand channels, partner channels, paid social). Options: Brand channels, Partner channels, Paid social, Owned digital
• When must final deliverables be provided relative to the event or campaign launch? Options: 4+ weeks before, 2-4 weeks before, 1 week before, On launch day

Activate Digital and Social Campaigns During Events

• Select the live digital tactics you plan to run during events. Options: Live social stories, Sponsored AR/filters, In-venue Wi-Fi takeovers, Real-time content drops
• Specify KPIs for digital activations (examples: engagement rate, VCR, CTR). Options: Engagement rate, Video completion rate, Click-through rate, New followers
• Name the person or role who will manage creative approvals and real-time updates during events.
• Indicate the tracking mechanisms to be used for campaign performance (UTMs, pixels, promo codes). Options: UTMs, Pixels, Promo codes, Server-to-server events
• Provide an escalation contact and expected SLA for resolving live campaign issues. Options: 15 minutes, 1 hour, 4 hours, Next business day

Deploy Onsite Experiential Activation and Staffing

• Describe the activation footprint and technical requirements (square feet, power amps, Wi-Fi bandwidth).
• List the onsite roles and headcount required (hosts, brand ambassadors, AV technicians) and estimated shift lengths.
• Who will deliver staff training materials and onsite scripts prior to activation?
• Indicate credentialing and access requirements for staff and vendors (ticket manifest, credential pickup window).
• When do you require a site walkthrough or dry run prior to the first event? Options: 2+ weeks prior, 1 week prior, 3-5 days prior, No walkthrough required

Operate VIP Hospitality, Ticketing, and Guest Experiences

• Select the hospitality elements you require for VIPs and guests. Options: Suite access, Meet-and-greet, Dedicated F&B, Curated experiences
• Specify the guest list management and check-in method you prefer (pre-registered list, QR check-in, on-site registration). Options: Pre-registered guest list, QR check-in, On-site registration, Third-party concierge
• Who on your team will provide the final guest list and assume liability for guest waivers?
• Indicate the number of VIP tickets and hospitality covers needed and any acceptable substitution rules.
• When must final guest names and dietary restrictions be submitted relative to the event date? Options: 14 days prior, 7 days prior, 3 days prior, On event day

Manage Activation Fulfillment and Vendor Coordination

• Identify vendor categories that must be onboarded and coordinated (fabrication, AV, security, catering). Options: Fabrication, AV/lighting, Security, Catering, Staffing

• Partnership Agreement
• Sponsorship Order Form
• Activation Statement of Work (SOW)
• Measurement & Reporting Addendum
• Exclusivity & Category Rights Schedule
• Naming Rights License (conditional)
• Payment Schedule & Invoice Terms
• Intellectual Property & Content License
• Termination & Performance Remedies Annex
• Data Processing Addendum (DPA) / Regulatory Rider (conditional)

• Launch Health Check (weeks 1-4)
• First Measurement Review (weeks 4-10)
• Acceptance Gate Meeting (around day 90)
• Ongoing Quarterly Outcomes Review
• Operational Backlog and Measurement Burn-down (monthly)

• Launch any agreed measurement experiments and document the hypothesis and success criteria.
• Agree remediation actions and completion dates for any failed criteria, with a final verification step defined.
• Publish the acceptance decision document that maps each criterion to pass/fail and includes the evidence package.
• Open remediation tickets for any failed criteria with resolution deadlines and verification steps.
• Schedule the first post-acceptance Ongoing Outcomes Review and circulate the agenda.
• Trend review of primary outcome metrics
• Confirm whether the program's primary metrics remain within acceptable range of the Mutual Agreement targets.
• Agree the quarter's prioritized backlog and a schedule for completing the top 3 items.
• Publish the prioritized backlog for the quarter with expected completion windows.
• Re-confirm committed success criteria and owners
• Update the measurement plan to reflect any attribution window or methodology changes agreed in the meeting.
• Open backlog review and prioritization
• Drive the operational backlog toward zero by assigning clear resolution dates for high-priority defects.
• Confirm measurement data completeness (%) and participation counts meet operational thresholds or define immediate fixes.
• Close or re-scope high-priority operational tickets with new resolution dates and verification steps.
• Run a scheduled data ingestion validation and publish the completeness and latency metrics.
• If incumbent exists, finalize decommissioning tasks, archive legacy data, and publish the decommission log.
• Confirm measurement instrumentation is recording events and surveys as expected.
• Produce a short list of launch defects with remediation actions and completion dates.
• Validate and publish a measurement-verification log showing event receipts and survey tag hits.
• Complete any outstanding asset delivery or creative-spec fixes and confirm updated delivery timestamps.
• Circulate the launch defect list with remediation owners and target dates for closure.
• Present first-wave measurement data
• Determine whether brand lift in aided awareness (%) and target-demo reach (%) are trending toward the Mutual Agreement targets.
• Document a prioritized list of corrective actions and a deadline to present at the acceptance gate meeting.
• Implement the agreed corrective actions with defined completion dates and update the measurement plan accordingly.
• Run a data-quality verification on survey sampling and analytics events, and publish the findings.
• Prepare the side-by-side data packet mapping each Mutual Agreement acceptance criterion to the observed result for the acceptance gate.
• Restate each acceptance criterion and numeric target
• Produce a documented pass/fail decision for each Mutual Agreement acceptance criterion with signatory record.
• Backlog and enhancement prioritization
• Deployment and asset delivery validation
• Present outcome data against each criterion
• Diagnose gaps and root causes
• Measurement data health
• Document pass/fail per criterion and remediation plan
• Measurement instrumentation health check
• Vendor and integration issues
• Agree corrective actions and timeline to acceptance gate
• Measurement roadmap and experiments
• Resolved items and close-the-loop
• Measurement confidence and data-quality checks
• Early adoption and operational signals
• Incumbent wind-down check (if applicable)
• Formal acceptance recording
• Open issues and immediate remediation actions