Group M launches sports division Sponsorcom, with Football Federation as foundational client
Rob Smith
GroupM has launched a full-service sponsorship and sports rights division, called SponsorCom, which will launch with the Football Federation Australia as a foundational client.
SponsorCom, will operate across all GroupM’s four media agencies, and will provide services including: broadcast rights negotiations; media rights; major sponsorship strategy; contract evaluation; supporting sponsorship sales; licensing and talent management.
The new division will be headed by Rob Smith who has worked for Sports & Entertainment Ltd (SEL) with responsibilities spanning commercial rights sales, business development, client management and legal affairs.
I thought media agencies worked for clients, not people with something to sell (media vendors, etc).
how is this supposed to work.. groupm agency advises football body on who to sell sponsorship to (and charges vendor a fee), and separately. groupm agency advises client on what sponsorship deal to do (and charges client a fee).
media agency gets paid twice for the same transaction..??
gotta say groupm’s got more front than myer
Not new
They started this exact business model about ten years ago, then shut it down about 8 years later.
Rob is a very accomplished operator who will provide a positive contribution to the market. Well done Group M and good luck Rob.
Dave Fleming was doing the exact same role 6-7 years ago – it was called ‘Performance’ then. Great guy.
This is the old school sports marketing model. Most of these business models have failed. They have either folded or evolved their product offering because the model is not sustainable. It also doesn’t work for sports federations to outsource. A few has tried it – and almost all have reverted to selling in house. I think this is a bad move by the FFA as well. Group M have not cracked this space yet. None of ther branded entertainment divisions are firing. Someone needs to take charge