Welcome to Insider Sport’s latest edition of the Partnership Playbook, where we bring you the details on some of the latest sports partnerships and sponsorships.
This week is led by the Bundesliga’s move into prediction markets with Polymarket and The Hundred’s new partnership with Monzo, as both competitions look to improve commercial and fan engagement strategies.
MotoGP also looks to scale its global sponsorship programme with CAA Sports, while Rugby Australia strengthens its commercial portfolio with new deals ahead of its home World Cup cycle.
Bundesliga joins prediction market craze with Polymarket
The Bundesliga has agreed a multi-year partnership with Polymarket, naming the prediction marketplace its official prediction market partner in the US
Beginning with the 2026-27 season in August, Polymarket users will be able to trade event contracts on Bundesliga match outcomes, with the partnership aimed at boosting engagement with the league in the US.
The agreement includes the development of digital and social content focused on match predictions and markets, as well as exclusive rights for Polymarket US to use Bundesliga and club intellectual property in a listed prediction market format.
“Partnerships like this one are a testament to our long-term collaboration with Relevent to grow German soccer in the region, as we continue to showcase Football As It’s Meant to Be in the Americas,” said Robin Austermann, Bundesliga Americas EVP.
The US has always been viewed as a lucrative market, though leagues have failed to make the same impact as the Premier League.
The Bundesliga has been quick to use tech and trends to drive engagement in the past, including becoming one of the first football leagues to partner with Roblox to reach younger audiences.
However, the league isn’t the first in this instance, with Polymarket already partnering with La Liga, Serie A, MLB, NHL, UFC and MLS.
The Hundred names Monzo as Official Banking Partner
The Hundred has announced a partnership with digital bank Monzo ahead of the new edition of the competition.
Under the deal, Monzo branding will feature via the Decision Review System (DRS) in broadcast coverage, as well as at all eight venues. The bank will also deliver fan engagement activations at selected matchdays, including both The Hundred Eliminator and Final
“We’re excited to become the official banking partner of The Hundred for the start of the competition’s new era,” said Charlotte Ford, Senior Director of Brand, Content & Partnerships at Monzo.
Launched in 2021, The Hundred was created as a short-format competition to modernise cricket and make it more accessible to new and broader audiences, with a focus on attracting families and younger fans compared with traditional formats of the game.
“Monzo is a brand that has challenged convention in its own sector, with a strong connection to modern, digitally engaged audiences, so there is a natural alignment with The Hundred,” said Ben Bradley, Head of Commercial Partnerships, The Hundred.
MotoGP brings in CAA Sports to accelerate commercial push
MotoGP Group has appointed CAA Sports as its exclusive global agency partner in the hopes of unlocking new sponsorship opportunities.
Under the agreement, CAA Sports will work alongside MotoGP to identify and secure new partners across international markets, with a focus on expanding into additional brand categories and increasing the value of the championship’s existing sponsorship inventory.
The appointment comes as MotoGP looks to scale a commercial platform that already supports a wide-ranging sponsorship ecosystem and a global fanbase of more than 650 million, as well as a calendar spanning major international markets.
“This partnership marks a key step in delivering our commercial strategy – building on the strength of what we have already created and taking it to the next level,” said Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of MotoGP Group.
The strategy mirrors the commercial playbook seen in Formula 1, which is also owned by Liberty Media and has experienced significant growth in brand appeal. However, F1’s commercial expansion has also highlighted the challenge of balancing the expectations of legacy fans with those of newer audiences.
Rugby Australia secures dual commercial deals ahead of World Cup
Rugby Australia has strengthened its commercial programme with two separate agreements, extending its partnership with cybersecurity firm CyberCX while also bringing Coca-Cola into its portfolio.
CyberCX, part of Accenture, will remain Rugby Australia’s official cybersecurity services partner through to the end of 2027, continuing to protect the organisation’s digital infrastructure, data and intellectual property.
The extension will see CyberCX branding on the Wallabies and Wallaroos coaches’ boxes during home Tests, as well as stadium LED advertising and other matchday integration.
In a separate deal, Coca-Cola has signed a four-year partnership covering the Wallabies, Wallaroos and Australian Sevens teams, as well as securing exclusive non-alcoholic pouring rights for the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia.
The agreement puts Coca-Cola at the centre of Rugby Australia’s commercial and event strategy during a period that includes the men’s and women’s World Cups.
“With the eyes of the rugby world turning to Australia next year, it has never been more important to secure the technology infrastructure behind the sport,” said CyberCX CEO John Paitaridis.
In other news:
- Ajax and Ziggo will end their decade-long shirt sponsorship when the deal expires at the end of the 2026/27 season, with the telecoms company opting not to renew.
- TGR Haas F1 Team has signed a multi-year partnership with Emburse, naming the travel and expense management company its official travel and expense solution partner.
- Northern Ireland Football League has named BOYLE Sports as title partner across its Premiership, Championship and Women’s Premiership in a three-year deal.
- Visa Cash App Racing Bulls has unveiled Salesforce as its fan engagement partner in a deal that will see the team deploy the Agentforce 360 AI platform across its race operations and hospitality experience.
- DUNLOP has agreed a partnership with Goodwood Revival, becoming the event’s first presenting partner.
- Adidas has renewed its partnership with the Royal Belgian Football Association until 2034, continuing as the official kit supplier of Belgium’s national teams.
- Volleyball World has renewed its partnership with Vodafone Türkiye, which will return as the official partner of the Amazon Women’s Volleyball Nations League Ankara for a third consecutive year.
