Blazing a New Trail: How PwC’s Global Sports Survey Puts Sponsorship at the Heart of Irish Sport’s Commercial Future

The global sports industry is entering a new phase of disciplined growth, and sponsorship sits at the centre of it. The ninth edition of PwC’s Global Sports Survey, titled Sports Industry: Blazing a New Trail and covered by Sport for Business on 29 June 2026, draws on 517 senior executives across 48 countries and 7,250 fans across 17 markets. Executives forecast annual growth of 7.4% over the next three to five years, with team and franchise valuations expected to rise by 7.9%. For Irish sponsorship professionals, the core message is unambiguous: as media rights slow across the global industry, sponsorship becomes the more strategically important commercial revenue driver, not less.

The finding that anchors the commercial case is clear. Sponsorship is confirmed as the second biggest revenue driver for sport globally, and the report identifies it as the primary beneficiary of the structural shift away from media rights dependency. Three-quarters of executives see integrity breaches as a major commercial risk, reinforcing that sport’s value to sponsors is directly tied to trust. PwC confirms the commercial model is not broken but is being redesigned, and sponsorship is one of its most strategically important components in that redesign.

The data on investor behaviour has direct implications for Irish rights holders. Some 78% of executives expect investors to prioritise sports assets with broader monetisation beyond traditional media rights. The 38% who identify teams, clubs, leagues and federations as the most attractive investment opportunity are looking explicitly for commercial diversification, and sponsorship revenue is one of the strongest indicators of that capability. Clubs and governing bodies that build deep, multi-year sponsorship relationships are not just generating income; they are improving their investability.

The women’s sport findings reinforce the commercial opportunity that Irish sponsors have consistently been slow to act on. Some 91% of executives forecast double-digit revenue growth in women’s sport over the next three to five years, with an overall expected growth rate of 25%. PwC notes the sector is moving from breakout momentum to sustained build-out, with rising media interest and stronger sponsorship portfolios globally. ONSIDE’s 2026 Irish Sponsorship Industry Survey projects the Irish market will reach €247 million this year, and women’s sport remains one of the most undercapitalised segments within it.

Two action points stand out for Irish C-suites. Rights holders must demonstrate revenue breadth across sponsorship, events, content, membership and data to attract institutional capital that is actively searching for diversified sports assets. And brands that commit to women’s sport now will enter at a point of structural growth rather than speculative investment, compounding returns as the sector scales.

The trail PwC describes is already visible in Irish sport. The task for 2026 is to follow it with intent.

(The views expressed by the writer are his/her own and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of BusinessRiver.)