2026 NFL Sponcon Scouting Report

👋 Welcome back to Sponcon Sports, a weekly newsletter dedicated to sponsored content strategy in the sports industry! 

This is a resource for sports organizations to generate more sponsorship revenue and for brands to get more from their sports partnerships by building sponsored content fans actually want to engage with.

In Today’s Edition:

• 🔍️ NFL Week 1 Sponcon Spotlight

• ⚾️ MLB finds its Best Swing with Polymarket

• 🎭 Must-Cae Clay Matthews Transformation

🏊️ DEEP DIVE
The Best Sponsored Content From NFL Week 1

The NFL is back, which means I've spent an unreasonable amount of time scrolling through sponsored content from all 32 teams and the league.

This year, I've also teamed up with Mondo Metrics to add another layer to the report.

Using MondoTrends, they analyzed more than 9,200 posts across all 32 teams, published between September 9 and September 22.

Get this! At least 1 in every 9 posts during the NFL's opening week was sponsored, with more than 230 different brands represented.

The analysis includes caption-based sponsorships, brand tags, and visually confirmed integrations like logo-only graphics. One caveat: views are not reported consistently for static posts, so the 30.3M sponsored-view total still understates overall branded reach.

Like last year, I've focused on new activations, interesting strategies, and opportunities that caught my attention rather than rehashing every familiar series.

Here's what stood out from Week 1.

The Sponsored Content Leaders

The Dallas Cowboys dominated team-level sponsored views with 9.2M, more than the Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, and Detroit Lions combined.

On the brand side, SeatGeek led with 3.7M views, followed by Miller Lite at 2.7M, and Baylor Scott & White Health at 2.5M.

All three happen to be Cowboys partners. But with Miller Lite, that connection is more correlation than causation. The brand performed well across several teams, and Dallas wasn’t the main driver.

Views tell only part of the story.

M&T Bank led all brands at 73K engagements per post, largely driven by its sponsorship of Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens final score graphics. Those Instagram posts ranked third and fourth overall in engagement.

Ticketmaster generated the most total engagement at 613K across 67 posts and 17 teams, showing the value of scale when the content performs.

Baylor Scott & White may be the most interesting mix of scale and consistency: 17 posts averaged 250K views and 17.6K engagements each.

Not one included the brand’s logo in the creative. The sponsorship appeared only in the copy tag.

The content clearly performed. The question is whether the brand could have captured even more value with a natural visual presence.

The Value of Game Day

Sponsored content was split almost evenly between the days leading up to games and game day itself, but the performance wasn't.

Game day posts represented 43% of sponsored content while generating 71% of engagement. They averaged 9.2K engagements per post, nearly four times the 2.5K generated before game day.

Does that mean brands should put all their money into game day? I wouldn't go that far.

Much of that inventory is tied to the game itself, leaving less room for deeper customized integrations.

The opportunity is to build a balanced package: use game day inventory for reach and engagement, then pair it with non-game day activations that give brands more room to tell stories and pursue different objectives.

And for teams, that performance gap is another reason game-day inventory can command a premium as availability becomes scarce.

Arrivals That Sell

The Seattle Seahawks have Starbucks sponsoring their arrivals after featuring a Funko-branded hallway last season.

The Lions’ Coca-Cola branded entryway became the backdrop for linebacker Derrick Barnes arriving in a full Spider-Man costume alongside his son, Trey.

The NFL shared the moment, too, but wisely used an angle that didn't show Coke, given the league's partnership with Pepsi.

Meanwhile, Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward arrived at the team's home opener against the New York Jets in a Nissan. It's a tactic the Titans have used frequently for draft picks and coaching hires.

The San Francisco 49ers were nowhere near home in Week 1, but they brought their Levi's red carpet with them. I especially loved the design of the first card in this carousel.

Travel Partners Going Places

I was a huge fan of the Los Angeles Rams' How Far Did You Travel? series last season. American Airlines sponsored at least the first video of the series this year, fittingly enough, as the presenting sponsor of the team's trip to Australia.

While the Rams were in Melbourne, they also rolled out The Deck, a floating football field and viewing platform on the Yarra River. And who better to sponsor a floating deck than [Microsoft] Surface?

Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers worked "Business Trip" into the creative for their Week 1 travel content. I know teams love using that caption, but I haven't seen many actually incorporate it into the design. Someone in Green Bay should give Navan and Corporate Traveler a call.

Better Sound, Better Content

Last year, I noticed teams doing a better job of isolating pregame huddle audio to avoid potential music licensing issues, making more of their game day footage commercially usable.

This season, the sound quality seems to have improved considerably.

A few examples worth checking out:

• New England Patriots x New Balance

• 49ers x Novartis

• Washington Commanders x Northwest Federal Credit Union

Getting Fired Up

Fireball Whisky has a much bigger presence around the league this season.

My favorite activation was the Patriots' Fired Up series, which shows the team taking the field.

Out west, the Arizona Cardinals integrated the brand into photos of the game.

Although their caption, "vieWs from LA 📸," made me wonder whether Fireball would be open to a logo variation that matched the format.

You know, "fireball Whisky," with only the W capitalized.

Sponcon With a Side of Copilot

I gotta admit, the Microsoft Copilot integration during the opening-night broadcast felt a bit heavy-handed.

That said, I liked how the NFL used a Copilot-branded Microsoft Surface for player content, leaning into the celebration theme of its new The Season Is Your Stage campaign.

A few examples:

• Players guess who did the celebration.

• Dexter Lawrence reviews other players' celebrations.

• Travis Hunter guessing players from their silhouettes.

It's a natural way to incorporate the product into something fans already enjoy watching.

Speaking of celebrations, the Seahawks have a new prop for their Bud Light Celly Cam.

The win glasses are gone. It's now a bedazzled win microphone.

Bringing Partners Into the Fan Experience

I don't think teams do enough to use their partners' products and locations to bring fandom into everyday life.

Four examples caught my attention:

• Minnesota Vikings x Caribou Coffee: Drink Sleeves

• Atlanta Falcons x NAPA: Car Flags

• Bills x Wegmans: Bring the Storm Ice Cream

• Kansas City Chiefs x McDonald's: Team Flags, complete with a special appearance from Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt.

Giveaways With a Purpose

A couple of sweepstakes caught my attention.

The 49ers turned Trivia Tuesday into a weekly chance to win signed merchandise.

It's a fitting placement for SAP, connecting the brand with analytical content while creating an opportunity to collect valuable first-party data.

But this idea in Tennessee takes the cake.

Titans fans can win season tickets if they can find Hellmann's mascot, Manny Mayo, somewhere in the crowd at Nissan Stadium.

The fan cam resolution when you zoom in is shockingly crisp.

A Golden Ticket in Houston

The Houston Texans are celebrating their 25th anniversary with their first-ever limited-edition trading card pack giveaway.

What I love about this promotion is that fans need to arrive by 11:30 a.m. to snag a pack.

And if you find a gold card (25 total), you could win a custom jersey, signed merchandise, and an entry for a grand prize that includes suite tickets, sideline passes, and an Andre Johnson meet-and-greet.

It's a fun collectible with a clear behavioral objective attached.

Turning Donations Into Content Fans Want

Longtime readers know I'm generally against using organic social media to publish promotional donation-trigger graphics.

However, there are exceptions.

Announcing a program ahead of the season is a smart use case, and several teams did that this year:

• Packers x Sargento: Touchdowns for Hunger

• 49ers x Tito's: Passes for Paws

• Chiefs x Build-A-Bear: Every Point Means More

• Cincinnati Bengals x Kettering Health: Intercept Cancer

What I particularly liked was how the Packers extended their program.

Rather than relying solely on dedicated promotional graphics, they had Sargento sponsor their touchdown graphics.

That keeps awareness of the initiative high by attaching it to content fans already want to see.

Small Businesses, Big Opportunities

One thing teams are doing well across the league is pairing transaction content with relevant sponsors.

Most have a financial brand partner attached, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with Fifth Third Bank and the New York Giants with Primepoint HR & Payroll.

But the Indianapolis Colts are taking an interesting approach.

They're using transactions content to support their Small Business Partner Program, highlighting companies such as Fluid Waste Services and IMH Products Contract Manufacturing.

The Carolina Panthers have a similar small business program, with Epperson Law Group currently appearing on practice content.

Gameday Threads, Three Different Objectives

The Cleveland Browns have Riddell, the helmet manufacturer, sponsoring their Game Day Threads series. A natural fit.

The Cowboys placed Avery Dennison on their version, which also makes sense given the company's role in producing heat-transfer graphics, digital labels, and customization technology for official fan jerseys.

Meanwhile, the Panthers are using the series to pursue a more direct response objective.

Bojangles is sponsoring a Fit Check Friday program, offering fans a free iced coffee with any purchase of at least $1 using the code BOJERSEY.

Strength in Numbers

I think one of my favorite sponsored content series names this season is Strength in Numbers, presented by Planet Fitness.

What's especially interesting is how different teams are bringing it to life.

The Panthers use it for content showing multiple players working together.

The Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars take a different approach, connecting the name to numbers in their stats graphics.

A Fresh Look at Familiar Content

The 49ers rolled out Frozen Moments in Time with Campbell's Chunky. Which is also how I learned Campbell's makes frozen bowls.

That said, I'd drop "Moments" and call it Frozen in Time, borrowing a little inspiration from The Snow League.

Meanwhile, the Bears introduced Bearigami, an interactive website tracking every unique final score in franchise history dating back to 1920.

And, of course, their Week 1 win over Carolina delivered a Bearigami.

Turning the Phone Into the Content

The 49ers shared a video called Admin Cam, and it's practically begging for a phone sponsor.

Cough... Verizon... cough.

While we're talking about content phone brands should sponsor, how about the Sunday's Calling posts from the Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos?

Or Eagles players reacting to highlights on a phone?

Design Wins

A few integrations caught my attention purely because of how the teams incorporated the sponsors visually.

• Commanders x Bank of America: Loved how the team incorporated the logo into its season hype video, placing it in the top-right corner of the middle section of the layout.

• Vikings x U.S. Bank: These matchup lower thirds were particularly sharp.

• Chiefs x GEHA: The Chiefs nailed it with the look of their 2026 GEHA Game Updates, but wish the brand was present earlier, like the 2024 set.

• Eagles: Love the use of this scorebug on highlights, you could brand it for future sponsor integrations.

I was surprised by how prominently Lowe's Earn Your Sunday tagline appeared on the Packers' game day graphic.

Personally, I would have prioritized the matchup a little more in the visual hierarchy. But fans didn't seem to mind. Credit to Lowe's for developing messaging that aligns so naturally with football.

And in Cincinnati, Cintas is sponsoring Bengals arrivals with its "Ready for the Workday" tagline. That's a great fit for the content and more on par with what I’m looking for in visual hierarchy.

The Panthers published their final score on X without a graphic, but the post was still sponsored by Ticketmaster.

I would have included a graphic with the sponsor incorporated into the creative. It's a more complete way to deliver the integration.

I remain a big fan of the design of the Broncos Game Previews on X, but I'd add some game odds to deepen the connection to BetMGM.

I think there's a missed opportunity across the league to make better use of the Gatorade lettermark G.

Most teams simply place it in the corner of graphics (Chiefs | Commanders | Bills).

I'd borrow from Alabama Football, which uses the lettermark to start words like Game or Gameday.

Camera-Ready Content

Plenty of NFL teams activate content with Sony, given the brand's league partnership.

But I particularly liked this new concept from the Las Vegas Raiders: Shifting The Speed, a nod to the shutter speed on Sony cameras.

One small suggestion for the Instagram version.

I'd love to see the team use the new multiple captions feature, similar to what the Miami Dolphins did during training camp, then incorporate different camera settings from video to video.

Clever, or Coincidence?

Hellmann's sponsors the Patriots' uniform reveal series, including a week one graphic that says "White on Blue." Am I reaching, or is that a subtle connection to mayo?

Clover appeared on Dolphins’ warm-up content featuring Caleb "PayDay" Douglas.

A financial services company working with PayDay? Someone please tell me if there's a player deal involved.

Player Sponsorship Opportunities

Who doesn't love dog content? Dallas teamed up with new NFL partner The Farmer's Dog for a video showing a dog’s POV of meeting Cowboys players.

By the way, The Farmer's Dog needs to sponsor Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III. His nickname is K9, and he's a dog dad to Thanos. While he has worked with Chewy, Kansas City does sponsored content around individuals (Patrick Mahomes x Texas Tech, Andy Reid x Tyson Foods).

And in New York, looks like Jameis Winston needs a deodorant deal. Not because the Giants QB smells bad, but because he clearly can't get enough.

A Few More Things That Caught My Attention

The Falcons called back to their This Is SportsCenter-style Schedule Release video on game day. I'd love to see more teams carry their Schedule Release concepts deeper into the regular season. Atlanta is no strangers to doing that (see Sponsored Content of the Week).

I'm keeping my eye on the Commanders as they prepare to introduce their new Spike the Spear tradition later this month.

X introduced a new feature that lets fans find and follow players on all 32 NFL teams' 53-man rosters directly from each team's profile.

Year two of the NFL Hub isn't looking too shabby, either. My favorite part is the access to highlights for each game.

Explosions In The Sky, Peter Berg, Coach Taylor. I can’t stop watching this Netflix video they dropped ahead of the Australia game.

🔍️ SPONCONSPIRATION
Steal These Ideas

MLB’s Biggest Swings series with Polymarket is really smart. It uses win probability graphs from comeback victories, creating a natural connection to what fans see on the prediction market platform. The name also works on two levels: a literal big swing can change the game, while the graphic shows the corresponding swing in win probability.

FC Bayern challenged its players to see who could grab the most Paulaner bottle caps with one hand. It’s the latest example of a very strong short-form content strategy with the German beer brand.

When it comes to sponsored content in college athletics, BYU Football remains my favorite in the country. Their integration game is consistently strong. The Cougars’ radio highlights series smartly places Vivint branding on the back wall of the booth, while Gameday Threads cleanly showcases the Entrata jersey patch without distracting from the uniform reveal itself.

HUGO BOSS created a custom helmet for Aston Martin F1 driver Fernando Alonso featuring a haute couture-inspired design. The timing is strong, too, with added attention around the debut of the Madrid race and Alonso competing at home.

Caesars Sportsbook teamed up with Clay Matthews for its viral “We’ve Had Some Work Done” campaign using Hollywood prosthetics. The behind-the-scenes video showing the transformation pulled in nearly 4 million Instagram views.

🚨 ICYMI
Industry News & Insights

The Athlete Advantage: New data from The Business Of Fashion Insights found that professional athletes now influence shoppers more than traditional celebrities and macro-influencers.

Sponsors Get A Replay: GumGum launched a new sports media product that lets sponsors retarget fans who were actually exposed to their branding during live broadcasts.

Creator Suite Spot: Neil Tennant shared an important point most haven’t covered in the US Open creator controversy: even though some of the disruptions came from suites, that’s often where creators make their worst content, not their best [via Paid Partnership Newsletter].

Brand Deals, Geofenced: YouTube rolled out a few branded content updates, but the most interesting is a new control that lets creators limit sponsored videos by age and location, making it easier to comply with regional rules without walking away from certain brand deals.

In Or Out: You need to check out Malph Minns’ LinkedIn series breaking down US Open experiential activations and judging whether each one is a winner, a loser, or needs further review.