Volleyball is one of the most loved sports in the world. It is fun and can be played for leisure on a day at the beach or with friends as light exercise. While the game is mainly fun, it is also played seriously with sponsorship on National and International levels, where teams from different places play in a tournament. As a result, Volleyball associations have been formed, with the biggest being the FIVB meaning Fédération Internationale de Volleyball in French. When translated to English, it means International Volleyball Federation.
To play a game of volleyball, you need two teams of 6 people to bat the ball back and forth over. Professional volleyball has specific rules and guidelines that must be followed and requirements that must be met. Like any game, failure to follow the laid-out rules means disqualification.
Until 1949, the FIVB sponsored the first world Volleyball Championship, but it was only for men. In 1952, women were finally included in the sport, making room for people like the famous Jordan Larson from Team USA in the Women’s National Volleyball in the United States. She later went on to play in a league during the Athletes unlimited volleyball season.
In subsequent years, the game has gotten more and more attention and sponsors who want to partner with the association in mutually beneficial ways. These were a variety of companies from sports brands to casinos, such as Classic Casino where you can play volleyball-thematic gambling games. Here’s a list of 5 of the most famous volleyball sponsors;
Asics
This is a Japanese multinational corporation that produces sports equipment ranging from sneakers, shirts, jackets, hoodies, socks, backpacks, caps, etc.
Asics is the official sponsor for uniforms of the FIVB. The contract was a five-year deal that took effect in 2016, thereby coming to a halt in 2020. This sponsorship covered the jerseys for the volleyball athletes or players, but branded uniforms/footwear were also distributed to the on-court personnel and the referee officials. In more recent times, the uniforms given to athletes are more modernized with moisture-wicking technology. This is far cooler than traditional jerseys. In the last Women’s World Championship, held in 2018, they designed a new set of uniforms that helped the FIVB show up as one of the greatest and most innovative sports.
Mikasa
This is another Japanese company. However, Mikasa deals with the manufacturing of sports equipment. They are one of the best manufacturers of balls for football, basketball, volleyball, handball etc. Their products have come to be used for official matches, games and competitions.
For many years, Mikasa has been partnering with the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV) and all FIVB events. The sponsorship was acquired in 2013 when the marketing rights to the official game ball were signed. Since then, there has been no game where you can’t miss the well-known yellow and blue volleyball. Mikasa is involved with FIVB events like; FIVB Volleyball World Championships, World Grand Prix etc.
LV Bet
There’s no sport without betting, and with this in mind, brands such as LV Bet, one of the top online casinos, find ways to leverage this through partnerships. In 2017, LV Bet was one of the sponsors of the Men’s European Volleyball Championships. The national volleyball team event took place in Poland and had countries from all over Europe.
Volleyball is a very popular sport in the Poland volleyball league, and to seal this, Krzysztof Ignaczak, a Volleyball player, served as an ambassador for LV Bet as this was part of the deal. This partnership was great because of all the prospects it held for them to promote and reach new markets.
Honda
With a brand like Honda on this list, you’re probably wondering how partnering with sports leagues is beneficial to any of the two parties. However, they have made it work, which has dragged fans worldwide because of their interest in the Brand’s activations.
Honda is another Japanese corporation, an automobile manufacturer. It was the first of its kind to sponsor the FIVB. It was also the first FIVB official partner for professional elite volleyball. The contract was a big deal for FIVB because it was the first time they had scored a global brand. Honda made its first onsite presence at FIVB in 2014, during the Women’s World Championship in Italy. This was a year after the deal was signed.
Through the years, Honda has successfully entertained and drawn people to the sporting FIVB events with its onsite activations. In the 2015 Beach Volleyball World Championship, Honda had special FIVB decal wraps on the cars driving up and down the beaches.
Bet Motion
Another sports betting company that has shown its interest and support is Bet Motion. In 2019 the Latin American gambling site supported the Brazilian volleyball season by announcing a sponsorship deal with Carol Solberg and Maria Elisa volleyball players. This partnership further strengthened their hold and place in both the online betting world and the game.
Conclusion
A league like Athletes unlimited secured deals with big brands like Nike, GEICO, and Gatorade. This is no news and is great for Athletes Unlimited as it shows the interest people have in the female league like Athletes Unlimited.
The whole purpose of volleyball sponsorship deals is to create awareness, drive sales, and create an association for your Brand through loved activities by fans. The above brands achieved most of the above in their sponsorships with different volleyball bodies, and the impression created on fans will last a long time. With more success and a good privacy policy come more opportunities like those secured by Athletes unlimited.
