The Opportunity in Your Market
Your Audience Is Already at the Field
Community sports create one of the largest captive audiences in local marketing. Select your metro area to see the estimated sponsorship reach in your market.
6th largest metro, 3rd fastest growing 2024
5.2M
Phoenix Metro Population
The 6th largest metro area in the U.S. and the 3rd fastest-growing county by raw numbers in 2024
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024
517K
Youth Athletes Ages 6–17
Estimated youth participating in organized sports across the Phoenix metro — on teams, in leagues, or in lessons
Census ACS + SFIA 2024 participation rates
2.8M
Total Community Reach
Athletes + parents + siblings + extended community members, spectators, coaches, and volunteers reached per season
Zubie Five estimate; Census + SFIA methodology
How we calculate reach: Metro population from U.S. Census Bureau 2024 estimates. Youth ages 6–17 calculated using ACS age distribution data (~18.3% under 15, ~4.4% ages 15–17). Organized sports participation estimated at 55% — midpoint between Arizona's 42.6% reported rate and the national 65% casual participation rate (SFIA 2024). Each athlete has an average of 3 family members reached through jerseys, events, and communications. Community touchpoints — spectators, volunteers, coaches, and social media — add an additional 1.5× multiplier on active participants.
National Market Context
The $54 Billion Sports Sponsorship Market
Youth and community sports represent the fastest-growing and most underserved segment of the broader sponsorship industry. Here is where the market stands.
$54B
Global Sponsorship Spending (2025)
Total sponsorship spending across all sectors — sports, entertainment, and community — reached $54 billion in 2025, with community and grassroots sports among the fastest-growing segments.
Visme / IEG Sponsorship Report 2025
$19.2B
Youth Sports Market (U.S.)
The U.S. youth sports market is larger than the entire NFL ($15B). Parents reported spending between 2–10% of their gross annual household income per child on athletic activities.
Youth Sports Business Report / SFIA 2024
65%
Youth Participation Rate (2024)
65% of U.S. youth ages 6–17 tried a sport at least once in 2024 — the highest casual participation rate recorded since tracking began in 2012. Organized participation (on teams or in lessons) stands at 55.4%.
SFIA 2024 Topline Report / Aspen Institute Project Play 2025
$1,016
Average Annual Spend Per Child
Families in the Phoenix metro area — with an average household income of $83,735 — are spending over $1,000 per child per year on their primary sport. That represents a 46% increase since 2019.
Aspen Institute State of Play 2025
Sponsorship Performance Data
What the Research Says About Community ROI
Independent research consistently shows that community sports sponsorships outperform traditional advertising channels on trust, recall, purchase intent, and duration of exposure.
Purchase Intent
2.5×
Parents are 2.5× more likely to purchase from brands that sponsor their child's sports team versus brands they see in standard digital advertising.
Nielsen Sports
Brand Preference
89%
Of consumers say they prefer brands aligned with community causes — making community sports one of the most efficient trust-building channels in local marketing.
Labyrinth Consumer Research 2025
Gen Z Engagement
3×
Youth sports sponsorships drive 3× higher engagement among 18–34 year-olds compared to older demographics. 75% of Gen Z say they're more likely to support brands aligned with their values.
SFIA / Youth Sports Business Report 2025
Ad Blindness
0%
Community sponsorship assets — banners, jerseys, signage — cannot be skipped, blocked, or scrolled past. Compare to 47% ad blindness on Google Display and 65% on local TV.
eMarketer 2024
Campaign Duration
270
Average days a community sports sponsorship runs continuously. Traditional ad campaigns run in 30-day cycles — your brand is visible for an entire season for the same budget.
IEG Sponsorship Report
CPM Advantage
5×
Community sponsorships deliver up to 5× the trust-adjusted CPM value of Facebook and Instagram advertising — at a fraction of the cost per thousand meaningful impressions.
Nielsen Sports / Sports Marketing Surveys
Ready to Put These Numbers to Work?
Use our free Sponsorship Value Calculator to see exactly what these stats mean for your specific budget and audience — or contact Zubie Five to start finding the right partnership today.