Sponsorship agreement

About this event sponsorship agreement

This event sponsorship contract is very flexible in the terms between the parties. The rights granted to the sponsor could be of any sort. We suggest common ones, such as advertising, product placement and preferential event access, hosting of corporate hospitality functions, and promotion on television or radio. These suggestions can be replaced or supplemented by the rights that you decide on.

The agreement also covers a number of practical considerations, such as the obligation of the organiser to ensure that the sponsor is able to setup advertising and stalls and has access to parking on the day.

The law in this agreement

The law in this document is common law, allowing you to set out whatever arrangement you choose to make.

It includes a number of legal matters to the advantage of both sides that might be left out of less comprehensive agreements, such as protection of intellectual property, assignment and rights to renew.

When to use this event sponsorship agreement

This event sponsorship agreement could be used for a diverse range of one-off events, from a single sports competition, where the sponsor receives advertising rights and a corporate hospitality suite in return for financial support, to a home improvements exhibition, where the sponsor receives additional or alternative rights such as the right to sell products from a stand or the right to advertise their position as a sponsor of the event on marketing material.

We have another agreement that may be more suitable for sponsorship of multiple events or a series (for example, a tournament or a tour of shows to different locations). See Event sponsorship agreement: tournament, league or series.

The document could be used by either the organiser or the sponsor, probably at first to explore the deal that could be done, and then as the legal contract. Either party could use the document as a definition of their terms and conditions or as a starting point for negotiations.

The document is suitable for:

• one-off events (although it also covers the right of renewal at subsequent events, for example, the next year);
• sporting events;
• shows (for example, concerts or theatre productions)
• fairs and exhibitions

Agreement features and contents

• Definitions
• Interpretation
• Warranties for authority
• Relationship of parties
• Entire agreement
• The venue owner
• Granting of sponsorship rights
• Sponsorship fee and payment
• Sponsorship rights granted
• Joint obligations
• Obligations of the sponsor
• Obligations of the organiser
• Indemnity
• Protection of the intellectual property of the organiser: limits the sponsor as to how he uses the intellectual property of the event organiser in his own promotional material
• Right to renew: a valuable provision for the sponsor if the event turns out to be more successful than anticipated
• Termination
• Consequences of termination
• Assignment: whether either side can transfer the rights to another party
• Miscellaneous matters

Schedule 1: the event programme

Schedule 2: corporate hospitality functions

Schedule 3: services and products that the sponsor may sell at the event

Schedule 4: industry sectors, product ranges and countries that the sponsor may promote