Sports consulting

Elevate your brand and expand your fanbase with sharper precision. We support elite sports leagues, athletes, and IP-led events in aligning brand strategy with commercial ambition, delivering sponsor-ready activations, cohesive brand architecture, and culturally attuned engagement.

AFL football field, denoting how strategic consulting can enhance the business model of sports at large.

Sports now.

  • The global sports industry is growing rapidly, projected to reach $651B (USD) by 2028¹ and continue climbing, as new touchpoints and business models emerge.

  • Governments and sponsors are investing in sports as engines of city pride, economic growth, and cultural diplomacy, with major events positioned as strategic legacy opportunities.

  • Competition for fan attention is fiercer than ever, with new sports, formats, and digital-first experiences pushing every organisation to rethink how they build enduring emotional and cultural capital.

  • Sports data is at the heart of hyper-personalised fan experiences, but rising consumer privacy expectations and new global regulations mean organisations must balance innovation and trust to maintain fan confidence.

Elite sports organisations are powerful drivers of collective identity, transmitting values, tradition, and aspiration across generations.

How to future-proof sports.

The global sports industry is evolving fast, shaped by shifting fan behaviours, new media platforms, and rising expectations for inclusivity and social impact. And yet, we are seeing almost every major sport expand — very optimistically — creating new opportunities for brands, leagues, and athletes to lead with purpose and innovation. Sports thrives on authentic fan rituals, immersive experiences, and inclusive narratives that unite communities. To actualise its full economic, cultural, and social value, forward-thinking organisations must look beyond the game and design for long-term relevance.

  • Sports brands that apply cultural intelligence to fan engagement and athlete representation foster deeper emotional loyalty, commercial growth, and market relevance.

  • Strategic partnerships rooted in cultural narratives position leagues, teams, and events as platforms for social influence, brand elevation, and cross-industry value creation.

  • Immersive activations and experience-led programming are essential to connect with younger audiences and drive year-round engagement beyond match day.

  • Philanthropic and community investment strategies anchored in equity, access, and wellbeing build grassroots participation and strengthen public trust.

  • Integrated brand and sponsorship strategies that centre cultural fluency shape public perception, grow social capital, and future-proof sports properties in a competitive global landscape.

SPORTS CONSULTING

Areas we support

Supporting athletes, teams, and rights holders to expand their influence on and off the field. Through upstream strategic advisory and downstream execution, we help you grow brand equity, activate partnerships, and design experiences that drive commercial and cultural outcomes.

The Rachel O'Brien Cultural Consultancy logo, depicting the RO monogram swish logo.

  • Developing commercially and culturally intelligent partnership strategies that fit. Our support includes:

    • Partnership strategy and portfolio audit for clubs, leagues, and brands.

    • Commercial model design across sponsorship, licensing, and co-branding.

    • Market and ecosystem mapping for new revenue pathways.

    • Brand and cultural fit assessment between rights holders and potential partners.

    • Partnership governance, rights management, and performance optimisation.

  • Designing immersive fan experiences and sponsored activations that spark emotional connection and community pride. Be it a halftime, pre-game, or in the grassroots community, our approach builds cultural capital and deepens long-term loyalty. Our support includes:

    • Activation concepting for sponsor, fan, and grassroots engagement.

    • Full lifecycle journey mapping: attention → immersion → retention.

    • Visual identity, creative direction, and storytelling for on-ground and digital events.

    • Talent curation and programming to elevate the experience.

    • Post-event asset planning and evaluation.

  • Building brand equity through clever design and brand strategy. Our support includes:

    • Brand platform and positioning strategy for athletes, teams, and leagues.

    • Narrative development to guide media, endorsement, and communications strategy.

    • Brand architecture for multi-tiered talent or league ecosystems.

    • Creative direction for campaigns and public appearances.

  • Reimagining sports assets as scalable IP, building frameworks that support expansion into content, licensing, brand collaborations, and digital experiences. Our support includes:

    • IP ecosystem strategy and brand extension planning.

    • Creative development for new formats.

    • Asset and rights utilisation planning for content, merchandise, and collaborations.

    • Strategic Partnerships for co-branded content or experiential IP.

    • Governance models to protect integrity and ensure long-term brand value.

Let’s create great work together.

Bring your vision to life with us. Contact Rachel O’Brien directly to explore the full suite of what’s possible for your organisation.