The Chicago Bulls haven’t won an NBA championship since 1998. That makes their sponsorship pitch harder than it might otherwise be, despite their enormous profile among casual fans thanks to a legend named Michael Jordan. To stay competitive, they’ve spent the last two years building a data solution designed to show brand partners how they’re influencing Bulls fans’ spending choices.
First, a step back. U.S. sports sponsorship spending is rising fast. Between 2015 and 2025, it rose 122% to $30.5 billion, according to estimates from Ampere Analysis, ahead of revenues generated by the entire television sector.
The windfall isn’t being distributed equally among rights-holders, though. The New York Knicks, for example, pulled in $619 million in revenue during the 2024-25 season, while the Washington Wizards netted just over half that ($373 million). The Knicks’ commercial situation will likely improve following their successful championship tilt earlier this month (their first in 53 years).
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