PGA Tour Fans Show Stronger Affinity for Official Sponsors Than Those Of NBA, NFL

New data from MarketCast’s 2025 Sponsorship Effectiveness Report reveals that PGA Tour fans show strong affinity for the official league sponsors. While the NWSL outpaces all other sports in affinity overall, PGA bests four of the other major leagues (MLB, NFL, NHL and NBA) for trying sponsor products, consciously supporting sports and recommending sponsor products. 

• 61% say they’re somewhat or much more likely to try products of an official PGA Tour sponsor (vs 58% for MLB and 50% for NFL).
• 63% are likely to consciously support an official PGA sponsor (vs 58% for MLB and 51% for NFL).
• 59% are likely to recommend a PGA Tour sponsor (vs 57% for MLB and 53% for NFL) 
• PGA Tour’s most recognized official sponsors for the 2024 season were FedEx (60%), Rolex (55%) and Rocket Mortgage (46%). 
• The PGA now matches the NBA in average sponsor awareness, with 29% aided recognition.

MarketCast notes that winning sponsorships build fandom, not just awareness. Beyond awareness, MarketCast’s research shows that shifts in sponsor fandom are predictive of business outcomes, with fans more likely to buy, recommend and even defend the brands that align with their passion for the sport. The most successful sponsors connect emotionally with fans by tapping into that passion and turning it into lasting loyalty.