Sponsorship agreement

About this document

This event sponsorship agreement could be used for a diverse range of one-off events, from a single sports competition, to a home improvements exhibition.

The sponsor might receive advertising rights and a corporate hospitality suite in return for financial support, or additional or alternative rights such as the right to sell products from a stand, or the right to advertise on marketing material.

The agreement is very flexible in the terms between the parties. The rights granted 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, although these can be replaced or supplemented by those that you agree.

The agreement also covers a number of practical considerations, for example, the obligation of the organiser to ensure that the sponsor is able to set-up advertising and stalls and has access to parking on the day.

If the two parties have not worked together before, we advise that the sponsor should be very precise with the event organiser about what he wants out of the deal. The charismatic event organiser may be highly skilled at pulling together the strings needed to arrange the event (including financing through sponsorship) but may not be the person micromanaging the employees.

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 agreement could be used by either side, probably at first to explore the deal that could be done, and then as the legal contract. Either party could start and send it to the other either as their terms and conditions on a "take it or leave it" basis, 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: demonstrations, competitions, matches
• shows: musical productions, or theatre and stage productions
• fairs and exhibitions

The sponsor could receive any number of rights, but these are likely to include advertising or branding of some sort.

We have another agreement that may be more suitable if multiple or a series of events (for example, a tournament or a tour of shows to different locations) are being sponsored.

Contents

• Definitions
• Interpretation
• Warranties for authority
• Relationship of parties
• Entire agreement
• The venue owner
• Grant of sponsorship rights
• Sponsorship fee and payment
• Sponsorship rights granted
• Joint obligations
• Obligations of each party
• Indemnity
• Protection of the intellectual property of the organiser
• Right to renew
• 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 can be sold at the event
• Schedule 4: Industry sectors, product ranges and countries that may be promoted