Beyond the logo : strategic, relational and contextual dimensions of sponsorship in Finnish motorsport

This thesis studies how sponsorship functions as a strategic, relational and contextual platform for value creation within Finnish motorsport. While traditional sponsorship has been associated with visibility and promotional exposure, contemporary research emphasises its evolution into a collaborative and network-based form of marketing. Finnish motorsport, combining internationally recognised flagship events and national series, provides a relevant context for examining how sponsorship value is constructed in today’s sport sponsorship ecosystems. The study focuses on how sponsorship supports strategic business goals, how it enables B2B value co-creation and how it is shaped by event scale and professionalism.

The theoretical framework integrates perspectives from strategic sponsorship management, relationship marketing, value co-creation and event professionalism. This multidimensional view conceptualises sponsorship as an ecosystem where strategic alignment, relational quality and contextual professionalism jointly shape how value emerges. A qualitative multiple-case study design was applied, consisting of six semi-structured interviews with representatives from companies operating in industries as industrial manufacturing, technology services, marketing and communications, automotive trade and media and communications. Data were analysed using thematic analysis enabling identification of patterned meanings across cases while remaining grounded in participants’ perspectives. Analyses included individual and cross-case analyses.

Findings show that sponsorship in Finnish motorsport serves as an integrated marketing and business platform rather than a visibility-driven expense. Strategic value stemmed from brand alignment, authenticity and the opportunity to demonstrate competence in real-world conditions. Relational value emerged through trust-based partnerships, hospitality, collaborative innovation and B2B networking, although companies expressed a consistent need for more structured facilitation for business-to-business interaction and collaboration from organizer’s side. Contextual value was strongly tied to event professionalism. The major international motorsport event provided operational credibility, high-quality partner support and a business-dense environment, whereas national and local scale events offered audience alignment and continuity but faced limitations in commercial maturity and organiser proactivity.

The study concludes that the greatest sponsorship value is created when strategic, relational and contextual dimensions are successfully integrated. Event organisers therefore play a critical enabling role by adopting proactive, data-informed and collaborative partnership practices. The research builds on sponsorship theory by demonstrating how co-created value depends on strategic goals, partnership quality and event professionalism. It also highlights managerial implications for developing more strategic, measurable and innovation-driven sponsorship ecosystems.