Hospitals and healthcare systems are investing in major sports sponsorships, securing marquee deals that include venue and gate naming rights, practice facility branding, press backdrop placements, and primary jersey patches. According to SU’s SPND sponsorship pricing platform, these deals—which average $2.88 million across the NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB, and MLS—reflect a calculated strategy that extends far beyond a standard marketing exercise.

There are currently 67 active major asset deals across the five major pro leagues, yet 51% of pro sports teams still have open sponsorship opportunities with at least one of these major assets—meaning options abound for healthcare organizations to further grow their collective footprint in premier pro sports partnerships. 

So why are healthcare systems––whose top priority remains patient care—focusing on these big-ticket link-ups? The answer lies in brand equity, market differentiation, and long-term community engagement.

Pro Sports Sponsorships as Trust-Building Vehicles

In an evergreen industry where trust is paramount, hospitals must cultivate strong brand credibility—a challenge complicated by the rise of retail healthcare, increased competition, and consumer skepticism. Meanwhile, pro sports teams command fierce loyalty and emotional engagement from their relatively massive fan bases. When a hospital brand aligns with a major team, it borrows from that deep-seated trust, reinforcing its standing as a reliable, community-focused service provider.

Consider Dignity Health’s longstanding partnership with the San Francisco 49ers, wherein the healthcare system–the largest in California–holds gate naming rights at Levi’s Stadium. On game days, tens of thousands of fans pass through a Dignity Health-branded entrance, embedding the organization into their fan experience. This level of brand integration, combined with the team’s ironclad regional identity, further burnishes Dignity Health’s sterling reputation as a trusted entity within the Bay Area.

Similarly, Orlando Health’s jersey sponsorship of Orlando City SC provides high-frequency exposure to local and national audiences, while signaling a deep-rooted investment in the Orlando community. UCLA Health’s naming rights for the LA Lakers practice facility, and the Cleveland Clinic’s branding on the Cavaliers’ training complex, illustrate how these top-tier sponsorships augment not only healthcare systems’ visibility, but also their credibility.  

A Competitive Play in a Complex Industry Landscape

The US healthcare market remains intensely competitive, with hospitals and health systems facing rising consumer expectations, aggressive digital healthcare disruptors, and an ever-evolving insurance reimbursement landscape. Sports sponsorships offer sustained, high-impact brand association, helping hospitals differentiate themselves in ways that traditional advertising—like billboards and TV ads—cannot.

With these top-tier sponsorships, hospitals gain exclusive marketing rights, allowing them to integrate healthcare messaging directly into a team’s brand ecosystem––including onsite stadium activations, digital engagement via team media channels, and wellness campaign partnerships with athletes. These activations eclipse static branding to provide tangible health-focused touchpoints, from injury prevention programs to youth sports clinics.

Sports partnerships also align well with hospitals’ core service lines, particularly in orthopedics, sports medicine, rehabilitation, and wellness services. Take UCLA Health’s affiliation with the Lakers, which positions it as the premier provider for elite athletic care––a distinction that carries weight with consumers seeking unsurpassed medical treatment. These sponsorships also allow hospitals to promote specialized services like physical therapy and concussion treatment—key practice areas for athletes and everyday patients alike.

Hospitals also use sports partnerships as vehicles for community engagement and health education. From free, in-stadium health screenings to youth sports clinics and wellness campaigns, these sponsorships allow healthcare organizations to integrate themselves into fans’ daily lives, making them top-of-mind when medical needs arise.

Assessing ROI: Beyond Brand Awareness

While the average $2.88 million price tag for a major asset deal is substantial, hospital brands should measure their return on investment based on additional factors beyond immediate patient acquisition, including:

• Brand trust metrics: Perception shifts through consumer sentiment analysis
• Patient referral growth: Increases in sports-related treatments and specialty care inquiries
• Community engagement: Participation rates in stadium activations, screenings, and outreach events
• Earned media value: Exposure from team partnerships across broadcasts, social media, and PR coverage

For healthcare providers with long term community investment strategies, pro sports sponsorships create intangible value that extends well beyond logo placement—helping these brands become synonymous with community wellness, top-quality care, and peak performance.

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