We are very excited to announce that Nielsen has officially acquired Repucom, the global leader in sports measurement, evaluation and intelligence. Spend on sports sponsorship has nearly doubled since 2010, increasing from $35 billion to $60 billion globally. While Nielsen has been providing insights and intelligence to leading sports teams, leagues and brands across major sports categories for several years in the U.S., this acquisition will increase our sports footprint around the world.
“Sports is a galvanizing force that unites consumers, brands and advertisers,” said Howard Appelbaum, president, Nielsen Entertainment. “Our acquisition of Repucom creates tremendous momentum for Nielsen. This combination of data and measurement capabilities allows us to strengthen clients’ market position, increase their marketing effectiveness and connect their brands with passionate sports fans.”
Repucom has a strong history of robust methodologies in sports measurement and brand exposure data and metrics that are considered currency in the marketplace. With this acquisition, our clients can use Repucom’s industry leading methodologies, along with our Total Audience framework and Marketing Cloud, to strengthen market position and identify opportunities for profitable growth.
“This acquisition represents the validation of Repucom’s business model and an important turning point for the entire sports marketing economy,” said Paul Smith, founder of Repucom. “Businesses that operate in sports today have a much more sophisticated view on data. Decisions that were previously made based on the emotional connection to sports are now centered on insights and grounded in robust data. This acquisition is a testament to the team at Repucom who got us to where we are today and to Nielsen for recognizing the potential sport offers, as an industry that now sits at the head of the table of marketing measurement and intelligence.”
As a longstanding client of both Nielsen and Repucom, the NBA has been a pioneer in its use of data and insights to better serve and understand its fans.
“We have always sought out the most innovative tools to measure the behaviors and preferences of our global fan base,” said Jason Kaufman, vice president, Research and Analytics, NBA. “Nielsen and Repucom have both been outstanding resources in our efforts to enhance the experience of our fans, providing us with complementary skill sets and proven expertise in data and insights.”
