With the NFL season getting underway yesterday, a number of the league’s most prominent sides, as well as the league itself, have bolstered their commercial portfolios.
The Washington Commanders franchise has become the latest in the league to launch a fan engagement-focused partnership with Sports Illustrated Tickets (SIT), the ticketing arm of the iconic publication.
Through the multi-year deal, SIT will collaborate with the franchise as a fan experience partner, bundling merchandise and hospitality experiences with game tickets across two packages in collaboration with the team, in addition to in-stadium activations and branding presence.
This deal extends internationally, with SIT also supporting the Commanders at the NFL’s first-ever Spanish fixture, where the firm will also serve as presenting partner and international fan experience partner.
The Commanders join the likes of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals, and, most recently, the Atlanta Falcons in partnership with SIT, which is also a licensed NFL ticketing sale channel.
That upcoming NFL international game in Madrid, which will take place on November 16, will also be supported by sports betting firm Bwin, the league’s latest international sponsor.
Bwin, which already sponsors the NFL in Germany and Austria, will serve as the league’s official partner in Spain, activating across the season to deliver experiences and brand activations, promotions, and co-branded content in the Spanish market to NFL fans.
The betting firm will also serve as an official partner of the 2025 Madrid game and the official sports betting partner for the showpiece Super Bowl LX in the country.
For its part, the Commanders have also launched a new partnership with defense technology firm AeroVironment (AV), which will sponsor defensive third-down plays at the team’s 62,000-seater Northwest Stadium home.
AV will also gain prominent branding presence across the stadium via in-game digital signage and presence on video boards, and the company will also sponsor military-themed activations throughout the 2025-26 campaign.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Eagles, which opened the NFL season with a 24-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys last night, have partnered with hygiene brand Dude Wipes.
Dude Wipes will sponsor the Eagles’ controversial ‘Tush Push’ maneuver, manifesting through content on the team’s social media channels, as well as in-person presence at team events and branding on radio highlights where the Tush Push is involved.
