The automotive sector remains a vital element of the sports sponsorship market, with brands in this industry capitalizing on partnerships to enhance brand visibility and engage consumers. For automotive brands, motor racing, in particular, offers a platform for technical collaborations and a chance to exhibit the latest technologies. In the Americas, motor racing accounted for 160 agreements, which equates to around 20% of the sector’s deal volume across the region, and an estimated annual value of $380.6 million across the automotive sector in 2025, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
GlobalData’ s latest report, “Sponsorship Sector Report – Automotive – Americas 2025” revealed that the largest automotive deal in the Americas region is Toyota’s partnership with the National Football League (NFL). Initiated in 2023, this partnership designates Toyota as the official automotive partner of the league. The multi-year contract enables Toyota to capitalize on the NFL’s platform to enhance fan engagement and promote its vehicles.
Olivia Snooks, Sport Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “In the Americas, team agreements are a key sector, representing the bulk of both annual expenditure and transaction volume within the automotive industry in 2025. Motor racing’ largest deal across the region is Goodyear’s partnership with NASCAR. The tyre manufacturer has agreed to serve as the official tire for NASCAR’s top three national series and title sponsor for the annual Goodyear 400 race in Darlington, South Carolina. The deal is worth an estimated $20 million annually.”
In 2025, automotive brands have allocated 96% of their annual sponsorship expenditure across the Americas region to deals with North American-based products. This investment represents an estimated $1.13 billion in annual deal value, encompassing 725 deals. Notably, each of the top 10 highest-value automotive deals within the Americas region involves sports-related products in North America.
Snooks continues: “When evaluating the considerable commercial value of major sports leagues in the US—including the NFL, National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Soccer (MLS), and National Hockey League (NHL)—it is evident that these organizations significantly contribute to the total annual deal value within the automotive sector across the Americas.”
The NFL’s partnership with Toyota, as mentioned is the largest automotive deal across the region, is worth an estimated $40 million annually. Toyota has several significant partnerships across the Americas region, mainly being their partnership with the NFL, but also NASCAR, Joe Gibbs Racing, and MoneyGram Haas F1 Team.
Snooks concludes: “Toyota has focused around 25% of its annual sports sponsorship spend across the Americas region with the NFL. This deal enables the automotive brand to utilize the huge platform which the NFL possess, and in turn amplifies brand visibility, engage a passionate audience, and promote their vehicles. The NFL has a massive following in the US, providing Toyota with an opportunity to connect with millions of potential customers.”
