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Why Handball

Handball is more than a game; it’s a high-energy movement with deep cultural roots across Europe and fast-growing influence in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. With millions of fans and rapidly increasing participation rates, handball holds a unique position in the sports world, offering sponsors an untapped gateway to connect with an active and diverse audience.

/ Rapid Global Expansion: Handball is fast-growing, with strong fan bases across Europe, especially in Germany, France and the Nordics with new regions enthusiastically adopting the sport. This expansion creates fresh opportunities for brand engagement with an energized fan base.
/ Young, Engaged Audience: Handball fans are young, digitally active, and highly engaged, making them ideal for brands aiming to connect with the next generation. Their passion drives social media engagement, amplifying brand exposure and creating authentic connections.
/ Values that Resonate: Handball embodies teamwork, agility, and resilience, values that resonate deeply with audiences. Partnering with handball positions brands as champions of sport and unity.

Partnering With The IHF: A Global Stage

The International Handball Federation (IHF) stands as the official global authority for handball, organizing premier events like the IHF Men’s and Women’s World Championships, Junior World Championships, and Continental Championships. These high-profile tournaments reach over 1 billion viewers across 180 countries, offering partner brands substantial visibility and access to dedicated fan bases worldwide.

With broadcast partnerships reaching millions through major networks and digital platforms, the IHF provides an unparalleled platform for engaging global audiences, whether at sold-out arenas or through top streaming channels. Partnering with the IHF elevates brands to the center of a rapidly expanding sport, helping them connect with handball enthusiasts in markets across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Through the IHF, brands benefit from exclusive access to fans deeply invested in the sport, creating high-impact brand engagement on an international scale.

The Growth Journey

The growth of handball in terms of fan engagement and viewership is notable, especially as it captures a younger, diverse audience that increasingly favors fast-paced, action-packed sports. Compared to more traditional sports, handball offers brands the opportunity to tap into a passionate and loyal fan base, with rising attendance at matches and increased broadcast coverage, particularly during major tournaments.


Experience Handball At It's Best & Engage With A Loyal Fanbase


The Perfect Audience For Your Brand Message

The handball audience is a prime target group for brands seeking a young, energetic, and highly engaged demographic. Known for their passion and loyalty, handball fans actively follow the sport both in person and online, sharing their experiences and amplifying brand messages across social media. Predominantly comprised of millennials and Gen Z, this audience values authenticity and connection, making handball sponsorships an ideal avenue for brands aiming to foster meaningful relationships and drive real engagement in both established and emerging markets.

This profile of handball fans highlights why brands are tapping into this high-value, diverse audience.

Educated and Informed: With a large share of highly educated fans, handball’s audience is discerning and responsive to thoughtful, quality-driven messaging—ideal for brands that prioritize authenticity over superficial ads.

Affluent and Ready to Spend: Nearly 70% of fans are in medium-to-high income brackets, providing a receptive market for premium brands across sectors like luxury goods, travel, and technology.

Cross-Generational Appeal: With a balanced mix of Gen Z, millennials, and Gen X, handball connects brands with trendsetting youth as well as established professionals, offering cross-generational reach.

Diverse Yet Passionate: While the fan base leans male (64%), handball’s universal values of teamwork and energy resonate across genders, allowing for inclusive and impactful campaigns.

In short, handball offers brands a unique connection to an educated, affluent, and dynamic audience that values quality and authenticity.

Handball fans possess unique values, making them ideal targets for brands aiming for meaningful connections.

Open-Minded and Social: With 60.1% identifying as open-minded and 51% as social, this audience is receptive to new ideas, making them perfect for brands promoting innovative products. They enthusiastically share their brand experiences.

Health-Conscious and Sustainable: Nearly half (46%) of handball fans are health-conscious, and 48.4% prioritize sustainability. Brands focused on wellness and eco-friendly practices resonate with this audience, which values responsible consumption.

Equality and Ambition: About 47.8% believe in equal rights and have a strong sense of ambition, aligning with brands that champion inclusivity and social progress.

Price-Conscious Yet Adventurous: Handball fans are price-conscious (51.2%) but adventurous (38.2%), seeking value while being open to new experiences. This makes them ideal for brands offering accessible, innovative products.

Overall, handball’s audience values openness, equality, health, and sustainability, providing brands with a versatile, values-driven, and community-oriented group.

Enhance Your Marketing Mix Through A Strategic Partnership With The IHF


Partnership Opportunities

Endless Possibilities

Benefit from the various opportunities that a partnership in handball has to offer. Integrate your partnership into your marketing mix to enhance your campaigns.

Partnering with handball organizations or events allows brands to reach a dedicated audience through various marketing channels, including event signage, merchandise, and digital platforms. This visibility can significantly increase brand recognition and loyalty among fans.

Handball has a strong community aspect, and partnerships can facilitate direct engagement with local audiences. Brands can participate in community events, sponsor youth leagues, or support local initiatives, fostering positive relationships and enhancing their corporate social responsibility.

The diverse demographics of handball fans offer brands a chance to tailor their marketing strategies. By aligning with specific teams or events, brands can effectively target their messages and products to resonate with the unique values and interests of handball enthusiasts.

Collaborating with handball associations can help brands penetrate new markets and expand their reach. This sport has a growing global presence, and partnerships can provide entry into regions where handball is particularly popular, thus tapping into new customer bases.

Aligning with handball promotes a positive image as brands are associated with the values of teamwork, inclusivity, and health. Such associations can enhance a brand's reputation and appeal, making it more attractive to consumers who value social responsibility and active lifestyles.

Our Expertise For Your Brand

As the exclusive global marketing partner of the International Handball Federation (IHF), SPORTFIVE manages sponsorship rights, broadcast production and distribution for major events like the IHF World Championships. This partnership provides brands premium access to a global audience, offering high-impact opportunities to engage with passionate handball fans and connect with new markets.

Working with SPORTFIVE gives brands unmatched access to the world of partnerships in sports, using the agency’s expertise to create tailored sponsorships that maximize visibility and results. With SPORTFIVE’s strong industry relationships and innovative strategies, brands gain significant exposure across multiple platforms.

Learn more about the services for brands here

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