Sponsoring is a core piece of the event domain particularly with sports and cultural events. Unlike a donor, a sponsor does not support an event for altruistic or idealistic reasons. A sponsor receives services in return for their sponsoring.

A service in return generally contains the mention of the sponsor on posters, flyers and other publications in order to boost the sponsors image and increase brand awareness. Sponsoring therefore is a business which in the event sector ensures the (co-)financing of events.