Why Don’t Watch Brands Sponsor Volleyball? (Maybe They Should)

In the world of sports marketing, few products have aligned more seamlessly with athletic performance, luxury, and lifestyle than watches.
From Rolex and Omega in tennis and golf to TAG Heuer in Formula 1, timepieces are everywhere — except, notably, in volleyball.

These days the VNL 2025 (Volleyball Nations League) is ending. Despite volleyball's massive global reach, watch brands have largely ignored it as a sponsorship arena.
Why?

Why Haven’t Watch Brands Sponsored the VNL or Other Volleyball Tournaments?

1. Limited Historical Association

Volleyball hasn't historically been associated with timekeeping in the way that racing, tennis, or swimming has. These sports rely on precise measurements of time, often down to milliseconds — making the symbolic link between watches and performance stronger.

Volleyball’s intensity is about reaction time, not race time. That distinction may be why brands don’t see an obvious connection between "time" and a play.

2. Less Commercial Visibility

While volleyball is wildly popular worldwide, especially in countries like Brazil, Italy, Japan, and Poland, it lacks the prime-time sponsorship visibility of sports like football (soccer) or basketball — especially in North America and Western Europe, where luxury watch markets are concentrated.

In short: the audience is massive, but not perceived as affluent or “aspirational” enough for high-end watch marketing.

however, this might be changing: since it's launch in 2018, the VNL in 2024 had 751,000 viewers (up 13% vs 2023; +33% over 2022).

3. Minimal On-Court Wearability

Players don’t typically wear watches during games due to safety, regulations, and the high-contact nature of the sport. This limits product placement during play, which is a key incentive for sponsorship in sports like tennis or golf, where watches are often visible on athletes’ wrists.

No wrist, no watch shot = less perceived return on investment.

However, we might have seen more watches on the trainer's wrists (ex. the Rolex Daytona of Italy's trainer - Julio Velasco). 

4. Lack of Star-Driven Global Icons

While volleyball has incredible talent, it doesn’t yet have a Federer, Messi, or LeBron figure with global cross-market appeal.
Sponsors often follow personalities, not just sports. Without a few breakout crossover stars, brands may not see enough return in athlete partnerships.

Why That Might Be Changing — Why Sponsoring VNL Could Be a Smart Move

Despite those challenges, the opportunity is ripe. Here’s why brands should rethink volleyball:

1. Volleyball is One of the Most Played and Watched Sports Globally

• Over 800 million people play volleyball globally.

• It’s the #1 women’s team sport in many countries.

• The VNL offers year-round international exposure with professional broadcast quality and high-energy fanbases in key watch-buying markets.

2. Clean Sponsorship Space = Stand-Out Potential

Unlike basketball or football, volleyball’s courts, uniforms, and media assets aren’t saturated with dozens of brand logos. A single luxury sponsor could own the premium category without heavy competition.

For the right brand, VNL could be what Rolex is to tennis — the category-defining sponsor.

3. Digital-First, Younger Audience

VNL has leaned heavily into YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok with huge success. The vibe is modern, fast, and globally connected — a great match for smartwatch makers, or brands targeting Gen Z and millennials.

4. Emergence of New Volleyball Icons

Players like Paola Egonu, Yuji Nishida, Zhu Ting, and Wilfredo León are not just stars — they’re marketable, charismatic, and already have massive regional followings. With the right push, they could be the brand ambassadors of tomorrow.

Why It Might Still Be a Tough Sell

Even with all these opportunities, there are real hurdles:

• ROI uncertainty: Will volleyball fans actually buy watches?

• No in-play visibility: Watches still can't be worn on court.

• Sponsorship hierarchy: Brands may prefer “bigger” sports or known sponsorship pipelines (F1, football, tennis).

These are real concerns — especially for high-investment luxury brands.

So, Is it Time to Watch Volleyball?

Watch brands have ignored volleyball not because it lacks audience or prestige — but because it hasn’t fit the traditional mold of sports sponsorship. That mold is cracking.
With growing viewership, digital-native fans, and a clean sponsorship landscape, the VNL is a smart bet for the right brand.

It might just be time for the timekeepers to pay attention. What do you think?