I have spoken to several sponsors over the years who tell me that sponsorship can be tracked to ROI. It's difficult, but it is possible. Still, I think too often sponsors (and properties) expect digital sponsorship activity to be more trackable than "tradtional" sponsorship efforts (i.e. stadium, TV). Sponsorship is typically used when a brand is looking to gain / extend its awareness and consideration among a target group of consumers. It doesn't exist in a vacuum. It works in combination with other brand ads and promotion efforts...leading consumers deeper into the purchase funnel. The thinking is that by aligning my brand with something people care about (e.g. a team), some of the fan love and attention will rub off on my brand. Eventually, that attention will lead to sales. I believe brands and properties do not fully realize how much time sports fans are spending on sports Websites, and are therefore missing opportunities to engage those fans in digital-sponsorship promotions. And while I do believe that exposure on digital is every bit as valuable as exposure in other sports media channels, I also believe there are ways that brands like State Farm can leverage digital sponsorships tactics to gain more than (just) awareness.