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Abstract An activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment is called sport. It is an inseparable element of our day-to-day life and thanks to its universality it allows people, social groups, nations and societies to communicate with each other, regardless of any differences between them. Not only the popularity of sport, but also its multidimensionality, a number of inherent attributes, strong feelings which surround it and the high efficiency of ads translate into increased interest in sports sponsorship. However, sports-based communication is not reserved only for sponsors. In communication, sports themes are exploited by many other companies that are not related to sponsorship. They use commonly available associations related to sport and its attributes. By using them, they not only sell products and services, but also build a spiritual bond, community of experiences and goals, while focusing on making emotional relationships with recipients at the same time. Such communication influences better understanding and perception of the brand, which leads to the purchasing decisions of consumers. Bearing in mind that sport is so important for recipients, its multidimensionality, how eagerly it is used as a communication platform, questions arise as to what companies actually communicate using sports themes. This is especially true in the area of advertising and its skyrocketing reach, the most persuasive, effective and edifying attitudes and forms of brand promotion. With a help of sports themes, advertisements not only refer to feelings close to us and enter the sphere of our interests, passions and goals, but also refer to our system of values and convey universal ideas with which selected groups of recipients can identify. This helps in positioning the advertiser's brand, creates its unique image and the opportunity to communicate with customers on a level close to them. The aim of the study is to show the most common sports themes used in advertising, both in the communication of companies directly and indirectly related to sports. It presents disciplines that were most often used in advertising spots, sports themes that were implemented and whether they served to support sales. or building a brand image and establishing relationships. The study included analysis which considered 200 advertising campaigns of 60 mainly international companies from the European and American markets.