MediaPost | Marketing: Sports

Pro Sports Helping Vegas To Recover From Tragedy

Tue, 24 Oct 2017 14:00:05 -0400

In the weeks since the shooting two major sports-related events happened in Vegas. And more are on their way.

ESports Are Exploding; Will This Affect Traditional Sports?

Fri, 06 Oct 2017 13:00:05 -0400

In the 2017 Internet Trends Report, Mary Meeker reported a 40% growth in global eSports viewership year over year. The gaming world has also grown from 100 million to 2.6 billion users since 1995, and Meeker predicts that number will continue to rapidly rise.

Can Your Video Content Take Off Without Text?

Wed, 27 Sep 2017 13:00:05 -0400

Call me a traditionalist but, though video has become integral to the modern customer experience, I still value the power of content in written form. Digital video content alone can relay a powerful message. But in my view, video should coexist with written content to truly drive that message home.

Nascar Advice To NBA: No Such Thing As Too Many Logos

Tue, 26 Sep 2017 13:00:04 -0400

The NBA is shaking up its sports landscape this season with jerseys that will for the first time prominently feature the Nike swoosh (reflecting the launch of the company's eight-year, $1 billion deal with the league) and an ad patch. M

Infusing An Earned Media Strategy With NBA Jersey Ads Is A Slam Dunk

Mon, 25 Sep 2017 10:11:56 -0400

It's been discussed for years within the four major U.S. sports and now, it's a reality - the sacred ground has been broken. The National Basketball Association has become the first league to agree to place brand logos on player jerseys. Beginning in the 2017-18 season, NBA teams will be able to display a 2.5-inch square patch on jerseys. The Philadelphia 76ers were quick to capitalize on this opportunity and partner with StubHub, and to date, nearly half the NBA teams, including the defending champion Golden State Warriors have signed jersey sponsors.

Why Do We Keep Measuring The Wrong Things In Evaluating Sports Marketing Activation?

Tue, 12 Sep 2017 13:00:04 -0400

For many brands, it's planning season. Couple that with the push by some to utilize opportunistic funds in the fourth quarter, and properties, brands and agencies are kicking into high gear to roll out their latest sports marketing programs. Since I first got into the business, there's been a growing willingness and recognition of the necessity to measure return on investment in sports marketing.

Why Venue Ticketing Is Going Mobile-Only

Tue, 12 Sep 2017 13:00:04 -0400

When you go to a game or a show, you're bound to see a lot of phones out for ticket scanners. While some sports and entertainment fans have hung on to the idea of the ticket stub as a memento, most have embraced digitally delivered tickets for several years now. Of course, digitally delivered in many cases still meant that you could print out those tickets, but teams and venues are now making mobile tickets truly mobile.

'17 Football Seasons & The Elephants In The Room

Tue, 08 Aug 2017 13:00:04 -0400

Clearly, the popularity of football, both at the collegiate and professional levels, has skyrocketed over the last decade, with 85% and 67% of sports fans claiming to closely follow each, respectively; tops among all sports.s But underlying the fascination that remains are a number of intriguing conundrums.

Garbine Muguruza Seeks Serena Territory In Tennis, Endorsements

Tue, 25 Jul 2017 13:00:04 -0400

If you plan to make an impact in the sport of your chosen profession among fans, players, media and marketers, it certainty helps to be known as the first woman to beat both Serena and Venus Williams in Grand Slam tournaments.

The Future Of Your Franchise Lies In Your Current Fans

Fri, 14 Jul 2017 13:00:04 -0400

When Billy Beane, the Oakland Athletics' GM, approached the 2002 MLB draft, he threw out the old statistics teams used to gauge players. Avoiding subjective metrics like stolen bases and fielding percentage helped the A's fill out their roster with undervalued players, and brought them to playoffs in 2002 and 2003. He saw through the noise and knew prospects inside and out by taking a cold, hard look at the data.

Optimizing Fan Experience: Lessons From An Afternoon Of 'Horsing Around'

Tue, 11 Jul 2017 12:59:03 -0400

As a marketing researcher, I enjoy learning thing and observing my environs, even when "off the clock." I've never been shy about intertwining personal time with my chosen profession. That's partly why I love going places, whether it's to all 30 current MLB stadiums or 45 of 50 states. I continue to relish as much time on airplanes as my stamina and family will allow.

Building A Long-Term Relationship With The Single-Ticket Sports Fan

Mon, 03 Jul 2017 13:35:02 -0400

For most sports franchises, the season ticket holder is the holy grail of fan. And for good reason: according to research from Deloitte, season ticket holders "spend five times as much money as non-season ticket holders on non-ticket purchases from sports organizations and authorized partners."

It Pays To Be Social On Social Media

Tue, 27 Jun 2017 13:00:04 -0400

Although it is not the be-all and end-all of a team's success or popularity, social media is a good barometer of how well a team connects with fans and keeps its best interests, marketing and otherwise, front and center.

What Marketers Can Learn From The NBA Finals

Fri, 16 Jun 2017 13:00:04 -0400

No industry needs to leverage real-time marketing quite like sports, an industry where unpredictable events can happen at a moment's notice. Their fans are always connected and engaged, whether they are sharing their reactions to key game moments on social media or checking on their fantasy team ranking.

Don't Rain On Our Parade!

Tue, 13 Jun 2017 13:00:04 -0400

Last month in this space, I alluded to some of the ongoing conversation that suggests that a political agenda at “The Worldwide Leader” is in part to blame for a viewership downturn that may have precipitated ESPN’s recent workforce reduction. Both the spin doctors in Bristol and their detractors have each been quick to confront this assertion by sharing contradictory survey results. In one corner (dare I say, “the left corner?”) is ESPN, citing research that shows that sports fans do not consider their coverage to espouse a liberal bias, whereas I’ve also seen a recent survey that showed some 60% of sports fans begging to differ. Our research firm has stayed out of this specific empirical debate. That said, we have done enough research on sports fan attitudes to posit the conclusion that stoking such a conversation, regardless of which side of the aisle you walk down, is probably a poor idea if you make your living marketing sports.

In other words, Gary Holmes was spot on in his June 8^th Media Daily News commentary, when he suggested that we “save the politics for the ballot box.” As a sports marketing researcher, I can echo his position that sports is a great escape, a diversion from the 24/7 social and mainstream media barrage that overanalyzes everything, often antagonizing those who feel otherwise in the process. I needn’t look any further than my Twitter feed to recognize that there are countless people that have still not moved beyond the divisive and confrontational banter that marked the most recent Presidential campaign. And I needn’t look beyond numerous studies that we have conducted to also conclude that sports fans, for the most part, are looking to avoid the partisan vitriol when it comes to embracing their favorite teams, athletes and sports.

In a series of over 40 attitudinal statements that we have posed to a national sample of avid sports fans for the past eight years, we consistently see the lowest agreement scores surrounding those that suggest, “I’m interested in learning more about the private lives of top sports stars (less than 6% strong agreement in 2017)” and “Once an athlete becomes a public figure, it is acceptable for his or her private life to be open to public scrutiny (15%).” Other proprietary studies that we’ve conducted for multiple teams, sports media and governing bodies affirm that sports is an “oasis” from the day-to-day stresses and noise that pervades society.

One of the most significant fan drivers has been shown to be sports’ role as a lever that brings together people of diverse opinions and backgrounds, through a communal bond built on affinity for the sport or team itself. Charles Barkley was correct when he said that he wasn’t a role model. Just more than a quarter of sports fans in our aforementioned omnibus study strongly believe that professional athletes are role models.

In an even more recent project for a professional franchise, we heard many fans articulate their personal difficulty in identifying with the players on their home team because they perceived them to be mercenaries who followed the money and did not often set the best examples in their community. So, why has there been so much clamoring to get athletes to speak out and take controversial or extreme positions that can only fuel the polarizing divisiveness that makes mainstream news coverage often difficult to watch? Is this another example of “media elites” listening only to their own echo chambers that suggest that the audience covets this type of coverage?

Our research suggests that sports is about optimism. Less than half of fans surveyed in January strongly believed that the Warriors were going to win the NBA title. It’s about the unprecedented upset, hope springing eternal when pitchers and catchers report, my unwavering belief that my beloved Tennessee Titans will win a Super Bowl before I die. And sports fans are particularly optimistic. Our most recent fan omnibus showed four-year highs in fan agreement: that they expected their retirement would be more comfortable than that of their parents; that there was greater job security; that making large discretionary purchases was less difficult, and that they expected to take a major vacation this year. Such confidence does not mesh with diatribes that the world is going to heck in a hand-basket. Rather, it sets the stage for the escapist and aspirational marketing activation that is unique to sports.

The Sports Solution To Brands' Live Video Woes

Thu, 01 Jun 2017 15:00:08 -0400

After a serial killer used Facebook Live to broadcast his confession, having used their video platform to share footage of himself murdering an elderly man, many marketers were left asking: Do we really want to be on the live bandwagon right now?

Like A Runaway Money Train, NBA Jersey Ads Are Here To Stay

Tue, 23 May 2017 10:00:08 -0400

When the defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers signed a deal with Goodyear last week to have the company's Wingfoot logo on Cavs' jerseys beginning next season, it raised a lot of eyebrows and upped the ante on advertising in pro sports.

What Sports Can Teach Marketers About Audience Insights

Thu, 18 May 2017 13:10:04 -0400

For anyone tuning in to an NBA game during the playoffs this year, the endless stream of three-point attempts being launched is ample evidence of how the use of analytics has revolutionized the game over the last few years. Less obvious, but just as impactful, is the role big data has had in behind the scenes efforts of sports franchises. Filling millions of empty seats takes a huge amount of audience data, as well as a deeper understanding of consumer mindset, and sports teams are extremely aggressive in adapting new technologies in an effort to both better understand and more effectively communicate with their fanbases.

A Tipping Point For The Era Of Custom Content

Tue, 09 May 2017 11:00:07 -0400

One hundred audience-facing jobs weren't the only things lost, with the recent bloodletting at "The Worldwide Leader." We've heard for years in other verticals, that marketing to "the segment of one" is a fast approaching reality.

Logo Placement On Vehicles Just The Tip Of The Iceberg For Motorsports Sponsors

Fri, 05 May 2017 15:00:08 -0400

This Memorial Day weekend, if your eyes can keep up, you'll see more logos flying across your television screen than, perhaps, during any other weekend on the calendar. That's because all told among the Indianapolis 500, NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 and the Monaco F1 Grand Prix - 95 or so racers with their vehicles covered in logos - will log more than 43,000 miles in high-octane competitive motorsports action.

Post NFL, Shawne Merriman Doing Lights Out Business

Wed, 26 Apr 2017 09:58:24 -0400

There are countless stories about pro athletes who cannot handle life as productively when they leave the playing stage as when they were in the spotlight. Shawne Merriman is not one of those stories.

Should Promotion Of 'Young Stars' Really Be Baseball's Differentiator?

Tue, 11 Apr 2017 10:00:06 -0400

Longtime followers of this post know that when it comes to baseball, I'm kind of like the old Sy Sperling, Hair Club for Men commercials, where he implored, "I'm not just the hair club president, I'm also a client."

The Raiders Are Gonna Need A Place To Crash For A While. Why Not Mexico?

Tue, 04 Apr 2017 10:00:05 -0400

Now that the dust has settled on the Raiders' move to Las Vegas and the gold glimmer has worn off a bit, one thing is clear about the relocation - the short-term consequences are bad for everyone.

WWE WrestleMania Knows Marketing & Media, Show & Sell

Tue, 28 Mar 2017 12:24:02 -0400

How do you help your sports event make an impact at a time when fans, consumers and media are being hit with messages about NCAA March Madness Final Four and championship games, MLB season openers, NBA, NHL, MLS, The Masters golf tournament and the upcoming NFL Draft?

Spoiler Alert: Do Ad Teasers Trigger Hype Or Give Away The Plot?

Wed, 15 Mar 2017 13:00:05 -0400

This year, we saw a continuing trend in TV advertising: teaser commercials leading up to the Super Bowl. Similar to movie trailers, these 15- to 30-second teasers by brands (like Mr. Clean, Snickers, and Febreze) hinted at their much-anticipated full-length commercials in hopes of building viewer anticipation. But unlike movie trailers, these mini-commercials account for nearly half of the featured spot. Depending on who you ask, these teasers either spoiled the fun or kept viewers wanting more.

Finding A Balance Between Innovation And Pragmatism

Tue, 14 Mar 2017 10:00:10 -0400

As marketing researchers, a good portion of our work involves being "informed pragmatists." By definition, we are tasked with questioning things, being skeptics and trying to separate fact from conjecture.

2 Unsexy Reasons March Madness Dominates In Sports Advertising

Mon, 13 Mar 2017 10:00:07 -0400

There is an understandable frenzy of media buzz every January about Super Bowl commercials. This is mostly driven by gimmicks and celebrities rather than advertising that pulls its weight for brands. But one sporting event is often overlooked and actually does deliver an excellent opportunity to advertisers: the NCAA's March Madness.

Major League Soccer Springs Into The Limelight

Wed, 08 Mar 2017 13:33:03 -0500

Three summers ago, the U.S. Men's National Team had something of a coming-out party. They were drawn into that year's Group of Death with sneaky-deadly Ghana, early contending favorites Portugal and eventual champions Germany. Hopes of their advancement were low, outside of the truest of believers. Of course, they did advance, and in doing so triggered another round of "here comes soccer, finally" speculation.

How Bunkers In Baghdad Plays Golf To Support U.S. Troops

Tue, 28 Feb 2017 10:00:08 -0500

With The Masters fast approaching and Tiger Woods still seeking to reclaim his relevancy among such players as Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy, golf has very much been in the news.

What This Year's Super Bowl Taught Us About Fan Engagement

Tue, 21 Feb 2017 13:34:02 -0500

When 7-year-old Joseph Perez asked Tom Brady at Super Bowl LI Opening Night "Who is your hero?" he probably wasn't expecting the veteran quarterback to tear up in response. But in one of those moments that's just too good to be scripted, that's what happened.