Sports fans are extremely loyal to their home teams, and they're often enticed by brands that support those teams or align themselves with them. Eighty-three percent of sports fans will check social media directly while watching the game from home, including checking out content from companies that advertised during the game. Sixty-two percent will check social media from the stadium. This year, thanks to the abrupt shutdowns last year, people are planning to tune into sports more than ever.
What is sports marketing?
Sports marketing is any form of advertising that uses sports to sell goods or services. In 2019, advertisers spent more than $73 billion on sports marketing. Sports marketing does not necessarily mean that you have to have your brand's name on the stadium or that you need to sponsor a player. In fact, there are several strategies you can use to connect your brand to local sports teams. You might:
- Sponsor a segment on game day
- Put together a commercial displayed before, during, or after the game
- Connect your brand with local sports fans on social media.
Keep in mind that you will need to sponsor the team directly to use the team's name in your marketing, but you can hype up your fans concerning game day at any time.
Why should you leverage sports marketing?
Leveraging sports marketing can have incredible success rates for your business. Brands like Nike, Adidas, Chevrolet, and even Verizon have a history of sponsoring sports teams. Those brands are highly recognizable, and many fans connect with them because of their support for the teams they love. Your brand can experience several advantages from sports marketing as well.
First and foremost, sports usually create a high degree of emotion in their most avid followers. Fans get excited about the accomplishments of their team. They feel connected to the team and its results regardless of whether it succeeds or fails. Likewise, you can build excitement related to your brand by letting your customers know that you support the team they love.
Imagine, for example, that it's game day. Consumers throughout the local area are getting excited about the opportunity to sit down and watch the game, whether on TV or in person.
As the pregame footage rolls across the screen, you might insert an ad for your local restaurant. Do your customers need the perfect last-minute gameday dish? Are they looking for a chance to sit down and enjoy the game, rather than having to worry about preparing a meal for the family? They don't have to worry because your restaurant delivers. If they get their order in by a certain time, you can even ensure that they get their food before the game.
You do not have to be a restaurant, however, to take advantage of game day advertising. Car dealers could offer a special deal to customers, especially on days when the team wins. A real estate agent could hype up the advantages of living in the local area, including the great sports teams. Take advantage of your connection to the local area and to those sports teams to create an enhanced sense of loyalty as well as reaching a wide audience interested in connecting with your brand.
How to leverage your brand with sports marketing
You can use several options to leverage your brand with sports marketing. On TV, you might run commercials surrounding the game or host a segment during the pregame footage. You could, for example, share some of your favorite tailgating recipes or offer a quick demonstration of how a product your brand offers can help make the gameday experience even better. On social media, start the conversation about sports and let your fans participate. Ask what your fans are most excited about for the upcoming season. This increased engagement with your brand can help improve consumers' opinions of your brand as they connect you with the sports teams they love.
You may also choose to tailor your content and your commercials to sports fans. It doesn't have to be game day for you to share that you have great gameday deals or for you to offer a seasonal deal related to your local sports team. You might, for example, offer a small percentage-based discount if your local sports team wins, or provide customers with a look at your sports-themed merchandise.
Live sports are one aspect of life that has left a gaping hole for many during the current pandemic. Sports fandom is a unique construction in that it transcends barriers and unites individuals from all walks of life under one banner-a team’s logo. At FOX 12, we offer our clients the opportunity to bring their marketing message to the forefront of that fan loyalty through our extensive sports lineup. We’re excited to kick-off our NFL season in August, with a strong schedule featuring both regional and national favorites. NFL viewership was up 5% last year, with 73% of American men and 55% of American women watching NFL on television. FOX 12 will also have prime viewing for Major League Baseball Fans, one of TV’s more affluent audiences, when America’s pastime takes the mound later this summer.
With the added excitement of sports returning, this is the ideal season to connect with sports fans and take full advantage of sports marketing opportunities. Do not let the opportunity to leverage your brand with sports marketing pass you by. Instead, look for ways to integrate your brand with local sports teams this year and, win or lose, watch customer appreciation for your brand increase. It's a win for your business regardless of how your team performs this year!
