19 Sports Entertainment Marketing Ideas to Boost Fan Engagement

The sports industry isn’t just about competition; it’s also about creating great fan experiences that extend beyond the court or field! 🏈🏀  This is where sports entertainment marketing comes into play.

Sports entertainment marketing combines the thrill of sports with the power of marketing and events to create unforgettable entertainment. If you’re looking for new ways to educate, inspire, and entertain your team’s biggest supporters, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, we’ll cover innovative sports marketing ideas you can use to enhance sports fan engagement and sponsorship opportunities. From leveraging social media campaigns to creating rave-worthy events, read on to find actionable strategies you can use to transform your sports marketing plan.

What’s Inside:

• What is sports marketing?
• Sports marketing examples
• What is sports event marketing?
• Sports event marketing examples
• What is sports fan engagement?
• 16 sports fan engagement ideas
• 3 sports entertainment marketing ideas
• Shop custom athletic event supplies 

What is sports marketing?

"Sports marketing” is marketing that promotes athletic teams, athletes, competitions, tournaments, and other sports-related products and services.

Sports marketers create marketing campaigns that engage fans, drive revenue, and build brand awareness within sports culture. These strategies ultimately help them improve the success of sponsorships, team advertising, social and email marketing campaigns, and more for the team.

Compared to traditional marketing, sports, and entertainment marketing leverages sports to create interesting narratives and experiences that resonate with sports enthusiasts.

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7 Examples of Sports Marketing Campaigns

Over the years, countless brands have used sports marketing to captivate fans, boost brand visibility, and build strong emotional ties with their target audiences. Some of my favorite examples of sports marketing include the following:

1. Nike's "Just Do It" Campaign

Nike is known for encouraging people to overcome challenges and reach their goals. Their “Just Do It” campaign did just that by utilizing endorsements from top athletes like Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, and LeBron James to connect “Nike” with motivation and performance.

2. Gatorade's "Be Like Mike" Campaign

Originally airing in 1991, this sports marketing campaign featured NBA star Micheal Jordan and the benefits of drinking Gatorade. Not only did it encourage fans to mirror Jordan’s success, but it also showed Gatorade as a symbol of sports excellence.

3. Under Armour's "I Will What I Want" Campaign

This sports marketing campaign consisted of videos that celebrated women and Under Armour’s commitment to creating cutting-edge products for female athletes. The campaign celebrated athletes who have broken barriers to reach the top of their fields.

4. Puma's Collaboration with Usain Bolt

As a teenager, Usain Bolt signed a contract with Puma and went on to win multiple gold medals and break world records. Today, Puma continues to leverage its association with the world's fastest man to promote its running shoes and sports apparel.

5. Budweiser's "This Bud's for You" Campaign

In January 2023, Budweiser reintroduced its iconic tagline, "This Bud's for You," in a Super Bowl commercial. The tagline was meant to embody the passions, side hustles, and career successes of consumers with grit and determination.

6. Monster Energy's Sponsorship of Extreme Sports

Monster Energy is famous for sponsoring skateboarding, motocross, and snowboarding matches and creating a brand image fueled by adrenaline, courage, skill, and risk-taking. Monster Energy also partners with high-profile athletes to support their talents and athleticism.

7. Coca-Cola's Sponsorship of the FIFA World Cup

As one of the longest-standing corporate partners of FIFA World Cup, Coca-Cola has leveraged the event to promote its beverages through TV commercials, in-stadium advertising, and memorable “special edition” packaging.

What is sports event marketing?

Sports event marketing leverages sports-related events to attract attendees, generate buzz, and enhance the overall experience of sporting events.

Whereas “sports marketing” is a broader, all-encompassing term, “sports event marketing” is a subset and specialized focus. Event professionals use all sorts of sports event management tactics to boost attendance and engagement, including the following:

• Pre-event promotion
• Social media marketing
• Email marketing
• On-site branding
• Event ticket sale strategies
• Partnerships with local businesses/sponsors
• Post-event engagement tactics

Creating engaging fan experiences and interactive fan zones involves combining many marketing elements to set the event up for success.

Read on to find a list of our favorite experiential events and activities we’ve seen from famous brands and their fans.

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Examples of Sports Event Marketing Campaigns

While there are too many sports-themed experiential events to list in one blog, the following examples have made a name for themselves by engaging fans through direct interaction and brand participation.

Past examples of sports and entertainment marketing include the following:

1. Red Bull's Flugtag

Red Bull Flugtag is an event organized by Red Bull. Participants are challenged to fly homemade, human-powered flying machines by launching them off a pier and into a body of water. This fun-filled event celebrates adrenaline and creativity with sports.

2. Under Armour's "UA HOVR House"

Years ago, Under Armour set up large, red, interactive pop-up houses where visitors could experience the UA HOVR running shoe through treadmills, VR, and augmented reality.

3. Monster Energy's "MotoGP Fan Zone"

Monster Energy creates fan zones at MotoGP events with interactive activities, athlete meet-and-greets, and product samples. The space also features a big screen for fans to follow activity on the track.

4. Michelob Ultra's Athletic Challenges

Michelob Ultra organizes events like pop-up fitness challenges and obstacle courses to align with their active lifestyle branding. Attendees can enjoy a 45-minute workout, followed by cool drinks and a DJ performance.

5. GoPro's Mountain Games

GoPro sponsors and hosts adventure competitions in biking, kayaking, fishing, running, climbing, discing, and yoga, allowing fans to test GoPro cameras in action. They even have dock diving competitions for dogs!

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What is sports fan engagement?

Sports fan engagement involves implementing strategies and activities that excite and energize fans in meaningful ways. Athletic teams, leagues, brands, and organizations often incorporate fan engagement tactics within their sports event marketing plan.

Fan engagement can take place online and offline and usually involves personalized content, interactive experiences, and community-building efforts. Sports marketers and event marketers can also help enhance loyalty, participation, and overall experience by creating experiences to remember.

16 Sports Fan Engagement Ideas for Game Day

In the sports industry, keeping fans actively involved and emotionally connected to their favorite teams is more important than ever. Looking for creative fan engagement ideas? The following strategies can be easily implemented into your sports event marketing strategy.

1. Encourage social media interactions.

Use social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and others to share behind-the-scenes content, respond to fan comments, run contests, and create polls about upcoming games.

2. Create interactive fan zones.

Invite a local brand or organization to sponsor a fan zone where attendees can play interactive games, meet players, and take photos with a replica trophy.

3. Launch a team loyalty program.

Offer a sports fan loyalty program where members earn points for attending games, purchasing merchandise, and engaging with the team's app. Allow points to be redeemed for fun rewards, like free game tickets, memorabilia, or VIP experiences.

4. Offer access to a team mobile app.

Launch an app that provides live updates, match highlights, and interactive features like voting for the MVP of the game or participating in real-time trivia challenges for prizes.

5. Ask for user-generated content.

Encourage fans to create and share their own photos, posts, and content using a special team hashtag. Feature your favorite submissions on your team's official social media channels or during game broadcasts.

6. Host exclusive fan events.

Invite season ticket holders to a special event where they can meet players, tour the locker room, and participate in a Q&A session with the coach or team. If you’re wondering how to increase ticket sales in sports, use event access as an upsell opportunity!

• READ MORE: How to Sell Tickets for an Event

7. Utilize gameday live streaming.

Use a live event streaming service or “go live” on social media to deliver highlights, news, and announcements for game day. Increase viewership by offering incentives, like a prize giveaway announcement or a gift card for team merchandise.

8. Host fan voting contests.

Allow fans to vote on various aspects of the game, such as selecting the starting lineup, choosing the game’s theme music, or deciding on new team merchandise designs.

9. Have interactive game predictions.

Encourage fans to make predictions about upcoming games, such as the final score or the first player to score. Reward accurate predictions with prizes like tickets, merchandise, or shout-outs on social media.

10. Film or host behind-the-scenes content.

Offer fans exclusive behind-the-scenes access (either live or via video) to team practices, locker room preparations, or team travel, shared via social media or your dedicated app.

11. Host fan art or creative competitions.

Let fans submit their own artwork, videos, or creative content related to your sports team. Showcase the best entries on the team’s social media, website, or half-time broadcast.

12. Offer player-fan meet-up opportunities.

Organize virtual or in-person meetups where fans can interact with players, ask questions, and get autographs or personalized video messages.

13. Create a series of interactive watch parties.

Host live-streamed watch parties where sports fans can interact with each other, participate in live chats, and engage in trivia or games during breaks in the action.

14. Fundraise with personalized fan messages.

Offer fans the chance to receive personalized messages or shout-outs from their favorite players, delivered through video or social media, in exchange for donating to a chosen charity.

15. Use gamification of fan-centric milestones.

Celebrate fan milestones, such as attending a certain number of games, by recognizing them on the scoreboard, social media, or with special rewards like a certificate or exclusive fan gear.

16. Gather for community engagement initiatives.

Philanthropy is the name of the game! Involve fans in sports fundraising or community service projects, such as a team-sponsored charity run, food drive, or volunteer day, where fans can participate alongside players and staff.

These sport and event marketing activities can deepen fan involvement, create memorable experiences, create positive PR for your team, and build a stronger sense of community around the sport. You’ll also help create a more loyal, involved fan base.

3 Sports Entertainment Marketing Ideas for Sponsorships

Sports marketing strategies come in all shapes and sizes, but here are a few of the pc/nametag’s team’s favorite suggestions from both a product and marketing perspective.

1. Display sports sponsors on credentials and lanyards.

Custom lanyards and sports event credentials are essential at any sporting event, providing both functionality and a unique branding opportunity. These items are worn by fans, athletes, staff, media, and VIPs throughout the event, making them a visible and impactful way to showcase a sponsor’s logo and messaging.

 Whether it’s a major tournament, a local league, or a one-time special event, featuring sponsor branding on lanyards and credentials is an easy and effective promotional idea that ensures continuous brand exposure.

Benefits of Featuring Sponsors on Sports Lanyards and Credentials:

• Constant Visibility: Lanyards and credentials are worn throughout the event, keeping the sponsor’s brand front and center. Every time someone looks at their lanyard or credential, they’re reminded of your sponsor’s involvement
• Targeted Audience Reach: Sports events attract a specific audience—passionate fans who are highly engaged. By featuring your sponsor’s brand on lanyards, you’re helping them reach an audience that is more likely to respond positively to your messaging.
• Cost-Effective Branding: Compared to other forms of sponsorship, branding on lanyards and credentials is a relatively low-cost option that offers high-impact exposure. It’s an ideal choice for companies looking to maximize their promotional budget.
• Memorable Keepsake: Lanyards make great souvenirs after a tournament, sporting event, or match. This also extends the sponsor’s brand visibility long after the game is over. Fans keep them as a memento, ensuring the brand remains top of mind.
  
  

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Incorporating sponsor branding on credentials and lanyards is a smart, effective way to enhance your sports event marketing strategy. Ensure sponsors get the recognition they deserve with pc/nametag’s custom bulk lanyards. Create a cohesive look for your next sporting event and elevate your brand presence!

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2. Create custom bag tags as sports fan mementos.

When it comes to sporting events, fans want to remember and celebrate their memories created on and off the field. Custom bag tags are a perfect way to commemorate these experiences because they make affordable, long-lasting mementos.

Fans and athletes alike can use them long after the final whistle by attaching them to gym bags, backpacks, or luggage — making them easy, sentimental keepsakes that resonate with sports enthusiasts.

Benefits of Creating Custom Sports Bag Tags:

• Personalized Keepsakes: Custom bag tags can be tailored with team logos, event dates, and even individual names, making them a personalized gift that holds special meaning for each recipient. Try personalizing them with attendees’ first names!
• Practical Use: Unlike some souvenirs that might end up forgotten in a drawer, bag tags are highly practical. Fans and athletes can attach them to their bags, ensuring they’re reminded of their sports experiences every time they travel or head to the gym.
• Increased Brand Visibility: For teams, leagues, and sponsors, custom bag tags offer an excellent branding opportunity. Every time someone uses their bag tag, your logo or message is displayed, extending your brand visibility far beyond the event itself.
• Collectible Value: Your fans will love collecting memorabilia from your sports events! By creating limited-edition designs or event-specific tags, you can add a collectible aspect that fans will eagerly seek out.

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3. Design commemorative tickets for sports events.

Commemorative tickets are rapidly gaining popularity among sports fans as tangible reminders of the excitement of sports games. While digital ticketing will always have its place in the industry, physical tickets can also make cost-effective keepsakes for fans to take home.

The Kentucky Derby “Fillies and Lilies” party, for example, featured pc/nametag’s custom tickets to permit access to their event and provide a lasting memento for Derby guests to keep.

We’ve also seen commemorative sports tickets used as interactive elements for game day. From tear-off raffle ticket entries to assigned seating information, you can customize your ticket to include virtually any type of variable data.

Why Commemorative Tickets Are a Must-Have for Sports Events:

• Interactive Game-Day Experience: Commemorative tickets can be designed with bar codes, QR codes, sequential numbering, and other information to admit entry and help guests participate at your sports event.
• Memorable Keepsake: After the game, commemorative tickets serve as a meaningful keepsake that fans can hold onto for years. Whether displayed in a frame, added to a scrapbook, or kept in a collection, these tickets remind fans of their personal experiences at your sporting event.
• Customizable Designs: Show off your team’s logo, mascot, slogan, or colors on your commemorative tickets! Or reflect the significance of the game, such as championship matches, rivalry games, player images, and event dates to add a personal touch.

At pc/nametag, we specialize in designing and producing custom commemorative tickets that create an impact. Whether you’re hosting a major championship or a local rivalry game, we can create tickets that capture the essence of the event and provide fans with an interactive and memorable experience.

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Shop Custom Athletic Event Supplies

Ensure your sports fan engagement tactics are effective by tying in your team’s branding with your event credentials, lanyards, custom tickets, bag tags, wristbands, and more!

From player and fan gear to custom credentials and more, pc/nametag has the custom athletic event supplies you need to get ahead of the game.