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:
"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.
Create custom sports credentials with pc/nametag.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
Shop custom athletic event supplies from pc/nametag.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Create custom sports credentials with pc/nametag.
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.
|
⚾ EXERCISE: ⚾ Think of your favorite sports team and answer the following questions:
If you answered yes to any of these points, you’ve already built a strong emotional connection with the team, its players, and the sport. From the moment you walk into the stadium to the second you leave, your experience is curated through thoughtful planning. You can emulate these great experiences for your own sports team. Read on to find suggestions for fan engagement ideas. |
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Organize virtual or in-person meetups where fans can interact with players, ask questions, and get autographs or personalized video messages.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Want an eco-friendly option? Try the Eco Sporty Lanyard, the first eco-friendly lanyard crafted from sustainable cotton and featuring plant-based biodegradable attachments. This innovative design offers a customized fit with a built-in length adjuster, ensuring all day comfort. The lanyard's cotton material is soft on your skin and breaks down naturally after use, making it the most biodegradable lanyard yet.
Create custom bulk lanyards for sports tournaments with pc/nametag.
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.
Create custom sports bag tags with pc/nametag.
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.
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.
Create custom sports event tickets with pc/nametag.
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.