Brandweek Sports
Photo Credit: Adweek
Earlier this month, Brandweek hosted their annual Sports Marketing Summit featuring the industry’s most transformative figures. Despite the unique challenges the sports business has faced, several companies have capitalized off the ladder of opportunities created. With the emergence of the elevated fan experience, sports technology, and human performance, the future of the sports marketing business is promising. Marketers have kept their eyes peeled and strategies open for innovation, creativity, and transformation. The long list of guests included former New York Yankees legend Alex Rogriguez, WNBA Champion Candace Parker, Allyson Felix, the NBA’s CMO Kate Jhaveri, and Brooklyn Nets Co-owner Clara Wu Tsai.
Fandom is the New Era of Audience Engagement
Photo Credit: NFL
The sports landscape has evolved in the last year due to the implications of COVID-19. Innovation has been at the forefront for the major corporations including the National Football League (NFL). With the restrictions imposed within sports arenas, the past year presented elevated hybrid and virtual fan experiences. The NFL’s Tim Ellis spoke on how their league deepened fan engagement amid the pandemic and the creation of new marketing strategies to engage with their new audiences. The NFL has emerged as the most profitable pro sports league in the world, a huge part of that is credited to its ability to leverage its ecosystem. Ellis shares his insights on the influence of GEN Z fans and how they’re driving new social norms. The recent “My Cause My Cleats” campaign showcased an intrapersonal perspective of the NFL athletes in hopes to resonate with their younger fans while leveraging the influence of the NFL as a force for good. The NFL utilizes youthful storytelling and emotional connectivity to relate to a new generation of football fans.
Brand Alignment and Experience
In the world of sports marketing, brand marketers create campaigns to capture the attention of sports fans. The last year presented a window of opportunity for brand sponsorships, brand marketers and athletes. On day two, we heard how athletes succeed in the space of brand marketing while delivering next-level experiences with innovation, creativity, storytelling and authentic collaborations at the forefront. Former New York Yankees legend Alex Rodriquez joined Brandweek’s Sports Marketing Summit to discuss his latest business moves with A-Rod Corp. Through his Miami-based investment firm, A-Rod built a robust company off the pitch. Rodriguez’s portfolio includes some of the world’s most renowned corporations such as Meta, Mercedez Benz, Ralph Lauren, Hard Rock Cafe, Minnesota Timberwolves and more. Since his retirement, A-Rod has emerged as a leading marketer through his dozen investments, he also shared his insights on the importance of networking, learning, and leveraging your brand in corporate spaces.
Sports As A Platform For Social Good
Amid the global pandemic, the social justice movement has been solely immersed in every aspect of American culture. The murder of George Floyd and Jacob Black sent the professional sports world in a frenzy, for the time, athletes, teams and leagues began to reexamine the scenario in hopes of joining the conversation to ignite change. The WNBA and NBA have done an outstanding job working alongside each other to create change within their communities. Together the two leagues have created the blueprint for other leagues to follow on how to address social justice issues. Day Three of Brandweek Sports included a unique panel featuring the NBA’s EVP & Chief Marketing Officer, Kate Jhaveri and the WNBA’s Head of League Operations, Bethany Donaphin. The two shared their perspectives on how the sport is a tool for change, how their leagues have addressed social justice and what the future of the NBA and WNBA looks like for many years to come. Kate also shared some of the upcoming social justice initiatives through the Social Justice Collation in partnership with the NBPA.
Sports For Tomorrow
As more fans return into arenas, the sports industry forecasts a promising future. But what will sports marketing look like in 2022? As we move closer to the new year, we begin to see the evolution of key trends including NFTs, Digital Currency, Esports and the Metaverse. On day four of the Brandweek Sports Marketing Summit Brooklyn Nets Co-owner Clara Wu Tsai and New York Liberty’s CEO Keia Clarke joined the More Than A Game panel. Both spoke about the advancement of the WNBA and their unique partnership after moving the NY Liberty to the Barclays Center. Clara Wu Tsai spoke on how the Barclays Center serves the community as a civic and cultural institution and the social justice initiatives they supported during the pandemic. Clara Tsai and her husband Joe created a $2.5 million loan program to help minority communities in hopes to combat economic equality in black communities. Clara shared her insights on the future of the WNBA with regard to expansion franchises. Keia believes that the best investment is in women's sports, with great corporate investment and success of the WNBA. The infrastructure of the WNBA will look different by 2025.