In the 21st century, sports seem to create more thrill among people than any other event. In consequence, the delight that people find in sports has informed the invention of new business initiatives such as the addictive betting craze that has taken the globe by storm. This has further led marketers to claim their portion of the cake by making sports the centerpiece of their marketing initiatives, on par with those in businesses serving IT consulting services.
Sports Marketing
Sports marketing can be described from a threefold approach: 1) Advertising sports events and sports associations such as the FIFA World Cup and regional football leagues; 2) using sports events, sporting teams or individual sportsmen and women to promote a product; 3) creating public opinion regarding certain sports in a bid to increase participation.
Sports marketing uses sports, in any form, to help sell goods and services. This particular style of marketing is less about using a single strategy and more about using the content of sports to assist marketing efforts. This is not limited to professional sports and may include college athletics, minor leagues, or alternative sports.
Since sports can be watched on a variety of platforms, sports marketing can take many different forms. Teams sell advertising space inside their stadiums to marketers who want to purchase billboards and other print ads, while TV networks sell airtime during the events. Famous athletes also sign contracts to work as celebrity endorsers and lend their images to marketers.
The choice of a celebrity spokesperson often depends on the way that a spokesperson is perceived in the culture. The product being endorsed takes on the qualities of the endorser by association. Below are some of the attributes that professional athletes represent.
- Physically strong
- Successful
- Rich
- Champions
- Mentally tough
- Dedicated
- Committed to charity
- Self-made
- Sexually attractive
- Famous
- Leaders
- Team players
- Disciplined
The biggest advantage of sports marketing is that it allows marketers to piggyback on the popularity and devotion many fans feel towards their favorite teams and athletes. If a baseball fan has loved a specific team since childhood, any marketer who associates themselves with that team gains instant credibility in that fan’s mind. Since the revenue ultimately goes to support the team, the marketer is considered a sponsor and invested in the team’s success.
The only major disadvantage is that the sports marketing industry is so large that it can be hard to stand out in the crowd. A fan who watches a three-hour football game will be exposed to dozens of different marketing messages. Marketers must advertise to a wide range of customers, but risk that their ad gets overlooked by fans more interested in the game.
Using sports to sell products presents many opportunities that bring both risk and reward. A successful sports marketing campaign can linger in the minds of consumers for years, while an ineffective one can be a significant waste of money. All marketing efforts must be guided by a comprehensive marketing plan if they hope to succeed.
The plan will begin with a number of logistical questions, such as budget estimations and resources. Sports marketing can get expensive quickly and the companies will need to use their resources wisely. They will also need to establish a time frame for the campaign. Will it run for a week, an entire season, or involve a multi-year marketing effort like buying stadium naming rights? Different marketing objectives will involve different plans. A tip for most marketers in this step is to utilize private cloud computing, which would make storing and compiling tasks much easier.
The company then needs to know who their target audience is and how they can best be reached. This involves analyzing the company, its product, and the customer. If a marketer wants to reach males under 35 they might focus on extreme sports. If they want to reach a casual sports fan, they might focus their efforts on the Olympics. The marketer will need to examine the entire sports marketing landscape and identify the most promising opportunities based on scientifically based market research.
A team of creative professionals will work on developing ads whether they are TV spots, billboards, or radio ads. Research findings should determine the goals of the advertisements, but ad makers will develop the content that they think can best speak to the target audience. They will use team colors, slogans, and sports imagery to create a link between the product and the sport.
Once the ad campaign begins, the company will need to evaluate how effective it is. Metrics like increased sales, Twitter followers, and brand awareness are all indicators of how well a campaign is being received. The metrics should reflect the goals established in the marketing plan. If the goals are being met, the campaign can be continued and built upon. If the number falls short, the marketing strategy will have to be revised. Should the need to hire a venue to extend or focus on the reach to more audience, Melbourne has great formal venues all around the city area.
Strategic Venues for Sports Marketing Events
The type of venue used in sports marketing events significantly determines the achievement of the intended marketing objective. This suggests that the venue should be strategic.
Any marketing initiative has the primary intention of reaching a vast number of people with the greatest interest in the product. These two aspects, numbers and target audience, are paramount in the choice of a strategic venue for sports marketing. Below are some of the strategic venues for sports marketing events.
1. Hotels
Hotels offer an inclusive package of services including accommodation and leisure. This makes them an appropriate choice for sports marketing. Target groups can access these services and at the same time explore the variety of activities and initiatives at a marketing event. Check out this accommodation in Hobart for a good stay and hire-a-space package.
2. City squares
City squares are public spaces frequented by people without any form of control. This makes them ideal venues for sports marketing. A sports marketing event held at a city square will bring together people who have prior information about the event and others who find themselves there by mere chance.
3. Convention centers
As with hotels, convention centers are business hubs that provide a wide range of services under the same roof. As such, a sports marketing event organized in a convention center has great chances of success. The target groups appreciate the variety of services that can be accessed in a single location. Additionally, convention rooms may readily serve as excellent space for sports marketing gallery. Good examples of conference venues can be found all around Hobart, in which these venues offer spacious, versatile multi-purpose spaces for all types of conferences.
4. Education centers
Universities, colleges, schools or other genres of education centers are optimum venues for sports marketing. These provide ample space and are appropriate for sports marketing events that include live sports demonstrations. The participation of the audience is also enhanced. Besides, these centers are home for large numbers of youth, a category that is naturally linked to sports.
5. Sports Stadiums
By their function, sports stadiums are already coded as sports spots. This implies that sports fans and audience create a psychological association between the place and the sports activities. Organizing a sports marketing event in a stadium is a strategic way of tapping this pre-existing psychological association.
The ‘Plus One’
Whatever venue a sports marketing company or group may choose, it is always important to couple the actual venue with the ‘digital venue’. Including content from a live sports marketing event on media platforms that will extend the marketing initiative beyond the physical space. In the end, this also implies an audience beyond borders.
