A large majority of Americans enjoy watching a sporting event of some sort. Marketers understand this love of sports is present in our country and have been using sports marketing for many years. Just think of the Super Bowl. A large majority of people watch the Super Bowl just to catch the commercials that will be playing in between plays. This advertising has proven to be very successful and it is likely going to be used for many more years to come.
How Are Sports Used For Marketing?
There are many different strategies that are used when it comes to sports marketing. Essentially this concept is looking to sell goods or services of some sort by way of major league sporting events, college events, minor leagues, etc. Not only do you see commercials run during sporting events on television, but you will see ads placed on the scoreboard during a game and you will see ads around the field. In hockey arenas, the boards are usually covered in advertisements. When the game is filmed, these ads will show up on TV and they are viewable by the people who are at the game in person.
Endorsements
Many players are approached by brands and companies when they have begun to be a bit more popular and well known. They are offered an endorsement deal which means that they will wear a certain brand of clothing or they will have a logo placed on their gear as a method of advertisement. Their payment is usually free merchandise and sometimes they are paid for their endorsement. Endorsements are profitable and successful because an athlete is admired thanks to their strength and success. People equate that success with the brands that the athlete is utilizing or supporting.
Challenges Faced With Sports Marketing
While this type of marketing can be very successful when used properly, there are, of course, challenges. Sometimes it can be hard for a brand to stand out from all of its competitors. Over the course of an entire sporting event, your marketing plan needs to be unique in order to be remembered. There are so many different names and images being displayed, it is a constant challenge to try and figure out how to be different.
Knowing Your Market
It is important for a marketing company to understand who their audience is and who they want to reach by way of their marketing. In order to reach this demographic, those types of people need to be watching the event or attending said event. Research and planning can go a long way to making sure resources are wisely spent and the right concepts are being used. According to Forbes, “understanding what audiences want to hear from athletes can help campaigns grab an unfair share of people’s attention.”
Essentially, sports marketing allows marketing agencies and professionals to piggyback off of the success and popularity of an athlete or a sports team. The success has already been achieved, now it just takes a brand to become associated with that success in order to become more profitable. There are many ways this can be done whether it be commercials, advertisements, free giveaways, ads on the scoreboard and so on. Essentially, a good plan needs to be put in place by a reputable marketing team.
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