Athletic competition is a longstanding cornerstone of entertainment attracting supporters to shell out big bucks and spend hours engaging with sports on television and online. From ticket to paraphernalia sales, Americans shell out over $56 billion each year engaging with their favorite teams and events. Savvy brands take advantage of the captive audience that sporting events and programs draw to leverage fans’ emotionally driven intent to purchase.This year fans are more excited than ever for the return of sports after their abrupt suspension due to COVID-19 making now the perfect time to consider marketing your business in local sporting events. What better way to connect with new customers and increase brand loyalty among existing ones. Is your business taking advantage of this opportunity with local Atlanta sports? Here are five reasons why you should be.
What is Sports Marketing?
Simply put, sports marketing is a means of advertising that uses a direct or implied connection to sporting events or teams to help sell your goods and services. It can be deployed in a variety of ways including:
- Sponsoring the team directly with logo placements and organic on-field activations
- Adding your branding or messaging to commercials dedicated or related to a particular sport,
- Sports marketing can be a major contributor in driving revenue for your businesses. Aligning your brand with that of a popular, local team can lend credibility to your company and stimulate growth.
Reasons to Incorporate Sports Marketing
Sports marketing has a number of advantages for many businesses. Consider these five reasons why you may want to incorporate it as part of your overall marketing strategy.
1. Atlanta sports fans are loyal.
Atlanta is home to some of the most passionate sports fans in the country. No matter the results of the season, they have pride in their teams. They're eager to show their support, and are more likely to connect with businesses that align themselves with their favorite teams. For example, Piedmont Healthcare signed a deal to expand its sponsorship with the Atlanta Major League Soccer organization to have their logo appear on the sleeves of the players jerseys. This organic placement is intended to drive visibility of the Piedmont Healthcare brand, and deliver a favorable, halo effect from their association with the soccer club.
2. Atlanta sports are part of a lifestyle.
For Atlantans, sports are far more than just a fun pastime, they are a way of life. Tailgating is a ritual for many Atlanta fans and your business can take advantage of it by highlighting your products and services that align with the lifestyle. For example, if you’re a restaurant, you can provide foods your customers need for tailgating. As a car dealership, you can market a vehicle as the perfect tailgating car for your customers. By positioning your products and services as one that can enhance the sports experience, you are able to tap into the market.
3. Atlanta sports facilities have undergone a recent upgrade.
Atlanta has dubbed itself a true sports city and with the $92 million dollar renovation of State Farm Arena in 2018 to the over 1.5 billion dollar construction of the brand new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2017, the city has put its money where it’s mouth is. New, state-of-the-art venues are designed to enhance the gameday experience, attracting thousands of powerfully engaged fans and curious entertainment seekers. Marketing your business to this captive audience seems like a no-brainer. Partner with the teams to have your message appear in the concourse, on a digital fascia, or on the field. Work with the venue to provide your products in the lobby or food court The new arenas and businesses within them are all about enhancing the customer experience to create a better game day, and you can be a part of that.
Fans are drawn to those renovations for the "new" factor: increased excitement, plenty of new things to check out, and more opportunities for them to engage with the sports they enjoy most. For your business, this means a great new opportunity to connect with sports fans and share in that excitement.
4. Atlanta sports fans value the fan experience.
The nearly 5.2 billion dollars spent on building and renovating Atlanta’s stadiums is really all about enhancing the fan experience. Your brand can take part in that, too. You don't even have to be in the stadium to contribute to the sports fan experience. Consider offering products or services that will interest sports fans in the stadium and enhance the fan’s overall gameday experience.
You can utilize digital marketing tools that will target fans, as well as consumers in and around the stadium with interactive messaging. You might consider offering a discount when the home team wins. For example, a dollar off for each goal scored by the home team if they win. Any business that can contribute to the enhancement of the overall gameday experience in any capacity is likely to get the attention of the sports fans.
5. Atlanta sports fans like to support businesses that support their favored teams.
As your brand becomes part of the sports experience, you invite fans to partner with you. Consider a restaurant that offers a deal when you show your game ticket or provides a discount based on the number of points scored by an Atlanta team throughout the game. This is a great way to capitalize on the loyalty of fans and create a connection between your brand and the sports they love.
Working with a Media Partner
Are you ready to get creative with your sports marketing efforts? Working with a local media partner can help you get creative with sports marketing and give you a better chance of meeting your goals without overspending your budget. Too often, businesses think that they have to spend a hefty amount to take part in sports marketing. They may associate it with more of a team sponsorship, which can prove incredibly expensive. An experienced media partner, however, can help you align your brand in an affordable and creative way, allowing you to connect with sports fans and take advantage of the upcoming season in a way that works for your brand and within your budget.
