The pandemic has changed a lot in every industry and Sports is nothing different. Talking about Sports Marketing, the COVID-19 pandemic made marketers evolve their marketing plans and think out of the box to capture new opportunities to engage sports fans. With some trends prevailing in the sports marketing industry, let’s try to figure out how the pandemic has affected the marketing strategies and what’s trending right now.
1. Diversification Of Sports-Related Content
As the pandemic forced most of the people to stay at home, they are always on the lookout for new content and ways to keep them entertained. One of the sports marketing strategies that evolved, as a result, was to diversify content and entertainment for their consumption. With new strategies, the marketers are able to attract and engage viewers. One such example of new strategy implementation is that of ESPN and Fox Sports who, instead of broadcasting sports events live, are currently playing alternative programming that includes even their archived content.
Social media is another great example of this diversification strategy. With more and more sports fans turning to social media and spending most of their time while socializing, the broadcasters are shifting focus to online environments for adhering to the needs of individuals who spend their time-consuming content on social channels like YouTube and Facebook.
Even athletes have started maintaining an effective presence on popular social media platforms as they share their workout videos and content related to their training techniques. This is a source of partnership and sponsorship opportunities for them as brands want to leverage their social presence.
2. Getting Into More Strategic Partnerships and Sponsorships
Lately, there’s been an increasing emphasis on spending advertising budgets on creating more tailored promotions and content. More and more advertisers are now exploring new deals and partnerships built around sponsored content.
For instance, digital marketers can use affiliate marketing for increasing brand awareness as well as engagement rates in certain previously unexplored categories.
Businesses can choose to stay relevant by venturing into more creative cross-promotion as well as advertising opportunities. It’s also helpful in attracting fans willing to replace live sports events with virtual alternatives.
3. The Use Of Virtual and Immersive Tech Has Increased
E-sports and virtual technologies allow leagues and their media partners to have a chance to explore new ways of reaching out to their fans. With immersive technologies, fans can also replicate the same experience as if they were watching their favorite sports live. Using VR, players also get an option to personalize their sports accessories like customized basketballs, footballs, jerseys etc.
As pro sports leagues lift suspensions and simulate spectator sports while keeping a ban on physical attendance, VR technology can be helpful in mimicking the fans’ attendance at the stadiums. One such example is that of Nascar’s iRacing simulation platform.
The use of virtual and immersive technologies will allow brands to engage end-users with the help of gamified viewership, real-time analysis and commenting, and more similar stuff.
With the global pandemic bringing complications and uncertainty for businesses, it is important for digital sports marketers to come up with different sports marketing strategies and allocate budgets accordingly. Visit GUIÓN PARTNERS they are the professionals in this business.
