Digital Marketing, the way forward for Sport Marketing

The pandemic has affected how sport was marketed for the last two years. That won’t change anytime soon. While some sporting events were able to have crowds, there is going to be a need for marketers to be so much more innovative. Digital engagement will have to be combined with a smaller crowd for an effective collaboration for brands. What that suggests is, streaming will again be the way more consumers are engaged.

In Jamaica for example, horseracing has more or less enjoyed their usual crowd. However, in major sports like football, netball, cricket and track and field, the sporting disciplines with global competitions to prepare for this year; events are already on the calendar to offer the athletes an opportunity to compete.

With the rules governed by Ministry of Health and the Office of Disaster Preparedness, marketers will need to dip deep in their creative minds to find ways to have their brands maximise engagement.

A multi-channel approach must therefore be on the front burner. The applications such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok along with live and delayed reporting must be the way forward. It may even see a greater role for radio.

This approach offers a greater deal of monitoring opportunities for marketers:

·        You can listen and track conversations

·        Fans can call in and offer their take on what is happen even during competition

·        Digital connections will grow

None of what we did three years ago, will remain the same and so there has to be new ways of thinking.

The usual ways for sport assets to earn will now have to jump into the digital space

·        There is e-ticketing

·        Merchandise will now have to be mailed

·        Technology will be forced to be more effective as consumers will be streaming more, so subscription fees may increase

Opportunities for Athletes

The time is ripe for the more engaged athlete. The one that can connect with fans and brand in an equal way while allowing themselves to be accepted as an authentic personality. The usual crowd-pleasing antics that would be done in a stadium will now have to be online. That also gives rise to more content for the brands the athletes are associated with. This is a 360-degree relationship that is about to start and both the athlete and the brand win.  

How Jamaican (Caribbean) companies can pivot

Over the next two years, leading to the Summer Olympics Games, scheduled for Paris in 2024, lots of Jamaican athletes will be on the global stage at several levels. They are in league competitions, they are in qualifiers, and they will be on teams to World Championships, Commonwealth Games, World Youth and of course the Olympics. These are in several cities in spaces where your brands would be useful to have a spot. I am challenging businesses to connect to an athlete, grow with them on and off the field and get your messages out.

This is how we should all be pivoting in 2022 and beyond.

Get in the Game!