The Playbook for Turning Sports Sponsorship Into Sales

Modern sports sponsorship pursues a singular goal: the sure thing. Whether it’s reinforcing the National Football League’s argument for Super Bowl week ads, letting Pepsi decode sports fans’ spending patterns or helping both of the above recalibrate their relationship, data plays an increasingly valuable role in streamlining the endorsement process. As the NFL, European soccer and other sports mine data to pitch partnerships, brands are scrutinizing the impact of sports sponsorship down to the individual player to protect their considerable investments. A recent survey by sponsorship software consultancy Elevent further reduces the guesswork for brands, teams and athletes alike. After questioning 2,000 U.S. adults earlier this year, it found that not only are fans more likely to buy from a team sponsor, they also react positively to athlete advocacy and teams’ social responsibility. Data and AI Bring Moneyball Methods to Level the Sports Marketing Playing Field But there’s a catch: If those fans don’t already like your team or the positions the franchise and players are advocating, they’ll take their money elsewhere. As data plays a more influential role in sports sponsorship, Elevent’s survey reminds brands to consider all of the variables before making a decision. “These results show that sponsorship can be powerful in driving behavioral outcomes,” said Francis Dumais, managing partner at Elevent. “But this can go either way, especially when it comes to sports fans.” Root for the home team When fans were asked whether they'd buy from companies sponsoring their favorite teams, 59% responded that they are more likely to patronize a brand because of its endorsement. More than one-in-five would do business with a company simply because it backs their team, while 37% have either purchased from a brand or thought about it based on their sponsorship. But the survey reminds brands that fan is just shorthand for “fanatic”—a word that initially indicated an unwell person and derives from a Latin term that translates to "mad, enthusiastic, inspired by a god." As such, another 32% would avoid a brand or consider avoiding it if it sponsored a team they loathe. Of that group, 15% have actually stopped buying a brand’s products altogether for siding with a despised franchise. The intensity of the fanbase can skew that figure a bit. For example, 83% of esports fans surveyed have or would do business with a brand that sponsors their favorite team. They’re equally passionate about rival teams’ sponsors, with 67% saying they’d boycott a brand that sided with the enemy. “To minimize the risk of fan alienation, brands could consider diversifying their portfolio of properties and consider categories and leagues rather than unique teams/organizations,” Dumais said. Twitter: Approximately 1.5B Tweets About Gaming Shared in First Half of 2022 Values play Teams that take a stand on issues and embrace corporate social responsibility (CSR) face a polarized audience. Of those surveyed, 26% would stop doing business with a team sponsor for addressing social issues while 25% would buy from them strictly because they spoke out. When teams delve into the demographics, however, responses from those between 18- and 34-years old indicate that the issues they care about most—and want teams to address—include human rights, health and wellness, and the environment. Yet, according to the survey, sports fans don’t give nearly as much weight to gender equality, access to education and supporting youth. Social issues aren’t any less tricky for athlete sponsors. While 33% don’t believe it’s important for an athlete to use their platform to address social issues (with another 16% completely indifferent), 51% say they want players to speak out. Fans were most supportive of athletes who address mental health, with 58% reacting positively. Meanwhile, 51% want athlete endorsers to be vocal about the causes they believe in, while 50% say they want to hear them open up about addiction. Fans surveyed were less interested in athletes’ positions on Covid-19 vaccinations (43%), sexual orientation (39%) and marital issues (29%). That resulted in high marks for gold medal gymnast Simone Biles (a 68% positive reception) and Australian Open and U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka (59%), but critique for Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, multiple Grand Slam tennis champion Novak Djokavic (25% and 24% negative reaction, respectively) and golf great Tiger Woods (28% negative). “For brands that sponsor athletes, the inherent risks can be challenging but potentially rewarding as well,” Dumais said. “Due diligence is critical in these decisions.” Why Sponsors Stuck With Kyrie Irving—Even As He Refused to Get Vaccinated Finding the passion The survey’s list of fans’ favorite sports holds few surprises. More than 50% follow professional football, basketball and baseball, as well as college football and the summer and winter Olympics. When it comes to interacting with brands at live events, however, the funnel inverts. The fans most likely to visit brands’ tents, take their samples, speak to representatives, and take part in their activities and activations are professional cycling fans (with 66% being strongly open to the idea). They’re followed closely by fans of esports (60%), Major League Soccer (59%), professional women’s golf (56%), NASCAR (52%) and both women’s and men’s professional tennis (51% and 50%, respectively). Engaged fans of niche sports represent just 10% to 17% of all sports fans—compared to 32% to 49% for the larger sports. With two-thirds of those surveyed saying big-ticket sponsorships like stadium naming rights having little to no impact on them—with less than a third even aware of recent name changes, including Staples Center to Crypto.com Arena—sponsors face a decision between quality and quantity. “[Engaged] fans might be more aware of the needs and necessities and sponsors to ensure the viability of their favorite sports compared to mainstream sports and leagues,” Dumais said. “It comes down to choosing between a mass or targeted strategy depending on the sponsorship objectives.” Brands Missing Their Shot at European Soccer Digital Marketing

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The Playbook for Turning Sports Sponsorship Into Sales

Market researcher Elevent found that fans will buy what endorsers sell—but there's more to it

Jason Notte

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Jason Notte