Fluid Fan Featured Four Newsletter
Sign up below to stay up to date on the sports stories changing our industry
REGISTER FOR SPORTS INNOVATION LAB’S “SPORTS ZONE” IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW PRESENTED BY OCTAGON
The premier technology conference, CES, is in full swing this week! You can get your ticket for the entire conference here. If you missed the panel this morning, Angela Ruggiero, Gary Bettman (Commissioner of the NHL), Cathy Englebert (Commissioner of the WNBA), and Stephanie McMahon (Chief Brand Officer of WWE) talked about the forces of technology and fan behavior shifts that are having a monumental impact on the future of sports. You can register and view the recording of that session on the CES website.
Additionally, join us on January 14, 2021 when the Sports Innovation Lab Sports Zone, a CES Partner Program presented by Octagon, goes virtual. This is our fourth straight year partnering with CES to host the Sports Zone. Our content is kicking off at 11am ET and is complementary to attend: register here. We will be releasing our latest Research Report, which will unveil The Top 25 Most Innovative Teams in Sports!
Here’s a look at what to expect:
(All Times in EST)
11:00 AM - 2021 Outlook with Sports Innovation Lab’s Co-Founders
11:15 AM - The Future, In Your Hands with FIFA
11:30 AM - The World’s Most Innovative Sports Teams Revealed with Manchester City FC and LaLiga North America
12:00 PM - Why The National Women’s Soccer League CRUSHED other Pro Sports Leagues on Social Media During COVID with Sky Blue FC, Zoomph, and more!
12:30 PM - Building a Bridge Between Startups & Properties with Buzzer, the NFL, and Venuetize
1:00 PM - Betting Business Opportunities and How Various Stakeholders Are Getting In On The Game with DraftKings, theScore, and Yahoo Sports
1:30 PM - Sports Media: A Pandemic Perspective with the NBA, NHL, NWSL, and Octagon.
Weekly Brand Breakthrough
The top English Premier League team, Tottenham Hotspur, has signed onto a sleeve sponsorship deal with online car seller Cinch. The partnership will provide the seller with a logo appearing on all jerseys' left sleeve and numerous in-venue advertising opportunities. While the parties did not release the deal's financials, other top teams have been able to make around 10 million dollars a year from similar partnerships. We have seen similar new advertising locations with NBA jersey patch sponsorships and the NHL helmet opportunities. Sponsorship in sports is growing, and it pays to take advantage of these new opportunities.
Weekly Live Entertainment Breakthrough
As the vaccine slowly rolls out across the country and the virus continues to rage, most fans are still staying at home. The Sacramento Kings have launched a new initiative to reach their fans wherever they are, using the Discord server. Discord is an instant messaging platform that began in gaming but has since expanded to other sports and entertainment areas, and today hosts more than 100 million active users. This platform will allow the Kings to hold unique Q&As with front office people, players, and media personnel for their fans at home and provide merchandise updates and game time discussions and conversations. This is another example of a team leaning into the challenges that the pandemic poses, and most certainly, they will come out the other side better for it.
Weekly Media Breakthrough
On Sunday, Viacom aired a special NFL broadcast for kids on Nickelodeon. During an exciting wildcard weekend game between the New Orleans Saints and the Chicago Bears, fans experienced a first kind broadcast. The contest engaged younger fans by using a casual broadcast crew to explain the game's complexities, simplified graphics, and even digital slime pouring on players as they entered the end zone. The game was a perfect compromise for parents attempting to get their unruly children to sit still for their favorite team's game. This broadcast demonstrated the innovative and engaging new ways that fans can enjoy sports and the value of connecting with young fans.
Weekly Athlete Breakthrough
Reigning Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes has recently partnered with Oakley to launch the Patrick Mahomes II Signature Series. Like the Nike sneaker deals with stars such as LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, these sunglasses are designed and inspired by Mahomes himself. For Oakley, he is a natural athlete to endorse their brand, not just because of his meteoric rise, but because of the unique way he sees the field of play. He has changed the game by bringing the no-look-pass to the NFL and finding receivers no one else can find. Athlete sponsorship deals such as this one are indicative of the value athletes themselves provide brands.
For more information on the changing trends in sports and all of our latest research visit sportsilab.com