Lady Gaga created a phenomenally successful web spectacle for her recent album Born This Way, which was launched on May 23. Utilizing a host of inventive methods, Lady Gaga has leveraged digital marketing and social media to create a deep engagement with her fans and promote and sell her album. It looks like these methods are paying off as Gaga’s album is estimated to sell a million copies in its first week on the streets.
Sport, as another form of entertainment, should certainly analyze some of the factors that contributed to Gaga’s success. I consider that there are at least 5 lessons for sports marketing:
1. Have a comprehensive web presence and leverage social media
Lady Gaga utilizes all channels and is a serious heavyweight in social media terms. She leverages social media to connect with her target demographic and that is certainly an area that all sport organizations are working hard on. Her numbers on social media are truly staggering. On You Tube she has registered 1 billion views, she has close to 35 million Facebook fans, 24.7 million Facebook likes and she was the first Twitter account holder to acquire 10 million followers. Having a vast number of followers is one thing – what you do with that asset is another (see points 3 to 5). Gaga is a great example of how social media is democratizing marketing for brands. Gaga also knows how to integrate all her marketing – while using several channels, she always controls the message and how it is delivered.
By way of an example on this point, a Google search for the sports team with the most Facebook fans brought up Manchester United, which has just over 9 million fans (in February 2011). [click to continue…]
Chris is a strategic programs analyst at the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) focusing on, amongst other things, sponsorship research, analytics and acquisition. He holds a MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Business (AGSM). Chris took part in the school’s exchange program by completing a semester at Stern business school, NYU where he studied sports marketing and sports economics. Connect with him on Twitter and LinkedIn.
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Recently I went to China to play beach volleyball. While I was there I noticed the Chinese approach to marketing clothes, products, and services was very aggressive — products and services were constantly ‘in your face’.
The supermarkets in particular were particularly fascinating – aisles upon aisles of products and signage,consumers hit with marketing messages when they least expected it. So much so I felt overwhelmed by all of the advertising, and anytime I ventured into a commercial area I felt a real urgency to get out of there asap. Lately this is how I have also felt in a number of social media networks I have joined. The overload of advertising messages and spam is encouraging me to disengage more often. Rather than having to deal with spam, I am culling a large number of followers or disconnecting from people who have ‘signed me up’ to marketing material without my consent. [click to continue…]
Claire Kelly is a freelance writer, communications consultant and Australian beach volleyball player based on the Gold Coast, Australia.
Experienced in social media marketing, conducting interviews, ghostwriting, editing, generating publicity and photography, Claire is passionate about about helping athletes and businesses grow through the power of the media and the internet. Follow Claire on Twitter @clairelkelly
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Lockouts rule the roost in 2011. First, the NFL muscles flex to show us the veins of how money ultimately rules the football kingdom. We know full well it’s not a game we simply watch on t.v. – it’s a multi-billion dollar business that needs a “dollar-driven enhancement drug” to keep it going.
The NBA is also beefing up their legal course for a lockout once the playoffs are complete. Still, it’s all about the almighty dollar. What else is new? Both lockouts will have a long-lasting, trickle-down effect on players, sponsors, vendors, and fans.
These are stressful times in the sports world. High profile players can fare well during the lockout without having to worry about how they’re going to make their mortgage. Rookies and practice squad players on the other hand have had to make major life adjustments during the lockout. One placekicker I know had to move back home with his parents because there is simply no money coming in and no other revenue streams. [click to continue…]
Michelle Hill, the Strong Copy Quarterback for Winning Proof, is a sports and fitness copywriter. My mission is to help pro athletes, coaches, and sports agents increase their success score in their entrepreneurial endeavors with my writing expertise and creative turn of mind.I write website content, client letters, media pitch letters, sponsorship proposals, and brochures for sports-related companies. www.winningproof.com
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The NFL is doing well. The most recent edition of the Super Bowl (Super Bowl XLV) holds the record for total number of U.S. viewers, attracting an average audience of 111 million viewers, making it the most viewed television broadcast of any kind in U.S. history. However, the growth of its European equivalent, the UEFA Champions League Final, is outpacing its American rival. I personally expect the ratings for the 2011 UEFA Champions League Final to outperform this all time best Super Bowl – but still feel the NFL Super Bowl is the more iconic and impactful sport event.
Two of the world’s biggest teams will be facing each other in the final: FC Barcelona and Manchester United FC. The Final at Wembley Stadium will be match number 125 of a competition that started on September 14th (or even earlier if you’d also include the qualifying matches in this count). The final of Europe’s premier club competition first passed the Super Bowl in global audience numbers in 2009, making it the most-watched annual single sport event in the world for the first time. 2011 will be the first time ever that the UEFA Champions League final will be played on a Saturday evening, aiming for ‘Super Saturday-like’ TV domination and – most probably – the advertising revenue to match. However in terms of horizontal impact, cultural importance, advertising and entertainment value, the UEFA Champions League – in my humble opinion – still has some catching-up to do. [click to continue…]
Thomas studied Communications in Amsterdam and has been working in international sports for over 15 years. He started his professional career at the Amsterdam Admirals in the NFL Europe and moved to Dutch professional soccer champions PSV Eindhoven in 1997. In 2001 he moved to Southern Germany to join Adidas. He's filled a variety of roles with the sporting goods brand, including 'Head of Global PR'. In 2011 he moved into the role of Global Brand Director.
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FC Barcelona’s success both on and off the field speaks for itself. There are at least 5 important lessons that modern businesses can learn from the Catalan football (soccer) club.
On the pitch, the Catalan club recently won the Spanish First Division La Liga for the 21st time, its 3rd consecutive title. On May 28th, the side faces Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) final, hoping, once again, to be crowned the best in Europe. This comes two years after Barça (as the club is affectionately known) won a staggering six trophies – the domestic league and cup double, the UCL, the European and Spanish Super Cups and the FIFA World Club Cup.
Off the field, Barça is a well-oiled machine and ranks second (to Spanish rivals Real Madrid) in the Deloitte Football Money league 2011, which profiles the highest earning clubs. For the season 2009/10, the club recorded revenue growth in three key areas (commercial, match day and broadcast revenue), with a total year on year revenue increase of 9% to €398.1. [click to continue…]
Chris is a strategic programs analyst at the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) focusing on, amongst other things, sponsorship research, analytics and acquisition. He holds a MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Business (AGSM). Chris took part in the school’s exchange program by completing a semester at Stern business school, NYU where he studied sports marketing and sports economics. Connect with him on Twitter and LinkedIn.
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Trying to land a job – any job – can be a challenging experience. And when it comes to the sports industry, that challenge can easily turn into frustration.
I get a lot of emails that express that frustration such as, “I feel like I can’t break into sports because there’s nowhere to go!” Or, “I feel like my biggest challenge is getting my foot in the door.” Or, “I’ve had two internships with two different professional sports teams and I still can’t find a paying sports job. I must be doing something wrong!”
If you can relate, and I think most of us can, I’ve outlined 5 ways to help you deal with your frustration. [click to continue…]
Chris McKinney is the president of SPORTS LAUNCH™, a career services firm dedicated to helping college students and career-changers launch sports careers. Chris' new book, How to Land Your First Job in Sports: 7 Simple Steps can be found on www.SportsLaunch.net.
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On a quest to continue to bring awareness to many facets of the sport business, interviewing Kelly Perdew was on the top of the list. As The Apprentice season 2 winner and sports aficionado, Kelly brings light to his success, how he became a winner, business of fantasy sports, and ‘What is the Apprentice winner working on now.”
KRISTEN SONSMA: Let’s start off by telling us about Fastpoint Games for those who aren’t familiar? And maybe a bit about what caught your attention about the company?
KELLY PERDEW: Fastpoint Games is a leading developer of live, data-driven games that enable clients to engage, reward and monetize their users. Data-driven games invest users in client content and services by making that content central to the entertainment experience and applying motivating game mechanics.
I love fantasy sports and was recruited to come build up the company. I’m an entrepreneur at heart and love a challenge. Fastpoint Games was a great mix of challenge, fun and passion. I always encourage people to align their work and passion – it will definitely increase the likelyhood of success. [click to continue…]
Kristen Sonsma has spent most of her sports career in ticket sales with experience in the AFL, MLS, and NHL. Connect with her on LinkedIn or on Twitter
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Being a sports executive on any level involves a lot of hard work to get projects done the way your clients expect. A key aspect of retaining quality clients is learning how to effectively communicate with each one on their level. Each of my clients is unique and special and I communicate with them according to their personality and our mutual comfort level.
You have friends that you have varying levels of emotional intimacy with; some you might talk to every day while others you catch up with when you can and small talk is the main staple. Clients are the same. You will become close friends with some and others are on the periphery of your circle. Both are o.k. [click to continue…]
Michelle Hill, the Strong Copy Quarterback for Winning Proof, is a sports and fitness copywriter. My mission is to help pro athletes, coaches, and sports agents increase their success score in their entrepreneurial endeavors with my writing expertise and creative turn of mind.I write website content, client letters, media pitch letters, sponsorship proposals, and brochures for sports-related companies. www.winningproof.com
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I don’t know about you, but taking tests in school wasn’t one of my favorite college pastimes. However, tests are important because they let you know where you are in terms of your mastery of the subject you’re studying. Plus, some tests can also help you make educated decisions.
If you’re considering a career in the sports business industry, but aren’t 100% sure it’s the right field for you, I recommend you take this simple “True or False” test. This test is far from scientific, but it will help you determine if a career in sports is something you should pursue. [click to continue…]
Chris McKinney is the president of SPORTS LAUNCH™, a career services firm dedicated to helping college students and career-changers launch sports careers. Chris' new book, How to Land Your First Job in Sports: 7 Simple Steps can be found on www.SportsLaunch.net.
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Sportsnetworker often features stories and posts from the multi-million dollar global sporting industry. The last few entries have looked at massive sporting brands such as the NFL, NBA and Manchester United. There are, however, many successful sporting properties that have carved a niche for themselves– even without big budgets. These properties function not necessarily off the radar but certainly not grabbing the major headlines. One example is World Team Tennis (WTT).
WTT was founded in 1974 by tennis legend Billie Jean King and incorporates both a coed professional tennis league and a recreational league, which is now one of the most popular recreational formats in the US. The pro-league comprises 10 teams across the US, with catchy names such as the Boston Lobsters and the Newport Beach Breakers, and is staged in a compact two week season every July. There is an Eastern and Western Conference Final and then ultimately a WTT Final where the WTT Champion is crowned. Matches, typically staged at night under lights, consist of five events – men’s singles and doubles, women’s singles and doubles and mixed doubles. Each team has at least one marquee player and the league has featured some of the biggest names in tennis over the years such as Evert, Connors, Navratilova, McEnroe and more recently Sampras, Hingis and Clijsters. Matches are televised, there is prize money, albeit on a small scale, and even a DJ playing music between points on court. [click to continue…]
Chris is a strategic programs analyst at the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) focusing on, amongst other things, sponsorship research, analytics and acquisition. He holds a MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Business (AGSM). Chris took part in the school’s exchange program by completing a semester at Stern business school, NYU where he studied sports marketing and sports economics. Connect with him on Twitter and LinkedIn.
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