The DataPOWA view on the most important talking points in the worlds of sport sponsorship and digital.
IOC REVEALS NEW SPONSORSHIP DEALS
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced a 12-year partnership with Coca-Cola and Chinese dairy producer Mengniu.
The deal is thought to be worth around US$3 billion and will last through to the 2032 Olympic Games. It means that Coke’s association with the Olympics now stretches across 104 years and represents another move into the Asian market for the IOC.
“This long-term agreement is another demonstration of the relevance and stability of the Olympic Games in these times of uncertainty,” said IOC president Thomas Bach.
“Having our longest-standing partner, Coca-Cola, an iconic American brand, together with a young Chinese company, Mengniu, joining hands under the roof of our Worldwide TOP programme is a great example of the unifying power of the Olympic spirit.”
Jeffrey Lu, chief executive and executive director of Mengniu added: “Membership of the TOP programme will act as a catalyst for Mengniu to grow around the world.
“This is a vital step in our international strategy, and we are honoured to have the opportunity to build the positive reputation of Chinese food and beverage brands among consumers globally.”
For more on this story, please visit Sports Pro Media
WOMEN’S SPORT STILL SIDELINED BY SPONSORS
Brands and rights-holders need to stop sidelining sponsorship of women’s sports, writes Amy Fox for Mediatel.
Thanks to icons like the Williams sisters in tennis and the popularity of the Women’s World Cup, women’s sport is very much in the spotlight at the moment, but many participants still struggle to gain the kind of endorsements enjoyed by their male counterparts.
Fox argues it’s time to change that because the opportunity on offer for brands is too high to ignore. “Exact viewing habits of women’s sports are difficult to pinpoint, purely because the audience is ever-expanding.
“Nevertheless, marketeers won’t need to tailor their campaigns to a purely female audience, and can afford to be more diverse in their approach.
“Sponsoring women’s sports allows predominantly male brands to grow their female shopper audience, and the sheer differences in the audiences of men and women’s matches can be registered simply by casting a glance over the crowds.
“High volumes of children and families nestle in to watch women play, in itself offering marketeers the opportunity to leverage their efforts by sponsoring sport with family activities, such as Centre Parks of Thorpe Park.
“Additionally, sponsoring men’s sports comes with an inordinate price tag attached, with an oversaturated market to boot. Within women’s sports, brands actually face a hotbed of opportunity to secure meaningful engagement with key consumers – rather than merely swimming amidst a sea of brand logos.”
For more on this story, please visit Mediatel
MLB LOOKS TO LONDON TO LEARN
Major League Baseball’s UK managing director Charlie Hill has said that the sport’s recent London Series was a learning exercise that will inform future strategic decision-making beyond the United States.
The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox brought their famous rivalry to the capital on 29th and 30th June for a two-game series that was attended by thousands and broadcast on the BBC and BT Sport.
MLB is now in analytical mode, exploring what they can learn from the series and how they can use it to keep the sport growing overseas.
“We’ve learned through a couple of years of piloting different international initiatives this is the best way to open up our sport to new people,” says Hill.
“It’ll be interesting not just what the flat number is, but where those people come from, which elements of the games they enjoy, how long they watch for.
“Rather than setting hard targets, we are capturing as much data as we can to try and educate ourselves on where we are currently and where we think we should be in 12 months’ time, two years and really build from there.”
For more on this story, please visit The Drum
BAYERN LOCK HORNS WITH BMW
Bayern Munich are reportedly looking to sue BMW after a sponsorship agreement between the two broke down.
Newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung states that the Bundesliga side want between €10 million and €20 million over what is seen as a ‘breach of trust’.
Earlier in the year, it was revealed that BMW had signed a memorandum of understanding with Bayern over a ten-year partnership that would begin in 2025, when the club’s current deal with automotive partner Audi expires.
However, it is reported that the agreement hit roadblocks when BMW allegedly asked Bayern to cut their ties with Audi early, rather than wait for the deal to expire in 2025.
Bayern’s Audi deal is now set to continue, though nothing is confirmed yet and no details are currently known.
For more on this story, please visit SportsProMedia
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