The DataPOWA view on the most important talking points in the worlds of sport sponsorship, digital & AI.
THE SPORTS INDUSTRY’S GEN Z PROBLEM
The millennial generation’s coming-of-age coincided with massive growth in the North American sports industry. Between 2010 and 2018, the North American sports market grew more than 40 percent from $49.9 billion to $71.1 billion, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers, fueled primarily by skyrocketing media rights and sponsorship revenue.
For more on this story, head to MorningConsult
SPORTS INDUSTRY MUST TRY HARDER TO REACH YOUNGER GENERATION
Now is the time for governing bodies, sponsors and rights holders to think hard about how they reach young people, argues EVERFI EdComs president Nick Fuller. Towards the end of last year, there was welcome news from Sport England: the number of children and young people doing an hour or more of physical exercise each day had risen by 279,600 to 3.3 million compared to the previous year.
For more on this story, head to SportsProMedia
HOW ATHLETES ARE BREAKING NEWS FROM SOCIAL MEDIA
In the past, professional athletes’ signings announcements hit the news cycle in a number of fashions. The team could break the news outright and open the player up for media interviews. A reporter could use their sources within an organization to publish a story without any prior media coverage — a strategy that launched the careers of respected journalists like Adam Schefter and Adrian Wojnarowski.
For more on this story, head to FrontOfficeSports
THE IMPORTANCE OF SPORTS SPONSORSHIP TO ETIHAD’S GLOBAL BUSINESS
For years, the UAE has joined forces with the world’s elite athletes and sports teams to promote the country around the world. One of the stand-out deals is the sponsorship of Manchester City by Etihad Airways which, at the time of the signature, was valued at $462 million.
For more on this story, head to ArabianBusiness
REDDIT’S PLEA TO UK MARKET
After a pandemic delay, Reddit’s British ad offensive has finally landed, alongside a new sales team. Jen Wong, chief operating officer of Reddit, argues that it is more brand-safe than other user-generated content platforms and should be a ‘real‘ cornerstone of any media plan.
For more on this story, head to TheDrum
BUDWEISER SERIES LOOKS AT FOOTBALLER ‘SIDE HUSTLES
Budweiser has launched a new campaign following the business ventures of footballers. Side Hustles is a new docuseries following Wilfried Zaha, Eniola Aluko and Tyrone Mings and their off the pitch interests. The campaign will see the Official Beer of the Premier League celebrate the ‘Kings of the Game’ who are following their passions away from football.
For more on this story, head to SportsIndustry
GOOD SHOUT
CNN: Ben Johnson and the dirtiest race in history
UNOFFICIALPARTNER: So, what can digital do for rights holders today?
TIME: Netflix’s Reed Hastings on Content
SPORTBUSINESS: Pepsi sponsorship chief Warner says revamped Champions League delivered ‘comparable value’
ARABIANBUSINESS: Breitling: reaping the rewards of successful sponsorships