Create Sponsorship Value

Chapter 9

Sports Marketing Agency Panel

• The following discussion questions are prepared for members of a sports marketing agency panel to discuss in front of the class.

• Alternately, students could be assigned to interview individuals employed at sports marketing agencies to determine how they help build value for sponsors.

Media Strategies

Panel Members: From the sponsors or companies you work for, provide examples of media plans that incorporate sports marketing sponsorships.

–PowerPoint or other presentations are welcome!

Media Valuation

• How important is signage and media exposure to sponsors?

• Can you provide examples of some sponsors that place more or less value on getting the most eyeballs to see & recognize the sponsorship?

Media Value

• How (often) do sponsors determine the dollar value they place on media offered by the property?– Signage– Print

• media guides

• Programs

– In-game spots– Promotions

• Sponsored games/events

Program ad

Types of program ad

spreads

Source: TV Guide

Hospitality

• How important is the hospitality component to the sponsors you work with?

• Why or why not?• How do they utilize hospitality to reach the firm’s

objectives?• Are you aware of any that attempt to measure

the ROI on hospitality?– FYI, UPS calculates the incremental effects of the use

of hospitality on relationships (viz., sales) with clients.

Measuring Value

For a specific sponsoring company, such as Hilton Hotels or other examples provided, what is the sponsor’s objective in terms of

the hierarchy of effects?

AwarenessInterestPreferenceLikingTrialAdoption

Measuring awareness & recall

• Do any of the sponsors you work with measure awareness or recall of the sponsorship?

• If so, do you know how they measure it?

Unaided Recall:

“When you think of companies that provide ________ services (products), what is the first brand that comes to mind?”

Measuring Aided Recall

Team sponsors appear in signage and advertising in the stadium and in the team’s media. Is this brand a sponsor of this NFL team?

Brand Not a sponsor Is a sponsor

Budweiser

Heineken

Reebok

Nike

Play-it-Again Sports

Sports Authority

Geico

State Farm

1st Providian Bank

Bank of America

Wells Fargo

Independent Bank

Measuring Activation

• How important is activation to the sponsors?

• What steps do they take to make sure the brand is activated in the minds of fans?

Activation• Is Prominently displayed at

the event.• Provides memorable game

day Activities.• Communicates ways fans

can do business with them• Enlightens and informs fans

about their products/services.

• Stands out among other sponsors of the property.

Identified fans are exposed to sponsorship through media and/or attendance.

Fans attribute benefits they receive from consuming game media or game attendance to the sponsor.

Activation and attribution makes the brand seem more concrete and distinct in the minds of fans.

The concrete and distinct brand image translates into greater commitment

to the brand.

Commitment to brand leads to purchase.

Affinity Transfer

Steps to Affinity TransferThink of the sponsors’ brands that are clearest

in the minds of fans. What have they done to make the brand concrete

& distinct to fans? Conversely, how have

brands failed to stand out as sponsors?

Measuring Affinity Transfer

• Brand commitment (as well as other brand attributes) can be compared between those in the market who are exposed to the sponsorship & those who are not.

• Assuming otherwise equal exposure to the brand’s communications, the difference in the level of brand commitment between the two groups (e.g., those who attend or watch games vs. non-fans) provides the value of the sponsorship.

• Results can be broken down by levels of identification/involvement with the team.