In 2022, I was fortunate to attend three major sporting events that took place in my home State of Minnesota. My wife and I kicked off the New year in style with the Winter Classic at Target Field on January 1st of 2022. That spring, my daughter and I then had a chance to go the Women’s Final Four at the Target Center. Well, we went to the open team practice as tickets to the actual games were very expensive and difficult to get. And then in the summer, I attended the MLS All Star Game at Allianz Field.
All three events were unique experiences and fun in their own ways. But one common theme was noticeable in each event. Fans were there to have a good time…and so were their mobile phones. Each event had open interactive areas outside of the venues with a variety of Sponsor integration elements. With each of these interactions, it was difficult to not find some type of QR code usage to collect information and give the fans a way to touch and feel their brands.
Mobile devices are now widely used at sporting events or from the comforts of your couch to place bets and put a little extra interest into games you are viewing. Phones are constantly adding value to sporting events as a second screen.
Leagues, teams and sponsors are keenly aware that in 2023, the way to engage with fans is through their mobile device.
Teams are getting smarter and smarter in finding ways to reach these fans and personalize their experience. Sports organizations are narrowing their ad spend to directly reach fans that are showing behaviors and intent of being a sports fan in their market.
THE USL:
We connected with Greg Lalas of the USL prior to their 2022 USL Final in San Antonio. We had a couple of conversations around reaching potential fans in new ways and being very targeted about the approach. We decided to use a patented blueprint technology to identify fans that were visiting local soccer fields and sporting goods stores. We also targeted fans that were in local soccer bars in San Antonio on Saturday mornings watching Premier League Matches. On top of that, we were able to target local families that were identified as “Soccer Moms” and Sports interest.
We ended up reaching fans with mobile and desktop ads that were served up not only in the San Antonio market, but also in the visiting club’s market of Louisville. In both markets, we decided to run a tune in message for the match on ESPN2. We could have used a ticket message in San Antonio, but we knew that match would sell out quickly.
Why these types of campaigns work:
1. Reach fans that are showing interest/intent.
Where are your fans hanging out? Are they visiting local sports bars? Are they buying sports equipment at local sporting goods stores? Are they around the local youth sports fields? Think about where your fans are and the best way to engage with them during their time at these locations or in the weeks following that event.
2. Engaging fans that show certain behaviors.
Even though some fans may only attend a game or two a year, they are still in a variety of categories such as “sports enthusiast” or “soccer mom” and can be a part of the conversation with your team. You know your fans the best.
3. Measure visitation to physical locations
Once we have identified where your fans like to be in their daily lives, you can then reach them in a variety of ways through your mobile device, desktop or OTT / streaming services. After you have reached them, they can also be identified once they are at your games as a great way to track overall views and ROI.
Mobile devices have certainly changed the way that fans interact with your team and your games. Through these interactions, teams can leverage that ability to drive ticket messaging and other team content that the fans will be excited to see before attending another game.