Sports fans continue to make up a huge share of audience across platforms. According to Statista, 57.5 million U.S. viewers watched digital live sports content in 2021, and that figure is predicted to exceed 90 million by 2025. High levels of engagement among sports fans also make them a tremendous value to advertisers.

The call for purpose-driven action, accelerating digitalization and personalized content are among the leading trends transforming the way sports marketers are shifting their strategies. Discover how marketing power players from Gatorade, DraftKings, Adidas and ESPN are approaching these fundamental changes across the sports marketing landscape.

Leading with purpose 

Putting purpose into practice is an important skill for any brand to master, but it has become increasingly important in sports. From sustainability to racial equity and gender inclusivity, consumers’ brand perceptions are hugely impacted by the social issues they’re aligned with. Consumers want to know what brands are doing to improve the world, and most importantly where the action is.

Gatorade is leveraging the value of meaningful storytelling through its recent Play It Forward campaign. On a mission to reverse the declining trend in youth sport participation, Gatorade launched this initiative to recognize and celebrate outstanding high-school athletes and perpetuate the critical role that sports play in developing character, confidence and a healthy well-being. By leading with purpose, Gatorade is empowering athletes and supporting communities across the country while simultaneously working toward sustaining the next generation of Gatorade consumers. It’s a win-win.

“As marketers, we can get caught up in just driving the ROI of the next product launch,” said Gatorade’s CMO Kalen Thornton, at Brandweek in Miami. “But how are we doing it? Are you offering something meaningful to say, is the innovation meaningful? And make sure you lean into that.” 

“You cannot sit on the sidelines and expect to have a purpose-led positioning,” said Thornton. “You have to continually invest in the stories that are resonating with the next generations, the community, the consumers and the audience you’re trying to connect with.” 

Highlighting women in sports 

There’s still much progress to be made in showcasing women in sports and creating a genuinely equitable industry, but many brands are inching in the right direction with their recent efforts to support all genders on the playing field. Whether fans or athletes, supporting women in sports will broaden the scope of your brand’s reach, spur growth, propel brand engagement and bolster long-term loyalty and positive brand perception. 

“There isn’t a brand or an industry in the world that can win without women,” said Adidas head of global marketing Vicky Free at Social Media Week Europe. “It starts with, how do we deliver the best products and the best innovation. And then how do we partner with athletes, influencers and communities to help story tell and deliver the experience of sport to communities all over the world.” 

Identifying ways to diversify offerings and celebrate women in sports is key to serving the global community and removing barriers to women in sports. Combining human-lead insights, partnerships and consideration of executing in the right markets and platforms will lead to true cultural connection. 

“We launched the most inclusive and comprehensive range of sports bras for women, ever,” Free said. “It was such an obvious insight, thinking about the unique bodies of women in sports. And the most important part of a woman’s kit is her sports bra. We thought it was impossible, we made it possible and it’s just one example of our brand belief.” 

Building hybrid experiences 

Across the country, sports arenas are filling up and this influx of eager fans is giving brands more opportunities to meet their audience where they are. More screens and more dynamic digital touchpoints are allowing advertisers to not only drive brand awareness but incite consumer action via the interactivity of digital ribbons, jumbotrons, mobile apps, QR codes and more.

While out-of-home advertising soars inside of stadiums, Web3 is another important consideration for hybrid sports marketing. DraftKings is operating at the forefront of this new intersection of sports, technology, entertainment and Web3.

“The impact and opportunities are huge,” said DraftKings CMO Stephanie Sherman on Adweek’s Most Powerful Women in Sports podcast. The company launched its DraftKings Marketplace, where users can buy, sell and collect NFTs. They’re also working in partnership with Tom Brady’s NFT company Autograph and recently launched a blockchain-based fantasy game with Kevin Hart to give customers a robust offering that complements its core products of rewards, daily fantasy and sports betting. All those things combine to deliver an exciting and engaging entertainment experience.

Creating experiences that go beyond the traditional breaks in coverage and the coveted official partnership slots is how the most innovative brands are pacing ahead. Generating interest through creative storytelling feels authentic to today’s consumers who value convenience and personalization. 

Finding stories that resonate with new audiences 

Making sports accessible and desirable to audiences beyond avid fans and athletes is a great way for brands to leverage the value of micro-communities. From social media to gaming and Web3, there are ample opportunities to get your business in on the action. Sports aren’t just about the game anymore. They are a way to deliver memorable entertainment experiences.

“How the consumer consumes content has changed dramatically—you’ve gone from mediums and platforms where everyone was watching, to platforms that are all fragmented,” said Emeka Ofodile, vp of sports marketing at ESPN.

Operating at the intersection of sports and culture is an effective way to provide on-ramps to more casual fans. And tailoring content to each platform is crucial to yield reliable results.

“Social media gives marketers an opportunity to see in real-time what’s working and what’s resonating, not only with our brand but to look competitively as well. I don’t think marketing today lives without a foundation in social media,” said Adidas’ Vicky Free.