With Bain finding that only 4% of U.S. marketing spending is aimed at Hispanic and Latinx consumers, there’s a significant incentive for teams to follow the Bulls’ charge toward Spanish-language audiences. With 47% of Hispanics and Latinx fans saying they’re represented least in sports compared to other genres, there’s opportunity among the 61% who say they’d be more likely to watch a team or sport if they were more strongly featured in coverage.
Roughly 54% of Hispanic and Latino fans are more likely to purchase products from companies that sponsor their team, while 63% would buy from brands that represent them in ads. With Hispanics and Latinos poised to account for 55% of U.S. population growth by 2050 and contribute $1 out of every incremental $3 spent on sports, it will pay to adopt a strong Spanish-language strategy and run with the Bulls.
“It is clear that sports leagues, teams, and sponsors are not yet tapping into the extraordinary economic power of the growing Latino fanbase in the U.S.,” said Stuart Campbell, a partner at Bain & Company and a leader within the firm’s sports practice. “Winning organizations in the future sports economy will need to bridge cultural gaps, beyond just offering programming in Spanish, to provide personalized, inclusive experiences that resonate with Latinos.”
From Chicago to the world
The Bulls unveiled the @LosBulls Instagram during Hispanic Heritage Month. The team also plans to debut three refurbished courts in Chicago’s Little Village community center in partnership with the nonprofit Beyond the Ball. It also hosts events for Bulls staffers through its employee resource group, SOMOS, and plays its Los Bulls game on March 10 against the Indiana Pacers.
But Dukich saw an opportunity for @LosBulls to connect with even more fans. He pointed to Argentine, Barcelona, PSG, and Inter Miami soccer star Lionel Messi’s love of the custom jersey he received from the Bulls in 2016 and his penchant for walking his dog in a different Bulls jersey.