Your Official and Helpful Guide to Answering “What is Sports Marketing?”

2024 is proving to be a big year in sports.

There was so much excitement around this year’s Super Bowl - whether that was over Taylor Swift attending the game, seeing the best Super Bowl Ads air, or watching the same two teams from 2020 face off again. Another highly anticipated sports event coming up is the Paris Olympics!

All this interest in spectator sports would not be possible without sports marketing.

What is Sports Marketing?

Sports marketing is the marketing strategy aimed at promoting sporting events and the promotion of other products and services through sporting events and teams. 

Traditional Sports Marketing

Despite the fast-growing world of digital marketing, marketing sports still falls heavily on traditional marketing. Sporting events are in-person affairs, so sports marketers utilize in-person strategies. 

You may have wondered, “What is sports marketing?” but there’s a big chance you’ve already interacted with its products.

Hosting official tailgates is a great way to get fans excited before a big game! Sports marketers can put on these tailgates in-house or hire an agency to create an interactive experience to thank fans for their loyal support.

Another way to get people to attend games is to host themed game days. On May 11th, the San Francisco Giants will host a Hello Kitty-themed game day where fans will receive a Hello Kitty Bucket Hat and Bomber Jacket with the purchase of a special event ticket.

The tickets for this event sold out three months before the actual event! 

Sports Marketing Through Social Media

What is sports marketing through social media? It’s no surprise that sports marketing has since grown through social media. On social media, sports marketers can post highlight reels to get fans excited about their team.

Sports marketers also film athletes participating in social media challenges to show their personality. As a result, people fall in love with the players along with the game. 

Sponsorships and Endorsements

Companies sponsor athletes and teams. New Balance’s sponsorship of tennis star Coco Gauff became memorable with their “Call Me Coco Champion” campaign. After she won the 2023 U.S. Open, Gauff threw on a baggy white tee with the New Balance slogan “Call Me Champion.”

New Balance also launched this shirt on their website as a limited release. Tennis sports fans who had their eyes on the newest champion also had their eyes on New Balance. 

How is Sports Marketing Changing?

Women comprise almost half the U.S. sports fan base, but sports marketing has traditionally focused more on men.

With the growing trend of making fashionable clothes for sports and the resurging interest in WAGs, sports marketing has grown to cater to women, and we’re already seeing its outcome.

Sports Marketing Through Fashion

What is sports marketing through fashion? Kristin Juszczyk, a San Francisco-based designer, gained virality during the football season through her unique fashion designs based on NFL teams. In a Chiefs vs Dolphins game, Taylor Swift wore a Chiefs puffer jacket designed by Juszczyk.

This affair sparked a lot of interest in Juszcyzk originals and opened the conversation around cuter women’s sports merchandise.

After Juszcyzyk’s designs gained popularity, female sports fans went on social media to trash official teams’ women’s sports apparel and demand cuter merchandise.

One Tiktok creator, @mariahcrose, passionately expressed, “Sports merchandise for women is so f*cking ugly…When I go to a game, I’m tryna be a baddie.”

This past January, Juszczyk reached a licensing deal with the NFL that allows her to use team logos on her designs. With the rising demand for cute women’s sports merchandise, let’s hope this opens the doors to a revamp of various professional team’s official merchandise for women.

After all, women have strong purchasing power and drive the majority of consumer spending, according to Forbes.

WAG Renaissance and the Taylor Swift Economy Effect

Over the past year, there has been a steady interest in WAGs in the United States. WAG is an acronym for the “Wives And Girlfriends” of high-profile athletes. This term has been floating around since the early 2000s with popularity in the U.K.

If the WAGs had their own team, Taylor Swift would be the star player. On September 24, 2023, she attended her first Chiefs then. This appearance positively impacted NFL viewership.

Directly after her first appearance, Kelce’s jersey sales soared by 400%. On her second game appearance, viewership among women ages 18-24 was up 24%. According to NBC, this collective growth resulted in an increase of more than 2 million female viewers for the NFL. And this was only her second game!

Beyond viewership, sports teams have used Taylor Swift on their social media accounts to draw more fans to their teams. The official NFL account really leaned into the Taylor Swift effect by using her songs in videos, tweeting song lyrics, and using her photos.

Other teams rode the wave by participating in challenges like asking players to finish the Taylor Swift lyric and other Swift-related games.

Based on the statistics above, Taylor Swift and the WAG resurgence has impacted female viewership in sports.

What Does a Sports Marketer Do?

If you’ve ever asked the question, “What is sports marketing?”, you’ve probably been curious about what sports marketers do. The following section highlights responsibilities a sports marketer could be in charge of.

Roles and Responsibilities

A sports marketer’s primary responsibility is to promote sporting events through digital and in-person efforts

Digitally, a sports marketer may be responsible for maintaining the team's social media accounts and writing press releases. On social media, they have the unique opportunity to strengthen a team’s fan base beyond the games.

In-person, sports marketers may be in charge of planning events. Events can vary from tailgates to volunteer efforts and beyond. The Phoenix Suns basketball team regularly holds volunteer events in their mission to “...bring together the diverse communities we serve across Arizona.”

Sports marketers also seek sponsorships for their teams, plan promotional campaigns, and have a huge hand in advertising and branding.

Last but certainly not least, sports marketers often, if not always, attend their team’s games! During the games, sports marketers have a chance to interact with the fans, entertain clients, ensure promotions are executed, and enjoy their hard work!

No two days in a sports marketer’s day are alike. It’s what makes this an exciting career choice!

Tips for An Aspiring Sports Marketer

If this article has been interesting to you, you may be considering becoming a sports marketer! Here are a few tips and tricks to land the sports marketing role of your dreams. 

1. Get a college degree

There are plenty of degrees you can take related to sports marketing. Some classes are directly related to sports and marketing that you can take. A college degree shows future employers that you can handle a rigorous workload.

2. Take relevant courses

Whether you pursue a degree or individual certifications, take relevant courses. Take relevant courses to strengthen your marketing skills, such as writing, content creation, and paid ads.

3. Apply to sports internships

To land a marketing job in sports, start early and apply to sports internships. Look through a job board and see what roles are available related to sports and marketing! Don’t be discouraged if you can’t find a direct sports marketing role; skills from your internship can be transferable.

4. Start a fan page

For this tip, you don’t need a degree or previous experience in the sports marketing industry. Pick your favorite team or sport, and consider making a fan account on a social media platform of your choice. Upload highlights, include updates, and build that sense of community!

Use this account to showcase your marketing skills; you can always add it to your resume and portfolio. 

5. Grow your network

You’ve heard it before, but I’ll say it again: it’s not about what you know, it’s who you know. As you look for sports marketing roles, connect with people on LinkedIn in the sports industry. Interact with their posts and build genuine connections.

Also, consider joining professional groups such as Sky Society to connect with like-minded individuals! 

Final Points

By now, you should be able to answer the question: what is sports marketing? Sports marketing is such a fun and unique type of marketing.

Despite the changing nature of each game, sports marketing will remain true to its goal of creating a deep sense of community between fans and athletes alike.

✍️ Written by Frances Vano