Digitalization and Sports Sponsorship Strategy: A Review and Research Agenda (original) (raw)

Sponsorship Applications in Digital Sports Marketing

Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference - Sinteza 2023

The dizzying pace of technology is causing radical changes in the sports industry. Sponsorship applications are also one of the areas where these great changes are experienced. Because of the digitalization of sponsorship practices, rights holders and sponsor brands need support from technology and software companies to communicate with the changing fan profile. Technology and software companies are involved in next-generation sports sponsorship in two ways. The first is to provide technical support to the rights holders and sponsor brands, and the second is to establish a sponsorship structure in which they are included. This research aims to determine the sponsorship practices of technology and software companies in the sports sector. The working group of the research consists of seven employees of the technology and software company which has an office in Istanbul. Content analysis technique has been used to analyse the data of the research. In line with the answers obtained from the content analysis, the themes of strategy, brand development and sponsorship, and sub-themes of these themes have been created. It has been concluded that technology and software companies collect useful data and create value by interacting with fans through sports sponsorship activities, they increase brand awareness among fans, they reach large audiences including fans and non-fans consumers by working with beneficiaries and co-sponsors, and they carry out digital marketing activities.

Sports Marketing and Social Media

Handbook of Research on Integrating Social Media into Strategic Marketing

In this chapter, we are going to focus on the impact of Social media to change the marketing world in every industry. Social media marketing (SMM) has had a particular impact in the field of sports marketing. Social media in sports has effectively rendered a new style of communication with important implications for the field. The fans' connection to sports is changing and social media is creating a whole new channel for the fans to interact and be a part of the action beyond that which they may hope to achieve by physically being present at the stadium or the ballpark. Sports organizations today are reliant upon social media for their continued success and growth. This chapter describes how social media is being used amongst sports organizations and how it has changed the sports industry.

The Effects of Web-Based Technologies on Marketing Activities of Professional Sports Clubs

2021

The global market’s economic growth has been boosted by the size of the sports industry, which now has a budget in the billions of dollars. Sports marketing has emerged as a result of this growth in the sports industry. Sports marketing has emerged as the most important feature of sports companies, having grown in importance as a scientific discipline. Inside the industry, sports clubs have started to search for ways to increase their market share in both national, and foreign markets.The industry’s ongoing growth has resulted in an increase in the number of goods, and services available, as well as a competitive climate. The purpose of this study is to identify innovations in web-based technology used by sports clubs to market their goods, and services to target audiences.The research was carried out in accordance with the standards of qualitative research. Search engines, blogs, forums, podcasts, press bulletins, e-mail, and content sharing sites are the most commonly used web-bas...

Sport Commercialism and its Impact on Sponsorship Strategy

CHOREGIA, 2015

Sport commercialism has increased tremendously over the past twenty years. Major sporting events and organizations are at the point where most cannot survive without outside sponsorship revenue. This study on American attitudes towards sport sponsorships analyzes the increased sport commercialism's impact on sport fans. Previous studies on sport sponsorship and commercialism showed that increased sport commercialism leads to a negative purchase intent although a younger fan may be resistant to the negative influence of over-commercialism. This study builds upon such research by comparing gender, age, type of sport (professional versus amateur) and fanavidity. Perhaps paradoxically, this research suggests there is no correlation between over-commercialism and sport interest across numerous demographic categories. This data of corporate influence on sport commercialism may provide insights for sport sponsors as they best position their brands to the sport avid consumer.

Contemporary dimensions of sports sponsorship

Timisoara Physical Education and Rehabilitation Journal, 2014

Marketing developed close relation with sponsorship since the beginnings of the industrial era of sports. The relation has transformed in a stable relation, the two forces - the sponsor and the sponsored - transforming into two companions of journey. The effort undertaken in this work was focused on analyzing the modern aspects of the partnership generated through sports sponsorship.The current issue and sport sponsorship has come a long way since the first action of its kind until now. Based on the presentation of new concepts on the development efforts in sport sponsorship, content provides a detailed analysis of the actual specifics of this type of activity. Analysis of influence vectors sponsorship process gives us a picture of the forces that can act on this. At the end of our research we focused attention on elements that empowers sports portfolio in terms of corporate interest, the potentiation commercial message and image association. This technique of promotional community ...

Sports sponsorship applications as a public relations tool for creating brand recognition

Medianali Znanstveni Casopis Za Medije Novinarstvo Masovno Komuniciranje Odnose S Javnostima I Kulturu Drustva, 2010

In today's conditions, it is inevitable for the producers to be unique, to become brands that are known and recognised. Day by day, the concept of branding gains more importance within fast developing and changing societies. In this era, where competition atmosphere is inevitable and we are just in the middle of the marketing network, it is important to be different. Being different can only be possible with branding products and sustaining the customer loyalty by protecting those brands. It is not needed to be the producer; but also to bring a value to the product manufactured, to elevate it and make it unique. Real sales and being unique in the sector can only be possible under these conditions. In this study, after the theoretical study of the Internet and public relations is made, the website forms and contents of the 2010 World Basketball Championship Main Sponsors are analysed, their communication breakdowns are determined and solutions are developed.

Sport Sponsorship as a Strategic Tool

Research background. Sponsorship and sports marketing have been in existence for years and now have been greatly expanded and developed. Organizers of major events can hardly expect to receive some funds without expecting to give something back in return. Historically, sponsorship originated as an inexpensive addition to the marketing mix and was perceived as a philanthropic endeavour. In other words, corporations classified sponsorship as a donation and it was not considered a ‘marketing expense’, but nowadays it has changed significantly (Abiodun, 2011; Seguin et al., 2005). The attitude changed with regard to sponsorship when corporations began searching for a return on investment from donations made to various organisations (Meenaghan, 1991; Ramanantsoa, Thiery-Balé, 1989; Wilkinson, 1993). This came after a substantial increase in resources allocated to sponsorship, meaning that sponsorship became increasingly recognised as a valid promotional tool, a business expense that needed justification in the form of Return On Investment (Seguin et al., 2005). In addition, we have to keep track of constantly changing information. Nowadays, sponsors are increasingly more strategic in their approach to seeking value from sponsorship opportunities. Therefore, it is meaningful to understand that sponsorship is beneficial for both sides. Sponsorship proposals, for sport organizations, can help to achieve investment opportunities for business enterprises. For sponsors themselves, sponsorship can achieve even the most important company goals, such as access to a new marketplace, increased sales, (which directly will bring the capability of an organization to grow), increased popularity, strengthened image. Nowadays, sponsors are increasingly more strategic in their approach of seeking value from sponsorship opportunities. Furthermore, it is very important to understand how sponsors decisions will affect all of the organization in a strategic prospect. This could take us to a better comprehension of the key areas to be considered in the development of sponsorship proposals. Many of sports sponsorship proposals are counterproductive, because not taking into account the existing relationship between sponsorship and companies strategies. Results and findings. Organization situation is the firm’s goals, capabilities and resources. In organizations one of the most important strategic goals is to increase popularity, strengthen the image, achievement on the new market segment resources (Mitchel et al., 2013; Lane, 2009). The company can be sponsoring sport events which can bring new markets to it, positioning against competitors and other objectives. Product – market situation is the product category comparison new to the marketplace, growing, maturing or declining (Lane, 2009). Sponsoring can help achieve new marketplace, increase in sales which directly will bring capability of the organization to grow. A company involved in sports sponsorships can send instant messages to millions of potential buyers, generate community goodwill part, but most importantly it can increase market share and profit (Bocse et al., 2012). Competitive situation is how many competitors there are. What are their characteristics and marketing methods (Lane, 2009)? In essence, sport sponsorship has become a powerful marketing strategy used by firms to communicate with vast external and internal audiences to differentiate themselves from competitors (Cornwell, 2008), with the ultimate goal to orienting consumer’s preferences toward sponsors’ products (Barros, Silvestre, 2006) (Biscaia et al., 2013). Companies that are able to successfully tap into a consumer’s psychological connectedness with a sports team and can become more meaningful to that consumer (Henseler et al., 2011), what makes benefits and extension for brands and relationship. Environmental situation is what industry-wide and company–specific environmental opportunities and threats are most important (Mitchel et al., 2011; Lane, 2009). Quinn defines strategic decisions as “those decisions that determine the overall direction of an enterprise and its ultimate viability in light of the unpredictable and the unknowable changes that may occur in its most important surrounding environments.” (Shank, 2009, p. 342). It is a two-way street for both the sports entity and the sponsoring organization whereby the latter, tends to associate itself or its brands with the positive images obtained by the unique personality of the sporting event (Abiodun, 2011). The advantage of image building, promoted in a long term strategy, lies in the impact it has on an audience – target accurately determined because of the fittest event (Bocse et al., 2012). In our research we define the scope of effect of sport sponsorship on sponsors and reveal the sports sponsorship opportunities and links in sponsors’ strategic planning. The research method is content analyses and systemizing based upon theoretical framework. Keywords: sponsorship, sport sponsorship proposal, strategy.