Meet the Member: “You get great attention from elite level sport, but the grassroots is where you can make a real difference”

This week we caught up with Emily Heath, Global Brand Director for Sure to speak about their involvement in sport and how sports partnerships have evolved in the last few years.

So Emily to kick us off, take us through your journey in sport?

I am a bit of a sports junkie to be honest, sport plays a massive part of my life and as a family we love getting active. I can’t remember not taking part in sport whether in school or recreationally. When I was growing up, I dreamed of being an Olympic Skier. But then I stupidly broke my leg when I was seven. I ended up marrying an ex-Olympian so I married into sport as well. Now I spend my weekends with my kids doing activities like climbing, running and cycling. We can’t wait for them to get to the age where they can play team sports.

In terms of work, I never really wanted to work in sport and because of that I did a fashion degree. After my degree, I did the natural thing and ended up working in Pharmaceuticals, and from there transitioned over to Unilever and eventually Rexona, which is probably Unilever’s sportiest brand. 

You have been at Unilever for 18 years, how has your role evolved over that time?

I came into the business during the recession so I was really grateful for any work really. I was a project manager and it was a great way to just get a foot in the door really. I then moved to Brand Marketing at Dove. I started out in the innovation side of the business and  moved over to work on engagement which is more about communicating the brand to people. So a lot of social media, PR and digital work. Then seven years ago I moved to Rexona to do something similar.

I have really enjoyed working on trying to make the brand as culturally relevant as possible through certain partnerships and PR around that.

Why is it important for Unilever to be involved in sport?

I think it is such a massive part of culture, very few things bring people together like sport does. It is also something that you can get involved in at any level from kicking a ball around in the park all the way through to attending a Premier League match. It also doesn’t discriminate; you can be any race, gender, sexuality, from any background and you can still play. 

It also plays a massive role in the mental well being of a lot of people, so for Unilever to be able to do what we can to help in that area is really important.

What are some of the key things you are trying to achieve through your partnerships with elite clubs like Manchester City and Chelsea?

We started the partnerships back in 2016 as a route to engaging more men. We originally had three teams with Everton, Southampton and Chelsea because we wanted to ensure we had a good geographical footprint across the country. That really helped build our brand in and around football so people were familiar with us. After one year of that we moved to just partnering with Chelsea and Manchester City. A lot of the drive behind that was because we wanted clubs that have a global footprint because the partnerships were a big part of the global business, not just our UK business.

So it started out as a way to engage men, but it has become a lot more than that. It is now a great way to engage our core consumer base; both men and women, and it gives us a chance to engage with consumers for nine to ten months a year. It also gives us the chance to innovate with those partners and get involved in the grassroots game with them as well. We have been able to partner with Manchester City in their community programme and also Chelsea’s amputee programme along with their women’s side as well. 

We really enjoy these partnerships and work well with the clubs. We’ve been with them now for a long time. So therefore that association, our brand association, with those clubs is getting stronger and stronger. It’s really important that they are long term partnerships, not just flipping and flopping between clubs, because that helps to build strength to be associated with sport (football), and the clubs themselves.

You are not just working at the top end of sport, you have invested heavily into grassroots sport as well. Why is this important for Unilever?

You get great attention from the elite level sport, but the grassroots level is where you can make a real difference. Through our work with vulnerable communities, we have been able to make sure as many people as possible have access to football and sport. We have a social purpose programme called the Breaking Limits Programme which we launched in 2021; it is currently in the UK and seven other markets. We are working with 43 NGOs globally to help build inclusion, confidence, resilience, and a welcoming environment for young people from very vulnerable communities to come and feel like they belong in either football or other sports. 

It’s become something that’s really important to us as a brand and we will continue to build on year on year because it brings us into a new, younger audience, but it also ensures that we are actually part of the solution on the ground to ensure that everyone has access to movement.

With the sponsorship space evolving, how are the conversations about partnerships you are having with clubs changing?

Yes, we have seen a big shift in this especially where sponsorship was 10-15 years ago where it was basically a badging exercise. We’ve seen a shift in the sponsorships over the last couple of years. Partnerships are being built less on that kind of pay per post or appearance models, and more on brands working with partners on values to create a deeper, more impactful relationship. It’s one of our deciding factors when identifying partners; how we can work together to create more impact and change on issues that we both care about. So whether that’s around gender inclusion, whether that’s about giving more opportunity to vulnerable children within those vulnerable communities, or whether it’s about how we can create the most engaging content for our core consumer.

I would say our partnerships with Chelsea and Man City have evolved since day one to now. At the beginning it was about LEDs, but a little bit of money can’t buy experiences for our consumers. Now, they’re highly engaged with our social impact programme. We’re bringing their players more into our core content, but also into coaching sessions with our social impact programme as well. 

This is why Unilever has embarked on a new multi-year partnership with FIFA, because we see the likes of football being a huge opportunity to drive a lot of positive change on the ground as well as driving mass awareness to the likes of the World Cup or the Women’s World Cup.

Lastly, what is your dream sports property to work on?

My dream would actually be the Olympics because I’ve been an Olympic junkie since I was a kid. I always think of the Olympics as the ultimate sporting event so to be able to work on that would be incredible.

Meet the Member: “Every sport, at every level, needs a short form strategy to stay relevant”

This week’s interview is with Daniel Evans, Senior Vice President of Sales for Magnifi, we dive into the role of AI in sports broadcasting, vertical highlights and the sporting event he would love to work on.

Briefly explain to us what it is that Magnifi does and how are you involved in the sports sphere?

In simple terms, Magnifi creates real-time highlights out of live and archived content using AI.

Technically speaking, we leverage machine vision, machine learning, including object and pose detection, facial recognition, audio and sentiment analysis, and a variety of other techniques to analyse, segment, transform, and distribute content in near real time.

AI is the buzzword of 2023. How has this increased awareness and chatter around AI impacted your workspace?

This buzz is definitely drawing attention and I think it’s been helpful in a couple of ways.

One, it’s validating for those of us who have been educating customers for years on the opportunities AI brings in terms of new efficiencies and new capabilities.

Second, we’re now seeing many executives and decision-makers directly involved very early in discussions. That’s a big change in the market. Going back to 2021 and early 2022, we spent a lot of time getting buy-in from project stakeholders to then stall at the budgeting or approval phase from lack of visibility or priority. That is no longer the case.

As doubts around AI capabilities have fallen away, decision makers are now fully engaged in these discussions and are looking for other opportunities with the various technologies that make up the AI stack. 

We are increasingly seeing more fans prefer watching short highlights to taking in a full match. Has this been a gradual change and something you expected or has it surprised the industry?

I think it’s a natural reaction to fans wanting to stay engaged with the community while experiencing a massive growth in the amount of content available to them 24/7. You’ve seen these generational transitions as technology evolved.  Baby boomers followed beat reporters and sports pages and watched highlights on the evening news. Gen X had cable TV and ESPN and suddenly you could keep up with more and more sports in an hour or two of SportsCenter. Gen Z had Twitter where they could follow the action live and share their opinions with the wider sports community on the go.

With each evolution, fans had access to more and more content; and with social media, fans had a way to engage with the community outside of the parks, arenas and water coolers. That engagement around moments is extremely sticky. Conversations happen and communities are built around highlights.

Every sport, at every level, needs a short-form strategy to stay relevant, to stay in the conversation. The industry knows this and it’s the reason we’ve seen massive growth – there’s too much content and too much riding on getting it to your fans quickly to not have automated workflows.

Another big trend in the industry at the moment is filming vertically or reworking traditional broadcasts to fit a vertical screen.  How has this impacted the sports broadcast industry and your business of highlights?

I think the industry is still figuring that out – and AI plays a key role. Most broadcast workflows were designed to deliver the highest quality broadcast to linear television. Event production itself has seen massive changes over the last couple of decades with advancements in cameras and resolutions, production tools, green screens, live graphics, etc. Then comes along this explosion of OTT, SVOD, AVOD, and all these distribution channels, each with their own unique challenges. Technology needs to be device friendly keeping a mobile-first approach.

These production teams (and their marketing counterparts) are as excited as we are by the prospect of automating these workflows. One of the most natural use cases for AI is content refactoring – in this case aspect ratio changes. Our stack includes scene, object, and pose detection, ball tracking, and other proprietary techniques to keep the action in frame so your TikTok and Instagram stories present your best moments in the form factor fans expect.  

How do you see the role of highlights in sports broadcasts changing over the next few years?

PwC did their annual sports leader survey on the current and future state of the sports market report in 2021 where they interviewed 800 leaders from the space and well over 90% of those surveyed expected short-form/highlight demand to grow significantly over the next 5 years. It was top of the list in terms of consensus, so the short answer is: more highlights.

Fans have a huge appetite for content and short-form meets them where they are – on Twitter (now X), TikTok and other social platforms. The up and coming generation doesn’t watch TV, they grew up on YouTube, they thumb scroll TikTok for hours or binge shows over a weekend. There are too many challengers vying for the attention of sports fans. Highlights and short-form content is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s now a must-have. 

Right now, the focus is on making sure their best moments get to fans as the action happens. That’s table stakes right now, but over the next couple of years, you’ll see AI deliver real-time localization, matchup-specific generative graphics, and more fan-centric storytelling.

In Africa, for example, there are 75 different languages spoken by at least a million people. India has 121 different languages. Shouldn’t they be able to enjoy their NBA or FIFA highlights in their native language? With native intonations and sensitivities? These audiences may not be large enough to justify providing commentary across all of these regions and languages, but that’s not a limitation with AI. That’s one area we’re excited about.

Our role is to ensure these advancements can be reliably implemented at scale and as part of an automated content workflow.

If you could work on the broadcast for one sporting event what would it be? 

That’s an interesting question. I grew up playing American Football and have been fortunate to attend a couple of Super Bowls, so the Super Bowl is likely the answer most would expect of me, but I would say the Olympic Games. It’s such a special event. You have this amazing pageantry, amateur competitors training so hard to represent their families and their people, and all these emotional storylines.

It’s hard to beat the Olympics as an experience and to be part of the storytelling would be amazing.

Meet Team Magnifi at the upcoming SportsPro APAC event in Singapore. Explore conversations around visibility, engagement, and how their AI-powered solutions can make videos your new marketing currency.

Tottenham announce formal wear partnership with Kiton New Textures

The two-year partnership will see the First Team squad and coaching staff wear outfits designed and tailored by KNT (Kiton New Textures) – the urbanwear line created in Italy in 2018 by twins Mariano and Walter De Matteis – at selected matches during the coming season.

Mariano and Walter De Matteis’ passion for football has played an important role in bringing the two brands together, with London and its vibrant creative scene an inspiration for their designs.

Kiton’s iconic, premium fabrics come in shades of blue with touches of white, in line with the Club’s colours while also inspired by the sea off the coast of Naples. 

Outfits include a single-breasted mélange suit, entirely cut and sewn by hand, which will be worn over a white cotton and linen crew-neck pullover and a cotton jersey polo shirt. 

A second look is comprised of a blue ensemble, made from Kiton’s exclusive 14-micron wool, with a snap button shirt jacket and jogger pants, worn over a fine cotton t-shirt. The outfit consists of a zip-up hooded jacket made of compact nylon with a water-repellent, breathable and windproof membrane, a zip-up viscose sweatshirt, a short-sleeved crew-neck t-shirt and cotton jersey cargo trousers with pleated waist. 

Accompanying footwear evokes street culture and conveys an informal yet elegant look, in black with a white embossed logo or vice versa.

Antonio De Matteis, Kiton CEO, said: “The Tottenham Hotspur family is very similar to ours, so we immediately matched in terms of values. In addition, KNT embodies the agonistic, dynamic and outstanding spirit of the Premier League, which is one of the most watched in the world. For a company like Kiton, being part of London’s international scene through a partnership with a historic club like Spurs is the best way to make a debut in the sports industry.”

Ryan Norys, Tottenham Hotspur Commercial Sales Director, said: “In Kiton we are proud to have a formalwear partner that will provide our players and coaching staff with exceptional design and tailoring, that will exude professionalism and maximise comfort as they arrive for matches – a crucial stage in the preparation for the 90 minutes ahead.”

Sure global ambassadors come to life as digital avatars in new FIFA world Roblox collaboration

Some of the biggest names in women’s football will become immortalised as digital avatars, as part of a new partnership between Sure and FIFA World, launched ahead of this month’s FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™.

The global governing body’s immersive fan experience, which launched last year ahead of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ will once again come to life within Roblox; with Sure female football ambassadors including Trinity Rodman, Lauren James and Melanie Leupolz featuring in the virtual environment as digital avatars, allowing its community and football fans around the world the chance to interact with the players in social spaces, earn rewards and digital collectibles.

Through the integration of its female ambassadors in FIFA World, Sure hopes to empower more girls with the confidence and opportunity to play football. 

This latest collaboration comes as Sure launches its Breaking Limits: Girls Can series, with the ambition of equipping and inspiring more girls to play football and other sports. Sure’s global FIFA Women’s World Cup™ campaign will also see its ambassadors feature across a range of local and globally relevant assets and platforms, including TV, social, digital, OOH, retail and experiential.

Kathryn Swallow, Sure Global Brand VP, said:

“The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023TM is set to be one of the sporting events of the year and we’re delighted to be involved as official sponsors of the tournament and to bring this ground-breaking partnership to life in FIFA World.

Together with FIFA, Sure is committed to getting more girls to play football and we are thrilled to launch the Sure Obby in FIFA World, a space where everyone can feel confident to move – regardless of race, gender or perceived ability.”

Eduardo Solis, Head of Marketing Partnerships at FIFA, added:

“Sure’s commitment to developing football has always been clear to us, and that’s why they’ve been a perfect partner for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, and it’s great to see them engaging with our digital experiences to encourage the next generation – we’re excited to see what their ambassadors can bring to life within FIFA World.”

Sure female football ambassador, Lauren James, said:

“It’s so exciting to see a digital version of myself in Roblox and I think this just shows how far women’s football has come in a short space of time. I’m proud to be a part of a campaign with Sure that is helping to break down barriers for young girls and inspire them to follow their dreams.”

Who has the best game day experience?

In part one of this series Callum Chambers, Head of Marketing at EngageRM, looks into the differences between the game day experience for fans in the NBA, UK and his native Australia.

After living in the UK for the past six years as an Aussie expat, I was introduced to a rich sporting culture that bore some similarities, but many more differences to my home country across their three major sports – cricket, football and rugby.

Then about a month ago, I was fortunate enough to be in Denver for the NBA Finals series against the Miami Heat. With the promise of a first franchise championship, and being a lifelong Nuggets fan, I made the decision to head to the action and be amongst ‘my people’, fellow fans.

Callum in his seats for Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

After speaking with NBA teams for this article, as well as what I encountered in Denver, it brought into stark contrast the difference between the two game day experiences. A very traditional UK sports culture compared to a commercially focused U.S. market, makes for an interesting dissection.

Game Day

Game day is where the most obvious distinction is and it’s where we’ll start this series. All five of my senses were blown into oblivion when I was in Denver before game 1. 

Fans were out in droves, scattered about in front of Ball Arena while all the bars down-town were full for hours in advance of tip off. That feeling was amplified when you got inside, with merchandise stalls spanning the concourse, random chants breaking out of nowhere and a buzz you don’t just feel anywhere else in the world.

Head inside and you’re looking at a light show crossed with a rock concert and for a moment you forget you’re actually there to watch basketball. At every break they’re firing t-shirt cannons at you, Drake is blaring over the sound system, cheerleaders are dancing, and the mascot is trying to nail half court shots. There isn’t a moment where you’re afforded to draw a breath.

“First and foremost, we want to ensure that we create an environment where our team has an advantage to win”, said Becky Kimbro, SVP for Brand at the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs.

“That is the sole purpose of why we’re all so passionate about doing what we do, because we believe that we can help the team win if we’re creating that environment.”

With that high level focus of simply creating a home court advantage, means lots of smaller tactical activations and moves are aimed at getting the crowd as physically hyped as possible. For Becky and the Spurs brand and marketing team, they put fans into three different buckets.

“The strategy is to create an environment that engages core, casual, and curious fans”, said Kimbro.

“We try to do things like find themes (Star Wars night, Marvel night, etc.) for the curious fans to get them interested in attending just one game. We also do pre/post-game concerts, as we believe if we can get them in the building, our game environment can get them to come back.

“For the casual fans, we try to deepen their affinity to the sport and the team. We do things like alumni autograph sessions, or pre/post-game group activities like fan tunnels on court or the anthem. 

“For core fans, we try to do different things during each game. Likely these are season ticket members, so we want to give an experience that is familiar but not ever tired.” 

Meanwhile in old blighty

Across the Atlantic, the no-frills, traditional approach to a Premier League game day hasn’t changed a lot over the years.

I’m generalising a bit here, but typically before a match, you’ll likely spend your time in the pub, telling your mates how rubbish your manager is, and how you were originally picked in the academy team until you did your knee at 15. 

If you weren’t going to the match, you were huddled into a pub watching the big screen, praying you’re not accidentally standing in front of a tattooed, middle-aged geezers view of the tele.

If you did have a ticket, you made the pilgrimage to the ground (after being at the pub for an hour, obviously) with all your scarf wearing brothers (90% men), passing by the pop-up food stalls before heading straight into the stadium.

This is where you start to notice the opportunity for teams to begin the physical engagement journey before kick-off, a time for younger fans to get actively involved.

Things like a VR pop up area just outside the stadium, where kids can try and fire a penalty past Aaron Ramsdale. Or a sponsored fan zone where you can take some selfies and get a free t-shirt (in exchange for your precious email address). Families, who teams and leagues should all be targeting, would be all over that and more likely to come back again and again. As Becky mentioned, this is all commonplace in the U.S.

During the game, it’s difficult for football and rugby. Without the stoppages that basketball, baseball and NFL have, there are limited moments to take advantage of. 

Some of the gimmicks like kiss-cam at a place like West Ham probably wouldn’t go down all that well either.

But cricket has that opportunity. Steeped in tradition and heritage, cricket is caught between two worlds, one that Tim East, Fan Engagement Manager of The KIA Oval home of Surrey CCC is balancing.

“It is an interesting mix with Surrey County Cricket Club as we work hard to celebrate and maintain the tradition and heritage of the Club, whilst acknowledging that it is hugely important to attract new audiences to our venue”, said East.

“The U.S. teams and venues have built their match days into huge multi-faceted events. Fans, especially young fans, want more out of their matchday, outside of just watching the sport – whether this is live music, interactive games, half time entertainment, or competitions and prizes.”

The KIA Oval has a dedicated heritage department to help intertwine the past and the future, ensuring they don’t move too quickly and totally forget the celebrated history of the ground and Surrey County Cricket Club.

North of the Thames, one place that isn’t too worried about that is the brand spanking new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, who have dived into that future.

While it helps to have brand new state of the art facilities, it is a purpose-built entertainment venue that is capable of so much more than football. It has the world longest bar inside with a Beavertown microbrewery serving up pints inside the venue. They host NFL games here, have held gigs with Beyonce, Lady Gaga and Guns N’ Roses – it is by far the most commercialised and ‘Americanised’ venue in the UK. 

Is that a glimpse into the future for all the other teams and leagues?

Where are we headed?

The U.S. is a younger country, so isn’t beholden to the same traditions and customs that the UK teams and leagues are. They also have an enormous appetite for innovation without even as much as a glance in the rear-view mirror. 

But it also means they miss out on that hard to quantify ‘soul of the game’ that is unique to the UK. There isn’t and never will be, anything like being at Anfield with 50,000 Liverpool fans belting out You’ll Never Walk Alone.

But the major strategic difference seems to be that U.S. teams aren’t just focused on obtaining new and diverse fans, they’re obsessed with it.

“At the Spurs, we sit in one of the fastest growing regions in the country,” said Kimbro. 

“There’s a ton of job creation and population growth there. There’s just a boatload of opportunity within that corridor.

“When you look at the demographics, the younger generations are increasingly more multicultural and more diverse, which I think really is a great thing for a sport like basketball that has a really diverse appeal.” 

If the likes of cricket, football and rugby want to attract younger fans, they need to focus on more than just the on-field entertainment of the game. This generation wants to feel more connected to the players on the team, so they must start to think outside the box. 

Inspiration can be drawn from the USA, not necessarily from the bravado and over the top match day stunts, but from their laser focus on the acquisition of a younger and more diverse set of fans. 

This can be done without selling their soul and forgetting their rich history that has got them to where they are today.

And if you know your fans inside and out, giving them what they want is made a lot easier. More on that in part 2.

Click here to connect with Callum on LinkedIn or here to find out more about the work being done by EngageRM

FIBA’s glass floor makes eye-catching debut

After the huge anticipation leading up to the FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup 2023 around the world premiere of the ASB glass floor, what did everyone make of it now that it’s in play?

We’ve been getting all the feedback from a momentous and historic Quarter-Finals day in Madrid and we’re also looking forward to see what new designs are in store for the Semi-Finals and Sunday’s all-important Third Place and Final games.

A red-hot start in the debut game

If there was anybody still around who had doubts about the innovative surface, they were swept away with a memorable and brilliant first-ever game on it as France and Japan served up an overtime treat.

There were also some incredible individual displays, including Leila Lecan of France who fired 36 points – one of the highest ever recorded in the competition.

She said: “Maybe the glass floor brought me some luck. I will need to ask my club to always play on this glass floor. I must say that I fell on my knees and strangely it didn’t hurt as normal. Maybe there was something magical in the floor and also it was really cool with the design and the animations.”

Lapena loves the new look

Canada senior play-caller Victor Lapena, who has also been part of the coaching setup for his native Spain at all levels was sat courtside. He also gave a great review of the state-of-the-art court.

“When you see it on the big screen, it’s amazing – it’s marvelous. We have to give it some time, but it’s the future and it’s here to stay.

“For the public especially, it’s amazing. Who knows, but I’m sure the fans will soon interact and have the chance to appear on the court with their face or something – it’s unique and it’s a blast.”

“It’s great what FIBA is doing for the benefit of women’s basketball and basketball in general,” added Lapena.

Spanish ace Martin Carrion can’t quite believe it…

Playing on the court in a competitive game for the first time was something that Spanish star Iyana Martin Carrion will remember for a long, long time. She propelled her country into the Semi-Finals with an 18-point display against Lithuania.

She enthused: “Wow, playing in this court was unbelievable. I had never played in a court like this and it was crazy!”

“We’re really proud that it was done for the first time ever in a women’s tournament and we’re grateful because it gives exposure to our sport,”

Member Insights: Why jeopardy is the key ingredient in a sporting event’s success

In this week’s Member Insight piece, Richard Brinkman tells us what makes a sporting event cut-through and why jeopardy is the thing you need above all else.

Mid to late summer is a wonderful time of year for sports fans. There is an abundance of top quality events to either attend, watch or follow; and no shortage of ways in which one can connect with them. 

In recent weeks the UK has been spoilt by Wimbledon, Ascot and other top-quality horse racing, Men’s and Women’s Ashes Cricket, Tour de France, Diamond League Athletics, various F1 Grand Prix, T20 Finals Day, World Aquatics Championships, Henley, and major golf championships for both men and women. This is even before you consider the Women’s Football World Cup; the beginning of Premier League pre-season and the (usually foolish) eternal hope that springs from new signings, squads and rhetoric; and the build-up to the Men’s Rugby World Cup. 

There is pretty much something for everyone. We are truly spoilt for choice. However, through the great luxury of choice sports fans are brought face-to-face with two of the principal challenges that sport and its administrators are grappling with in the 2020s.

The first issue is that of attention and cut-through – gaining a significant enough share of voice and impact to keep your event moving forward both commercially and in terms of popularity and participation. 

The second is the importance of jeopardy – balancing the fundamental meritocratic ethos of rewarding excellence from a level playing field with creating an entertaining event that can surprise, amaze and inspire.

Of course, these issues are not mutually exclusive – they are intrinsically linked and have a fly-wheel effect on each other in that if one is moving particularly positively so invariably will the other. However, unfortunately the opposite is also generally true.

Only this weekend the influence of jeopardy, and intrinsic excitement that it generates, was brought into stark focus for me. I am left feeling that, of the influential factors that determine whether an event is successful or not, a sense of jeopardy is the most important and vital.

I often find that the views and discussion points of other sports fans (some avid, others more casual) that I encounter at work and as I go about my social life (generally organised by my partner!) is very revealing and a good barometer of the attention and cut-through that sporting events are creating.

Indeed, last week it was very clear that, even by Wimbledon standards, the Men’s Final had transcended the sport and, indeed, the event itself. This was not solely due to the outstanding quality of the tennis. Nor the myriad of inventive ways that the AELTC had put in place for viewers to interact with the event. 

Most of the discourse I heard very much focussed on the “master and apprentice” narrative revolving around the potential passing of the dominant status in tennis away from the Federer/Nadal/Djokovic hegemony to a new generation of exciting players. The conversation was very much focussed on the jeopardy that Alcaraz and his flair could, perhaps, unseat the efficiency and relentlessness of the “King of Centre Court”. And so it (thrillingly) transpired. 

This weekend there was seemingly more interest in regular weather updates from Manchester, where significant sporting outcomes still very much hung in the balance, than in Lewis Hamilton’s pole and the Hungarian Grand Prix, the fall-out from the Lionesses’ hard-won opening World Cup game, or the leaderboard at The Open. 

This further reinforced to me the critical nature of jeopardy and its predominance over quality and accessibility/connection. 

Why would the rain at Old Trafford be of greater interest than an F1 race or the final round of one of only 4 Majors each year? The key reason, to me, is that there was still a lot riding on the outcome of Old Trafford and that an event of great consequence was still highly competitive and to be decided by the team that delivered a memorable performance. The compelling nature of the cricket played across the matches, even if not always of the highest quality, has also helped build interest.

Contrast this with Red Bull’s 12th consecutive victory in Hungary (by a very comfortable margin) and a final round at Hoylake where the leader had a decisive lead over the rest of the field going into Sunday that was never threatened or dented. There is little joy to be had in watching a Pro playing a conservative round to maintain a lead. There was certainly none of the thrill that Alcaraz and Djokovic created the previous week.

Of course, the well-documented awkwardness of Women’s World Cup match start-times for European audiences will have played a part in dampening conversation beyond the avid fan about the Lionesses and their tournament chances. A traditionally laboured opening performance from an England team does not help either. 

In a world where much of what we know and love about sport seems uncertain, where a lot seems to change and shift at an ever-increasing pace it is, perhaps, reassuring that the oldest principle of all holds firm – genuine competition and uncertain outcomes – ie jeopardy – trumps all else when trying to build cut-through and presence for an event.

Yes, the quality of that competition and people’s ability to connect with it are also important but without a significant amount of jeopardy about the result (i.e. the result matters and is uncertain) a significant share of voice is tough to generate. Particularly in a world where we are spoiled for choice for world-class sporting action.

Photo credit: REUTERS/Andrew Boyers

The House View – To grow, girls’ football needs more than the Women’s World Cup

It’s a shame about the awkward time difference for European viewers because the Women’s World Cup would be drawing the biggest TV audiences of the year in many countries. But even if everyone was watching the games on TV, the impact on ordinary girls playing the game every day might not amount to much. 

A comparison with recently ended Wimbledon, the biggest annual women’s event, is timely. 

In the UK we have the Wimbledon phenomenon in participation. During the fortnight men and women, boys and girls are suddenly out of the tennis court knocking a ball around, many of them people who don’t often play tennis.

The true success of the Women’s World Cup will be shown when it has a similar encouraging effect on the public’s sporting behaviour, when you see girls out in the park kicking a football around the same way that boys do with their jumpers for goalposts. 

You don‘t see girls doing that very much yet. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a group of teenage girls playing football with each other in a park near me.

Whose fault is that? Whose responsibility is it to get girls playing for fun? It not FIFA’s. It’s not really the FA’s either.

In fact there is a governance gap when it comes to casual participation and it’s not an easy one to close. 

When sporting bodies speak of ‘participation’ and ‘grassroots’ sport what they’re usually talking about is organised sport, formal competition and instruction with referees and accredited coaches and the like. This is basically sport that requires kids to affiliate to an NGB to take part in. In a nutshell, it’s what parents of junior footballers have to pay the FA or recognised clubs for.

The comparison with tennis is again apt.

The casual players crowding courts during Wimbledon don’t have to affiliate to the LTA to enjoy playing although the places where they play are officially homologated as tennis courts. You can’t play that sport otherwise.

But you can play football. Kicking a ball in the park doesn’t require a proper pitch. And I dare say most of boys’ football is played informally in parks or in the street or on the beach.

If girls’ football is really going to grow they need to be encouraged to get together with their friends and play informally in the same way just for fun. That’s what sport is about and it’s where future stars begin.

Every morning the parks of London are full of women and girls who are out for a run. They don’t need to join anything, they don’t need to pay anything to some official body. They simply get out to enjoy running and staying fit. 

I’m not going to get into how important this activity is for reducing the long-term burden on the health system. If I didn’t know better I’d say it’s up to the government to get more girls playing football to help the NHS.

I’d venture to say the biggest encouragement ever given to running for fun was Nike’s Just Do It slogan.

Girls’ football could use a similar push to encourage everyday fun participation.

Just Kick It.

Never mind that it might sound like an anti-addiction campaign. Imagine if Adidas were to go there. 

The ensuing fireworks would be as entertaining as any World Cup final.

By Jay Stuart, Content Director for iSportConnect

iSportConnect Sponsorship Index: Your complete Premier League sponsorship breakdown

As we get closer to the start of a new Premier League season, we decided to turn the focus of this month’s Sponsorship Index, powered by caytoo, to the 20 teams which make up the league. 

Sponsorship of Premier League teams is something that is in the news a lot at the moment because of Chelsea’s failure to find a front of shirt sponsor. This will be the first time they haven’t had a name on the front of their shirts since Gulf Air became their first shirt sponsor in 1983.

Another hot topic around the league is the banning of betting brands as front of shirt sponsors. The government-imposed ban will not come into effect until the 2026/27 season. Compared to ten months ago, one fewer club has a gambling sponsor and overall the number of gambling sponsors has dropped 18%.

We have looked into the partnerships held by each Premier League side to determine the key trends in sponsorship. 

In a similar vein to the likes of the NBA and MLB, three sectors dominate sponsorship among English Premier League teams: Food & Beverage (accounting for 15.6% of sponsors and the three most common individual sponsors – Monster Energy, Cadbury and Heineken), Consumer Services and Financial Services (both 11.1%).

Food & Beverage is driven by Alcohol (5.7%, the 2nd most prevalent sub sector) and Soft Drinks and Nutrition & Supplements (both 3.9%) while Consumer Services is driven by Gambling (6.9%, the most prevalent sub sector). Financial Services is driven by Payments/Transfer (3.3%) and Investment/Trading (2.7%) firms.

However, over the last 10 months, Financial Services and F&B have seen the biggest decline in the number of sponsorships, falling 31% and 21%, respectively. Financial Services’ decline has been down to Investment/Trading (a 40% drop in the number of deals, despite eToro’s recent splurge on PL teams to become the joint 4th most prevalent sponsor), Insurance (-44%) and Payments/Transfer (-27%). While F&B’s drop is down to Soft Drinks (-38%), Alcohol (-24%) and Foods (-42%).

This drop among traditionally dominant sectors such as Financial Services and F&B has resulted in a slight consolidation (or more even spread) of sponsors between the different sectors. For instance, 10 months ago, the difference between the most and least dominant sectors was 17.7 percentage points but this has dropped to 14.4. This suggests PL teams may be starting to do a better job at looking beyond the ‘usual suspects’ for sponsors.

In contrast, Travel & Tourism and Industrials have seen the biggest increase in the number of sponsorships, rising 53% and 100%, respectively. T&T’s growth – a trend identified by caytoo earlier this year – has been driven by Travel Agencies (up 83%), notably including Destination Sport Travel who sponsor three teams (Burnley, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United). 

The View From Lausanne: The power of purposeful partnerships in sport

In this week’s View from Lausanne piece Michel Cutait, Acting Secretary General for the World Obstacle Federation, takes a look at the need of sports partnerships to have a purpose and why they are so much more powerful when they do.

Partnerships have become a driving force for growth, innovation, and social impact in the constantly evolving sports sector. Currently, purposeful partnerships have emerged as the foundation for success, going beyond financial gains to align values, develop stakeholders, and contribute to society.

However, these partnerships require a cultural shift within organisations to adopt collaboration and shared goals. Leveraging the power of data and strategic collaboration, purposeful alliances are reshaping sports management, paving the way for sustainable success.

Purposeful partnerships in the sports sector transcend traditional transactional relationships. They are built on a shared purpose, common values, and a commitment to achieving collective goals. Organisations need to view their collaborators as strategic allies, working towards a greater cause. This requires open communication, transparency, and a willingness to co-create innovative solutions to confront societal challenges.

In the realm of sports, intentional partnerships between teams and brands are driven by a mutual commitment to enhancing fan experiences, fostering brand loyalty, and promoting social impact. By leveraging comprehensive databases, organisations can identify partners aligned with their vision and values. These partnerships go beyond sponsorships, creating authentic connections that resonate with fans and consumers. Understanding fans’ preferences allows for personalised and impactful experiences, deepening the relationship between the parties.

Collaborations between leagues and federations have the potential to drive transformation and growth in the sports sector. By joining forces, these entities can pool resources, share best practices, and promote innovation. The power of purposeful partnerships is amplified when public and private entities come together to promote positive changes.

These collaborations enable the development of initiatives that ensure the implementation of social programs, interaction with local communities, promotion of social inclusion, as well as job creation and economic development, with the ultimate goal of social responsibility.

Purposeful partnerships between brands, organizations, and athletes with non-profit organizations create significant social impact. They require a commitment to collective success that places social impact at the center of the relationship. It’s important that in these partnerships the parties’ values share a purposeful identity, precisely because this synergy will enable social goals to be achieved.

Some examples of purposeful partnerships that continue to generate important results include:

– NFL Player Engagement and All Pro Dad: This purposeful partnership between the NFL Player Engagement and All Pro Dad focuses on strengthening family relationships among NFL players. Through initiatives promoting involved fatherhood, the partnership supports players on their journey as parents and provides resources for healthy family relationships.

– NBA and Basketball Without Borders: The NBA collaborates with Basketball Without Borders, a foundation with global initiatives, to organize basketball camps worldwide. This partnership has reached 66 camps, impacting over 3,900 campers from 134 countries. It promotes cultural exchange, provides development opportunities for young athletes, and supports social causes in local communities.

– MLS NEXT All-Star Game presented by Allstate: The partnership between MLS and Allstate prioritizes the growth, development, and safety of young soccer players in North America. The MLS NEXT All-Star Game showcases rising stars and creates a positive and exciting environment for the next generation of athletes.

Looking to the future, several trends are shaping the landscape of purposeful partnerships in the sports sector. The integration of technology, artificial intelligence, and data analysis is set to revolutionise the way partnerships are formed and managed. This means that organisations will be able to identify compatible partners more effectively, leveraging advanced analytics and data-driven insights.

Furthermore, the increasing emphasis on social responsibility and sustainability presents an opportunity for purposeful partnerships to promote meaningful changes in society. 

Sports organisations are increasingly focused on reducing their environmental impact, promoting diversity and inclusion, and supporting social causes. Purposeful partnerships that align with these values have the potential to create a powerful platform for change, such as promoting environmentally friendly practices, raising awareness about sustainability issues, and inspiring fans and consumers to take initiatives themselves.

As the sports sector continues to evolve, purposeful partnerships will play a crucial role in its success, forging enduring alliances that drive growth, innovation, and positive social impact. Purposeful partnerships in the sports sector are transformative and offer exciting possibilities for the future. By adapting to emerging trends, like the integration of technology and focus on social responsibility and sustainability, organizations can create purposeful partnerships that make a real difference.

These transformations promote a culture of collaboration, shared purpose, and a commitment to creating a positive impact in the world of sports. Sports organizations, brands, athletes, and entities with social purposes can shape a future of growth, innovation, and social change in the sports sector.”

Michel Cutait is a senior executive, consultant, and professor driving business development, strategic management, and sustainable growth for international organizations. With over two decades dedicated to the real estate, retail, and sports industries, he currently serves as Acting Secretary-General at World Obstacle, the international sports federation governing obstacle sports (OCR, Ninja and Adventure Racing). He holds a Masters in Social Relations (Brazil), Marketing (Australia), and a Masters in Sports Administration and Technology from EPFL (AISTS) in Lausanne, the Olympic capital. He has written 5 books, the last one entitled Management Performance Rio 2016 Olympic Games.