3
SLICED
O u r p r e d i c t i o n s f o r t h e b i g g e s t s p o n s o r s h i p t r e n d s i n 2 0 1 7
GROWTH OF eSPORTS
2 0 1 6 w a s a r g u a b l y t h e b i g g e s t y e a r t o d a t e f o r e S p o r t s a s y o u n g e r a u d i e n c e s deferred their attention away from traditional sports and towards g a m i n g . C o n s e q u e n t l y , b r o a d c a s t e r s a n d b r a n d s w i l l n e e d t o a d a p t t h e i r offering . S o m e h a v e already invested in professional e- sports players a n d c o m p e t i t i o n s i n a n a t t e m p t t o t r y a n d k e e p u p . L o o k o u t f o r m o r e traditional sport teams signing eSports players in 2017 .
TECHNOLOGY & FAN EXPERIENCE
S t a d i a a r e increasingly u p g r a d i n g their technology to i m m e r s e c o n s u m e r s in the experience a n d b o o s t attendance . High- s p e e d W i - Fi w i l l s o o n b e s t a n d a r d r a t h e r t h a n l u x u r y a t m a n y a r e n a s a n d a p p s for in- s t a d i u m purchases ( food o r m e r c h a n d i s e ) w i l l o p e n n e w s p o n s o r s h i p opportunities . W h a t ’ s m o r e , e x p e c t t o s e e V R l o u n g e s , iBeacon navigation and apps with personalised AR content entering the sponsorship s t a g e a s t h e y b e c o m e m o r e w i d e s p r e a d i n s t a d i a .
PROGRESSIVE PARTNERSHIPS
W e a n t i c i p a t e p r o g r e s s i v e & inspirational partnerships i n 2 0 1 7 . W e h a v e a l r e a d y s e e n brands p r o m o t i n g d i v e r s i t y , s u c h a s Guinness with Gareth T h o m a s o r N i k e w i t h t r a n s g e n d e r athlete C h r i s M o s i e r , w h i c h w e e x p e c t t o continue . Furthermore , we anticipate brands t o b l u r t h e l i n e s b e t w e e n fashion , sport and m u s i c a n d i n s t e a d a i m f o r ‘ c u l t u r a l ’ partnerships . A d i d a s ’ partnership with S t o r m z y a n d P a u l P o g b a w i l l b e t h e b e n c h m a r k f o r t h i s p r o c e s s .
CHANGING SPONSORSHIP MODEL
T h e p r o g r e s s i v e approach to partnerships h i g h l i g h t e d a b o v e c o u l d a l s o b e r e f l e c t e d i n a m o r e p r o g r e s s i v e sponsorship m o d e l . W h i l e t h e ‘ O f f i c i a l S p o n s o r ’ l a b e l i s m e a n t t o protect brands , its rigidity stifles creativity o r e v e n p u t s s p o n s o r s a t a c o m p e t i t i v e d i s a d v a n t a g e . A n d , w i t h t h e p r o l i f e r a t i o n o f S o c i a l M e d i a , r i g h t s h o l d e r s m u s t f i n d n e w , i n n o v a t i v e w a y s t o p r o t e c t t h e i r s p o n s o r s f r o m t h e t h r e a t s o f A m b u s h M a r k e t i n g .
RISE OF SOCIAL BROADCASTING
A s t h e f a n e x p e r i e n c e c h a n g e s , s o w i l l t h e w a y c o n s u m e r s w a t c h c o n t e n t . L i v e Broadcasts on Twitter , Facebook and Periscope will continue t h e i r g r o w t h t h r o u g h o u t 2 0 1 7 . W h i l s t s o m e o r g a n i s a t i o n s u s e t h e m t o directly communicate w i t h f a n s , t h e l a r g e s t potential is i n l i v e s t r e a m i n g o f e v e n t s , i . e . s o c i a l m e d i a broadcasting . Twitter h a v e a l r e a d y s t a t e d t h a t t h e y w i l l f o c u s o n b r o a d c a s t i n g t o i n c r e a s e e n g a g e m e n t a n d o t h e r p l a t f o r m s w i l l s u r e l y follow .
WEARABLE TECH ACTIVATIONS
Wearable technology is d e v e l o p i n g a t a n incredible rate ( forecasts e s t i m a t e m a r k e t - v a l u e t o h i t $ 1 0 0 b i l l i o n b y 2 0 2 0 ) . I n today ’ s m o d e r n w o r l d , i t h a s b e c o m e increasingly i m p o r t a n t t o r e c o r d a v a r i e t y o f f a c t s a n d f i g u r e s f o r f a n s , b r o a d c a s t e r s a n d c l u b s . A n y b r a n d t h a t i s a b l e t o f a c i l i t a t e d a t a - capture a n d s h o w c a s e i t i n t h e r i g h t w a y i s o n t o a w i n n i n g f o r m u l a ; e x p e c t t i e - u p s b e t w e e n w e a r a b l e c o m p a n i e s a n d b i g b r a n d s .