Game Changer Vol. 34 ?? Reese's Pieces find their Angel, NZ Warriors with an ultimate tribute and Pat McAfee gets rowdy in Dublin for College Football

Hey there, it’s Cass, Reece & Ryan from Sport Design Australia. We're back again for another edition of the weekly Game Changer.

This week, we're looking at how players continue to hold audience attention with Angel Reese and Reese's Pieces coming together for a collaboration that just makes sense! We go deep into how the NZ Warriors celebrated Shaun Johnson's career ahead of his last game in New Zealand. And finally, ESPN continues it's push of Pat McAfee in bringing a younger crowd to their sports programming. Let's dive on in this edition.

ANGEL REESE INKS DEAL WITH REESE'S PIECES WITH LIMITED EDITION MERCHANDISE DROP

We're continuing to see athletes holding more commercial power globally with brands. This latest partnership is a great creative opportunity realised by Reese's Pieces to partner with star WNBA player Angel Reese. It feels like an obvious connection given the sharing of names, but also makes a lot of sense from a brand alignment perspective. The partnership has kicked off with a limited edition merchandise drop, with some custom shoes created for Angel as well. This is a great way of bringing an athlete into the fold with a brand partnership.

Check it out

THE WARRIORS STRIKE DEEP ON EMOTIONS TO FAREWELL SHAUN JOHNSON AT HOME

Last week, the One NZ Warriors showcased a masterclass in how to farewell a great of the club, Shaun Johnson at his final home game of his career. The team produced a number of emotionally driven content pieces, across different formats in the lead up, during and post his final game. When you think about how to celebrate milestones, this is a superb example of how to go about it. Check out their TikTok for some of the best video content.

Take a peek

ESPN CONTINUES TO RIDE THE PAT MCAFEE TRAIN

College Football kicked off in fashion last weekend with the team heading to Dublin, Ireland for the start of the 2024 season. Pat McAfee and his crew from the Thunderdome had a special live show from within Dublin while they were there, and things got loose! ESPN and Pat McAfee have copped some criticism from some audience groups that they were too rowdy. The younger demographic however continue to love and connect with the former Colts punter, and ESPN are sticking with him. Check out their Ireland trip, it's well worth the watch.

Give it a watch

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