Tonnes of updates, a change in structure
Rebecca Derrick
On maternity leave | Global Business Director @ 50 Sport | Founder @ SportAZ | Sport Brands Specialist
It’s been a big couple of weeks with the Miami GP, some incredible football comebacks and successes and lots of brilliant sponsorship announcements. Given the level, this week's newsletter is a little different in an attempt to cover all the key brand and marketing headlines that best to touch on now than wait too much longer to cover!
???? B R A N D? A N D? M A R K E T I N G? S N A P S H O T S ????
Brand Move’s
?? The WNBA may have been around for almost 30 years but like many women’s sport, 2023 was the year to break through the barriers to astronomical popularity and growth. StubHub reports season ticket purchases have increased 93% on last years, with big thanks to college stars such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese joining the league. Now sustainability is key here, keeping games accessible and open to everyone.
??????The Athletic makes Laura Williamson UK’s Editor-in-Chief making her the first woman Editor-in-Chief of a daily sports publication in the UK.?
Partner Play’s
?? F1 Academy x Netflix: Reese Witherspoon’s production company Hello Sunshine signs on to produce the newest sports documentary alongside Netflix, giving viewers exclusive access to Susie Wolff’s women’s league. After years of let-downs, women are finally centre stage with the ‘Drive to Survive’ esc. series coming to screens in early 2025.?
?? Barclays x WSL: Extends its partnership with the WSL for another year, at a record double fee, as NewCo continues to define its offering and positioning.?
?? Zara x Sports: Following in Tiffany & Co’s footsteps, Zara has launched a premium sports range with balls, equipment and kit. Stylish but legit, it’s another sign of how close fashion and sport has become.?
?? Stormzy x adidas = MerkyFC: Unless you’ve been sleeping under a rock, you’ll have seen the latest news that in collaboration with adidas, Stormzy has launched the MerkyFC HQ - an amazing youth space in Croydon that “that encompasses everything that's been part of my journey. Music, football, youth culture, community and gaming." It’s perhaps the strongest brand partnership to launch for youth for years, truly bringing to life adidas’s goal to impact the sport as well as youth culture and aligning to Stormzy’s background and ability to give back. It’s powerful and the response shows this.
?? Billie Jean King Cup x Microsoft: As the competition goes strength-to-strength, it was great to read that this partnership is too - with Microsoft announcing a huge AI incorporation into the next tournament for in-real-time insights, data and interactive experiences.?
?? Disney x WNBA: Announced in the last 24 hours, Caitlin Clark’s debut WNBA game in the iconic match-up between Indiana Pacers and? Connecticut Suns, will be streamed on Disney+, giving this game the global platform it deserves. Disney+ will also show the Las Vegas Aces play Phoenix Mercury. This will be Disney’s first live, non-animated, sports event. Check it out, May 14th on Disney+.?
?? McLaren x Reiss: The fashion-line we didn’t know we needed (and perhaps you didn’t even know existed). Launched back in February in a fairly low-key way, it seemed a great opportunity to jump on the Norris celebration-train and re-highlight this incredible range. You can see a good grid-walk in this co-ord.?
Power Source
?? Kore’s 2024 ‘The State of Sponsorship’. Kore - the #1 data & intelligence platform powering partnerships & fan engagement for sports teams, brands, and organisations - has delivered another brilliant report analysing the sports sponsorship world, providing some great recommendations and vital takeouts. Key findings for me were:?
领英推荐
?? DEEP DRIVE: B R A N D? M O V E? ??
What it is
The rise of the Kelce Brothers and how brands are joining in for the ride. Anyone could have predicted the accelerated rise to global fame for Travis Kelce - dating global superstar Taylor Swift, being best friends with Patrick Mahomes, playing for back-to-back Superbowl winners the Kansas City Chiefs and not to deter from his skill, being one of the best American Football tight-ends the game has seen. Perhaps what was less predictable was Travis’ brother - Jason Kelce’s - matched rise. Whilst Jason himself is highly-regarded for his game, pre-Swift he kept a relatively low-profile staying in the realms of football only.?
For those who have read my ramblings before or know my brain, I truly believe Taylor Swift is one of the greatest marketeers of our time. And whilst I choose to believe - as a Swiftie - that her and Travis’ relationship is legit, I also firmly believe Taylor has worked with Travis to market himself the best way he can. With Jason enjoying the halo effect of this.?
Don’t believe me? Just look at what has happened to the Kelce brothers since Taylor and Travis hard-launched their relationship back in September 2023.??
?? Travis Kelce’s social media following has grown by 3.4 million (just over 110%)?
?? Jason Kelce’s social media following has grown by over 6,000 a day
?? Jason Kelce’s wife - Kylie Kelce - has even felt this with with 200,000 new followers in January alone ?
?? The Kelce brothers podcast, New Heights, has been running for less than 2 years. And yet the last 8 months has seen listenership grow 100% with both Kelce brothers disucssing Taylor frequently. Social media following has increased by over 2 million since September alone. (It is also a hilarious podcast that was enjoying great success in the football world prior).?
?? The podcast is now being pitched for buy out from the likes of NBC and ESPN for a reported $90 million
?? Travis Kelce’s jersey sales increased 400% since September 2023 and became the most sold jersey in the UK (Jason’s was second!)
?? Jason Kelce’s jersey searches increased a whopping 22,627%!?
?? Travis Kelce has reportedly become the highest paid tight-end in the NFL
?? Travis has been offered the starring role as host of American TV show, Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity? and an acting role in Ryan Murphy’s latest horror show, Grotesquerie
?? Following his retirement, Jason was offered an exclusive opportunity to become a pundit on ESPN’s Monday Night Football show - Monday Night Countdown. Front Office Sports reports “The elder Kelce had a number of networks pursuing him as Amazon, NBC, and CBS were all reportedly interested in adding him to their football broadcasts.” - a hunt only accelerated thanks to Jason’s rise in fame
?? Welsh?rugby superstar, Louis Rees-Zimmit’s call up to the Kansas City Chiefs was in no way down to skill only. Capitalising on Kelce and Mahomes fame, bringing in Zimmit - and the cameras following his journey - continues the Chiefs global takeover, inviting the hugely engaged and interested UK rugby audience to follow Chiefs (Travis and Jason's jerseys were number 1 and 2 respectively for most sold jerseys in the UK)
?? Patrick Mahomes and Travis have been approached to invest in multiple investments due to their huge increase in marketability and influence as personalities - this includes buying a stake of Alpine F1, launching new restaurant ventures as well as playing in renowned golf challenge - The Match - togther.
So you see, pretty astronomical 8 months for these lads. What will be interesting to see is what happens if Travis and Taylor split. Has he built enough of a personality and loyal fanbase or are the Swifties bound to unleash…we watch and see.?
Sources: TalkSport, Zoomph, BBC, SportsPro, Front Office Sports, The Athletic, Amazon, ESPN, People, Reiss