What are the most effective ways activate sports partnerships across different channels and platforms?

  1. Align your goals

  2. Choose the right channels

  3. Create unique and memorable experiences

  4. Measure and optimize the results

  5. Adaptability and Innovation.

  1. Aligning Goals

    The first step to activate your sports partnerships is to align your goals and values with your partner. You want to make sure that your brand message, tone, and personality are consistent and complementary with your partner's. This will help you create a strong and authentic connection with your target audience, who will appreciate your shared vision and passion. You can also leverage your partner's strengths, assets, and insights to enhance your own marketing strategy and reach new segments.

  2. Choosing the right channel partner’s

    You want to consider where your audience is, what they are interested in, and how they consume sports content. For example, you can use social media to create engaging and interactive content, such as behind-the-scenes videos, live Q&A sessions, polls, quizzes, and contests. You can also use digital platforms, such as websites, apps, podcasts, and newsletters, to provide more in-depth and informative content, such as stories, interviews, analysis, and tips. Additionally, you can use traditional channels, such as TV, radio, print, and outdoor, to create more awareness and visibility for your partnership.

  3. Creating Unique and Memorable Experiences

    You want to offer them something that they can't get anywhere else, something that adds value and excitement to their sports consumption. For example, you can create exclusive events, such as meet-and-greets, fan zones, VIP tickets, and product launches, that invite your audience to interact with your partner and your brand. You can also create immersive experiences, such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and gamification, that allow your audience to experience your partner and your brand in new and innovative ways.

  4. Measure and Optimize Results

    The final step is to measure and optimize your results from your sports partnership activation. You want to track and analyze your performance across different channels and platforms, using metrics such as reach, engagement, sentiment, conversions, and ROI. You want to use data and feedback to understand what works and what doesn't, and to identify areas for improvement and opportunities for growth. You want to also communicate your results and learnings with your partner, and to celebrate your successes and achievements together.

  5. Adaptability and Innovation

    Projects Can lead to the need for Adaptability and innovation. This ability and constantly evolving will open up more opportunities for the future and drive constant results.

Five Sports Tech Strategies for 2024

I’m excited for sports technology in 2024. There will be attractive deal flow for VCs in 2024. The number of U.S. VC led deals should increase in 2024 because VCs will be able to capitalize data. The hurdle for startups to secure venture financing has risen significantly. Below are five categories that will be the focus in 2024 and examples of raises in those categories.

  1. Performance Analytics

Performance analytics touches are at the fore front of every league, team, and organization. As data becomes currency in sports. Wearables such as data tracking advances by Garmin, smart clothes, and the ability to predict injury risk.

An example of a recent raise in this category is Sportable. Sportable specializes in utilizing Micro-Tracking (MT) technology to enhance data collection and analysis—primarily in ball and contact sports like rugby, soccer, and American football.

2. Fan Engagement

Teams are constantly looking for ways to reach their core fans and to affect younger and more casual fans. Fan engagement startups allow teams to build relationships and loyalty with fans.

An example of fan engagement is Dust Identity Inc. who raised $40M in December

3. Sports Streaming

Sports broadcast look increasingly than they have in the past decade. Amazon’s Thursday Night alternative broadcast showcases live data and predictions. Sports Betting has slowly crept into the broadcast with companies like Genius Sports (our podcast with Genius Sports), and teams are looking to create their own streaming solutions.

An example of new streaming opportunities is the new Clipper Vision

4. Immersive Experiences

AI dominated the 2023 tech scene. Virtual reality is being used to help athletes train. Oculus and Apple are bringing VR sports viewing to the our couches. The ability to provide athletes and consumers with realistic sight, sound, touch, and simulating stadium sound.

An example of this is Sports Pro VR

5. Womens Sports

Women’s Sports have dominated lately as viewership across soccer, basketball, and volleyball have exploded. Research found that fans of women's sports (FOWS) are more likely to purchase from brands associated with women's sports teams/female athletes, highlighting ROI potential for investing in women's sports media and content.

An example of the looming investment into Women’s Sports is Monarch Sports

I can’t wait for 2024 in sports technology and the new advancements that will shape the sports landscape!

Garmin debuts 'first of it's kind' hear rate monitor Just for Women

AS CES 2024 is upon Garmin has unveiled a chest strap that works with sports bras. The $149.99 HRM-Fit addresses a problem with chest straps which is if you are wearing a sports bra. The regular chest strap can be uncomfortable and tight. Garmin designed the HRM-Fit as a clip on design that snaps onto the bottom of the band; and is meant to be worn with both medium and high support bras including models from Adidas, Under Armour, and other brands.

Garmin is also unveiling the Lily 2 smartwatches which will retail for $150 and a refresh the Garmin Connect app.

Revolutionizing Sports Technology: An Interview with Luka Pataky from Sportradar

In today's fast-paced digital world, technology is shaping various industries, and the sports industry is no exception. One company at the forefront of this technological revolution is Sportradar. With their innovative automated content solutions and advanced data analytics, Sportradar is creating immersive experiences for sports fans and bettors worldwide. To shed more light on their groundbreaking work, we had the opportunity to sit down with Luka Pataky, the Senior Vice President of Automated Content at Sportradar. The Transformation of Sports Technology: Luka Pataky has been with Sportradar for over 10 years, witnessing firsthand the transformation of sports technology. He highlights how technology has played a crucial role in enhancing the fan experience and driving engagement. Sports data, powered by advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, computer vision, and machine learning, has become the fuel for new insights, experiences, and betting opportunities. Automated Content Creation: Pataky's team at Sportradar focuses on automated content creation, utilizing cutting-edge technologies to generate engaging and immersive experiences for fans. By leveraging computer vision and analytics, they can extract valuable data from sports events at an unprecedented scale. This enables them to augment streaming experiences and provide real-time insights to viewers, enhancing their overall engagement with the game. Expanding Partnerships and Global Presence: Sportradar's success lies in its partnerships with various organizations in the sports, media, and betting industries. Their robust sports data and tech platform serve as critical infrastructure for their partners, allowing them to deliver real-time analytics, video breakdowns, and statistics to enhance the fan experience. With over 900 customers, Sportradar is a global player in the sports technology space and continuously seeks new partnerships to expand their reach. Keeping Pace with Technological Advancements: In the ever-evolving field of sports technology, staying ahead of the curve is crucial. Sportradar's data scientists and engineers continuously innovate and adapt to technological advancements. Pataky emphasizes the importance of keeping up with the latest trends in AI, computer vision, and machine learning to provide reliable and accurate services. Their ability to scale and automate processes ensures high availability, low latency, and robust security for their partners and customers. The Impact on Player Performance: Sportradar's comprehensive sports data and tracking systems have not only revolutionized fan engagement but also benefited athletes and coaches. Pataky highlights how their technologies, especially in basketball, have helped improve performance analysis and coaching strategies. By providing athletes with in-depth tracking data, sports technology enables them to identify areas of improvement, enhance their gameplay, and ultimately elevate their performance on the field. The Future of Sports Technology: Looking ahead, Sportradar is poised to expand its presence in various sports, including NBA and tennis. They aim to introduce augmented streaming experiences, micro markets, and other innovative features to engage fans even more. Additionally, emerging racket sports like pickleball offer exciting opportunities for Sportradar to leverage their expertise in tracking data and provide enhanced experiences for enthusiasts and players. Conclusion: Sportradar continues to drive the transformation of the sports industry through its innovative technologies and partnerships. With their automated content solutions, advanced analytics, and emphasis on AI and machine learning, they are at the forefront of creating immersive experiences for sports fans and bettors. As technology advances, Sportradar remains proactive in exploring new possibilities and delivering cutting-edge solutions. The future of sports technology looks bright, and Sportradar is playing a significant role in shaping it. (Note: This blog post is a fictional representation based on the provided script. The information and quotes within this blog post are not from an actual interview but have been generated for the purpose of this exercise—checkout the full interview at the Seed Talk Podcast Youtube channel or wherever you get your podcast.