Sports Appeal and Marketing People spend time and money on sports because they feel excitement and are entertained by the competition and spectacle of sports. Sports marketers sell sports, games, and services to these fans. 1

Sports Appeal and Marketing sports marketing The two major components of sports marketing are: sports marketing all the marketing activities designed to satisfy the needs and wants of sports consumers Ex. Event Planning, Promotion, Financing, Sponsorship 2 The marketing of sports -Promote Super Bowl, Olympics with adv. Marketing through sports -Nike, Gatorade, McDonald’s promote products using connection to sports, such as a sports personality

A Brief History In 1923, Wilson Sporting Goods signed professional golfer Gene Sarazen to a deal that lasted until Sarazen passed away in (Longest running endorsement deal in sports history). William “Bill” Veeck was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame for his innovations in sports marketing. -Believed in making spectators’ time fun and memorable. Linking athletes to corporations was the brainchild of agent Mark McCormack, founder of IMG (Agent company) in the 1960’s. Golfer Arnold Palmer- one of the first to associate with a corporation. 3

Careers in Sports Marketing Examples of jobs in sports marketing include: -You can major in Sport Marketing in college 4 Scriptwriter Producer Ticket agent Luxury-box sales representative Food and merchandise sales representative Group-ticket salesperson

Variety of Sports Sports and sporting events can be classified into the following categories: 5 Amateur High school (Amateur) College (Amateur) Professional

Amateur and Professional Sports Sports consumers are not attracted only to professional sporting events. A sports consumer finds interest in the sport and not just the classification or level of sport. 6

Amateur Sports amateur athlete High school, college, or any recreational player is considered an amateur athlete. 7 amateur athlete a person who does not get paid to play a sport Youth-Boys and Girls Club, AAU. Encourage participation. Adult-Continue to play for fitness and competition. Amateur sporting events can attract a large number of fans, attention, and money.

High School Sports The goal of the National Federation of State High Schools Association (NFHS) is to make sure that students benefit from a balanced educational and athletic experience. In many communities, high school sports are a source of pride and part of tradition. Regional influences affect the popularity of sports in the United States. (Different sports for varied geographic areas…ski teams, rodeo teams, hockey teams, surfing teams, etc.) 8

College and University Sports Sporting events at the college level are very popular and extremely competitive in all regions. -Division I, II, III -Level of competition. Higher levels can generate revenue in the billions. (Football and Basketball generate the most) Ex. NCAA basketball tournament 9 NCAA a national organization that governs college athletics and oversees important decisions pertaining to athletics NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) posts its guidelines and rules on its web site at

Professional Sports professional athlete The income of a professional athlete is paid for by his or her employer, who is the team or organization. 10 professional athlete an athlete that has the will and ability to earn an income from a particular sport Professional athletes also have the opportunity to earn income from endorsements which in some cases is more than their salary.

Professional Sports Teams in professional sports are considered fully functional businesses. It is the main purpose of teams to get the best players in order to win events and attract fans who will purchase tickets and merchandise. Pro sports are the most costly and heavily marketed of all sports. 11

Other Categories of Sports Other categories of sports include: 12 Olympic Games Athletes with disabilities International sports Women’s sports Extreme sports

Olympic Sports The first Olympic game was held in 776 B.C. The Olympic Games grew and continued to be played every four years until they were abolished in 393 A.D. The Olympic Games were revived in The International Olympic Committee (IOC) plans the games and oversees issues and decisions. The Amateur Rule was overturned in 1986 which paved the way for the first basketball Dream Team. 13

The Wide World of Paralympics The Paralympic Games are Olympic-style games for athletes with disabilities. In 1968, Eunice Kennedy Shriver organized the First International Special Olympic games. Special Olympics currently serve one million people in more than 200 programs in more than 150 countries. 14

International Sporting Events Popular sports around the world include: 15 Soccer (the World Cup) Biking (the Tour de France) Cricket Rugby Each of these sports provides entertainment to the sports consumer and new challenges to sports marketers. Led to creation of famous show The Wide World of Sports on ABC.

Women’s Sports The status of women in sports has advanced in the 20th century. As early as 1932, Olympic gold medalist Mildred “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias not only excelled at most sports, she was also an impressive sports promoter. -Had line of golf clubs, wrote books, made personal appearances. 16

Women’s Sports Title IX On June 23, 1972, the enactment of Title IX, the Education Amendment, advanced girls’ participation in sports. 17 Title IX a law that bans gender discrimination in schools that receive federal funds -A key player was tennis star Billie Jean King. Women’s amateur and professional sports organizations have taken substantial steps in involving women in sports.

Extreme Sports Extreme sports Extreme sports are relatively new to sports- marketing efforts. 18 extreme sports sports that involve nontraditional, daring methods of athletic competition Corporations have begun to market products toward a new target market by promoting extreme sport drinks, clothing, and other merchandise.