Sports attract some of the biggest fan followings in the world. That’s not just true in North America, but in most parts of the world. Sports fans worldwide are dedicated, engrossed, and most importantly, they’re loyal. Sporting events are streamed on anything from our TVs to our phones to our laptops, and modern day athletes have attracted followings by the millions on Instagram, Twitter and nearly all other social media platforms. Traditional viewing of sports is rapidly changing, athletes are becoming more celebritized than ever before, and eSports, once a fringe geek paradise, has evolved into a legitimate global sports franchise.
What’s more, while sports marketing has long revolved around a collective four – primarily football, basketball, baseball and hockey – today that group is growing. Niche sports are flooding the market and bringing unique audiences and their own sets of all-star athletes along with them. If the sports world of yesteryear didn’t provide enough opportunity for marketers, the influx of niche sports and their dedicated audiences certainly will.
During Advertising Week 2016, the Sports Track, presented by Octagon, explores the athletic side of the marketing equation, lending advice to attendees for how to best reach the finish line. During a variety of seminars, featuring some of the biggest names in the sports marketing industry, attendees will get a glimpse into the future of sports as it pertains to the rise of mobile, digital and a rapidly changing consumer base.
The “3rd Annual ‘NYVC Sports’ Venture Series: The Future of Sports” seminar, presented by New York Venture Community Sports, will explore the convergence and the future of sports and digital media with Jeffrey Volk, senior vice president of business development for MLB Advanced Media, and a host of other sports executives, entrepreneurs and investors.
Famed from the hit-television show “Total Divas,” Brie and Nicole Bella will join in a discussion during the “From Divas to Superstars” session to discuss women empowerment, gender inequality and brand identity in a male-dominated sports world, with words from Michael Parrish DuDell, entrepreneur and author of “Shark Tank: Jump Start Your Business.”
During the “Scandal: The Price of Sports Corruption” session, presented by PwC, attendees will get a glimpse into the darker side of sports. Panelists will discuss recent corruption in the sporting industry, how they’ve brought global attention to the governance failures and how major sponsors and media partners are most particularly at risk.
Finally, in keeping with the Women Empowerment theme during the course of the week, the “Why Are We Still Talking About This? Women & Sport in 2016” session will address how despite notable achievements for women in the industry, there’s still gender disparity in sports. Attendees will hear from leaders like WNBA president Lisa Borders, ESPN sports reporter Kate Fagan, and others about the role media, brands and athletes play in moving the conversation forward.
