Football Marketing: Strategies for Success

 Marketing and its nexus with Football's Popularity Surge

The aim is to establish the deep-seated link between marketing & football but the ultimate imperative is to understand the essence of the origin of different clubs as fidelity towards the respective clubs is something that can't be missed.

History of Modern-day football 

Since the 15th century, there have been football clubs, but they are unstructured and have no legal standing. So, determining which football team was the first is difficult. According to some historians, it was the Edinburgh Foot-Ball Club, founded in 1824. The first of these organizations was established in Sheffield in 1855. Early clubs were frequently founded by former pupils. The English team Notts County was founded in 1862 and is still in operation today, making it the oldest professional football club in existence. The industrialization that resulted in greater groups of people gathering in locations like workplaces, bars, and churches was a crucial step in the development of teams. 

Football teams from public schools predominated in the beginning, but as time went on, teams made up primarily of workers would take the lead. Another change was gradually occurring when some clubs started to offer the greatest players a financial incentive to join their squad. This would mark the beginning of a protracted transitional phase marked by conflict, during which the game would advance to a high degree of professionalism. And then for sure we obviously know of the emergence of FA, FIFA, and how we are still obsessed and now we need to delve into how marketing had maintained the status quo.

The Connect - Marketing & Soccer

Millions of people throughout the world have a particular place in their hearts for football, but to make sure that football can be enjoyed on their screens, in their homes, and in their stadiums, there is a multi-talented and international team of specialists.

Although they play a significant part in establishing the reputation of their company and club, marketing is one of the crucial aspects that helps them make their mark on the world stage. One way to guarantee that devoted followers from the past return and that younger fans catch the game's fervor is through marketing.

Marketing directors are in charge of the club's or country's team's marketing strategy and operations because it plays a significant role in the modern football business. Their responsibility is to make sure the club is heard and seen by as many people as possible around the world.

Due to the wide range of disciplines that marketing can involve, such as social media, television broadcasts, direct mail, PR work, fan involvement, and advertising, substantial training, education, or professional experience in the industry is required.

Since the above points are amply put forward. Now, it's critical to understand what a brand is. The American Marketing Association defines a brand as "a name, term, sign, symbol, design or any combination of these features used to identify the goods or services of a seller or group of sellers and to distinguish them from competitors" in its broadest definition. Here, the emphasis is on the characteristics that set one brand apart from another.

The brand adds value to businesses in two ways: On the one hand, marketing a well-known brand generates higher profits since the brand's reputation and image justify retaining a higher market share and margin rate; on the other hand, a brand's reputation enables businesses to lower their marketing costs.

Creating a brand involves three steps.

In order to create a brand, one must first define their identity in relation to four other dimensions: the person(s) (such as athletes), the product(s), the organization, and the symbol (s). For a brand to stand out in the market, this stage must result in a singular product that highlights its originality.

- Market positioning: once a brand's identity has been established, it must consider the various consumer segments most likely to be drawn to it. Population segments of a crucial size must be produced by the segmentation criteria utilized. This step enables the execution of distinct marketing initiatives according to the segments and the proposal of a tailored offer.

- Formulation of marketing initiatives: The tangible activation of identification, positioning, and segmentation stages occurs during this operational phase. It must incorporate the distinctiveness of the brand in the industry and work to attract or keep customers by utilizing instruments that fall within a wide range of marketing strategies (e.g., relational, experiential, digital, or responsible marketing).

The impact of outside stakeholders

Four key stakeholders—the media, sponsors, supporters, and local communities—must be involved if a team is to successfully build a brand locally. They exert their impact at various stages of brand management, from identity creation to internationalization. The following stakeholders must be involved in the process of creating, developing, and distributing a football club brand because of their authority, expertise, and resources.

In this blog, we'll take a look at some of the strategies for success in football marketing.

1. Sponsorship

Sponsorship is a key element of football marketing. Brands pay millions of dollars to have their names on the shirts of top football teams, as well as on billboards and other marketing materials at stadiums. It's a win-win situation for both the brand and the team. The brand gets exposure to a massive audience, while the team gets financial support.

2. Social Media

Social media has revolutionized football marketing. Top football teams have millions of followers on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. They use these platforms to engage with fans, promote their brand, and advertise their products. Social media has also given rise to new football influencers who have built massive followings by creating content around the sport.

3. Fan Engagement

Football is all about the fans, and successful football marketing is about engaging with them. Top football teams organize events like meet-and-greets with players, fan festivals, and stadium tours to connect with fans. They also use fan-generated content on social media to create a sense of community around the team.

4. Merchandising

Merchandising is a huge part of football marketing. Fans love to buy shirts, scarves, and other merchandise to show their support for their favorite teams. Top teams have online stores and physical stores in major cities around the world where fans can buy official merchandise.

5. Content Creation

Finally, successful football marketing requires the creation of high-quality content. Top teams have media teams that create videos, articles, and other content to engage with fans. They also work with external partners like TV networks and streaming platforms to create exclusive content.

References

1. Brooks, L., Dickson, G. and Naylor, M. (n.d.). Sport Marketing Track Chair: Tim Ströbel, University of Bern Attitudes Toward The Restriction Of Alcohol Sponsorship In Sport. [online] Available at: http://www.easm.net/download/2017/EASM2017_BookofAbstracts-151-152.pdf.

2. Desbordes, M. (2006) 'New directions for marketing in football', International Journal of Sports Marketing & Sponsorship, 7(3), 151+, available: https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A146893573/AONE?u=anon~67ed934f&sid=googleScholar&xid=c017894a [accessed 23 Mar 2023].

3. Nicholson, M., Kerr, A. and Sherwood, M. (2015). Sport and the Media: Managing the Nexus. [online] Google Books. Routledge. Available at: https://books.google.ie/books?hl=en&lr=&id=9lfeCQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=Marketing+and+its+nexus+with+Football%27s+Popularity+Surge&ots=snPqw3hn3Z&sig=4C6zYnS6VLILSs1O3uiisOUZZ94&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false [Accessed 23 Mar. 2023].

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Written by

Krishna Kumar