Sports events are important because they play a significant role in the development of the society. Their significance in unifying diverse cultures and restoration of peace can even be dated back to 1914, during the Christmas truce of the First World War (Masterman, 2009: 6). This was the period in which the enemies engaged in an inter trench football match after agreeing to hold a temporary ceasefire. Up until now, sports events have continued to develop in style, fashion and popularity without discrimination of gender, race, culture, or physical location. The popularity of sports has been boosted by extensive publicity whereby various methods are used to advertise and solicit for funds in order to promote them.
Organization of sports events is a complex process that requires a combination of synergetic approaches that are both idealistic and practical. Large sports events require huge investments in terms of facilities and publicity. Bidding for a mega sports event is also a process that is included in organizing the event. Sports events require a lot of financial input in order to realize the dreams of a particular target. It is in this process of financial input that advertising comes in. Many sports events organizers find themselves soliciting for funds from individual sponsors, organizations and members of the public. The success of modern sports events depends on how the organizers market the event and sell tickets to sponsors.
Marketing of sports events include selling ticket backs, advertising through the print, audio and audio visual media, and commercials and by the use of signage. It can also include giveaways as a way of wooing potential sponsors and fans. Many sponsors are companies that intend to market their products through the sporting events that they help finance.
Television broadcasting plays a big role especially when the event is powerful enough. Powerful events can sell their rights to home and international broadcasters thereby cashing in media rights incomes. By doing this, the media promotes the event by either live or delayed scheduling of the event (Masterman, 2009: 139). The broadcaster can use timely and regular promotional slots that are meant to attract an audience for the audio-visual media organization to act as important promotions of the event. More recently, the television stations have adopted the pay-per view format which has gained wide usage especially in broadcasting boxing events in the United States.
Radio broadcasting is also applicable in event marketing and event broadcasting. It is through radio broadcasting that pre-event promotional exposure becomes more readily available at national and local levels (Masterman, 2009: 140). Although it does not directly earn revenue, the broadcasting can be achieved less costly thereby enhancing savings on promotions’ expenditure. It can also provide the means in which event partners can be promoted.
Internet broadcasting offers numerous and great opportunities for sports events. Virtual fans are usually developed through the internet (Masterman, 2009: 140). The utilization of this technology began in the early 1990s. This mode of relaying information pertaining to sports events comes with rights ownership restrictions during the time when there are television contracts.
Space sales are also other ways of promoting a sports event. Organizations can use on-site spaces where they carry out exhibitions and demonstrations (Masterman, 2009: 144). Another way in which the use of space sale can gain usage is through printed event paper materials. Selling space in the event program especially in the use of flyers, tickets, corporate headed paper, score sheets, giveaway bags and media information packs is a powerful way of promoting sports events.
Packaging of an event’s assets into saleable bundles is also achieved by development of an event sponsorship program. This program contains elements that are mostly not costly. Greater sponsorship fees are usually commanded by events that have built sufficient equity in their brands (Masterman, 2009: 143). Thus, as a matter of fact, the method is quite appropriate in promoting such events.
Reference
Masterman, G. (2009). Strategic Sports Event Management: Olympic Edition. Burlington, MA: Elsevier Ltd.