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Millsport's Bob Basche grades the sponsorship industry
Dec 18, 2006
Sponsorship report card: Reviewing the year
Published December 11, 2006 : Page 22
Sports Business Journal
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BOB BASCHE
Chairman
Millsport
In my initial draft, I gave the industry a “B+” and, as most of my colleagues probably did, I supported it with a few examples. But the more I thought about it, the more critical I became. Honestly, the sponsorship industry should probably get a “D.”
Were there some highlights? Sure. Citi’s naming of the New York Mets’ new stadium was big news and a smart, strategic move in the largest financial services market in the world. I thought AT&T’s seasonlong activation of its sponsorship of the San Francisco Giants was excellent, blending AT&T’s brand promise (“Your World. Delivered.”) with the Giants’ marketing theme (“Your SF Giants”). And Bell Helicopter’s sponsorship of the repositioned Fort Worth Bowl is brilliant: A local company and defense contractor showcasing the branches of the military during the holiday time period.
But, as an industry, we’ve become complacent. We lack innovation and grow strictly by scale and price. The offer differs little from one agency to the other. We’re at the point where the industry is so generic in the client “approach” that other agencies traditionally not in this space now feel it’s “easy” to enter the game.
For example, our cousins in direct marketing, with little history or knowledge of sports and entertainment, have expanded into sponsorship, among other disciplines, using insight and analytics to capture lucrative business from new believers who see a competitive advantage on the horizon.
Clients are now looking at this as more than a “sponsorship space” — it’s about an engagement strategy supported by multiple and distinct tactics, from mobile to events to promotions, that must work together and offer clear metrics.
The good news is that changes are coming in 2007.
