The sports information and data agency Horizm released a report in which it reveals that, in 2022, brands generated €79 million in media value with sports content agreements, that is, those that activate posts with partners that are part of the universe of the sport.
Entitled “Digital Fan Value”, the report concluded that there is an immense amount of digital sports content that brands can still exploit, demonstrating a huge potential for growth not realized in this type of property. This is because, currently, sponsors explore only 2% of all existing space in the digital sports universe.
“Our 2023 ‘Fan Digital Value’ report demonstrates the incredible reach and commercial value the sports industry has, with leagues, clubs, athletes, content creators and brands engaging billions of fans around the world and generating a massive amount of of revenue through its digital inventory”, explained Luis Viveiros, director of operations at Horizm.
In all, more than 590 brands were analyzed. The study revealed that apparel brands lead the way in terms of digital activations, with the sector accounting for 21.1% of content. Who best knew how to deal with it was Adidas, with 62.41% of the segment’s total, significantly ahead of rival Puma, in second place, which contributed with 12%.
Next came the travel and tourism sector, with 17.2% of all posts. As the clear leader, Emirates was responsible for 75.4% of the segment’s total, far ahead of Qatar Airways, which ended the year with just 9.5%.
To close the Top 3, the sector of affiliated entertainment and media companies was in third position, with 12.4% of the total content. Within the segment, leadership was with EA Sports, with 68.3%, also well ahead of second place, Konami, with 18.2%.
What type of post generates the most fan engagement?
Match announcements were the type of post that generated the most engagement, with historical content and pre-match warm-ups rounding out the podium. In terms of highest-value content, real-time game posts were collectively valued at €57.7 million, ahead of birthday-related content, which had a valuation of €45.96 million, and historical content, which scored €44.5 million.
Which leagues know how to earn more with media value?
The report ranked the Premier League and LaLiga as the top two leagues when it comes to value generation. The top flight of English football achieved €566.1 million in media value with an audience of 863.4 million fans, while LaLiga achieved €420.1 million, speaking to 735.4 million people. In terms of value per fan, the J1 League, the elite of Japanese football, led with a value of € 1.95 per fan.
And between modes?
According to the study, football dominated the list, with 16 of the top 25 places, but Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket, the National Football League (NFL), the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Formula 1 were also highlighted. as undisputed leaders within their respective sports. In the women’s category, only the Women’s Super League (WSL), the main division of women’s football in England, was present in the Top 25 prepared by Horizm on the value of digital media generated.
“While football remains the dominant sport in the world, there are increasingly popular and valuable leagues such as the NBA, NFL, F1 and IPL. The examples of smaller leagues and content creators that generated more money per fan provide a valuable lesson for bigger leagues, clubs and athletes”, highlighted Luis Viveiros.
And between teams?
The leader is Real Madrid, with arch-rivals Barcelona and Manchester United rounding out the Top 3. Together, the three generated over €500m.
Regarding fan engagement, however, the leader is a Brazilian club. Corinthians was considered to have won the highest amount per fan, with €1.54. Alongside Flamengo, the team from São Paulo was also cited for achieving high engagement rates with their publications on social networks, posting more frequently than the team from Rio de Janeiro.
Conclusion
“For brands, it seems like there hasn’t been a better time for sports activation. While the market is already huge, with over 590 brands active in the industry, only 2% of digital sports inventory is branded content. This presents a huge untapped digital space for brands to leverage in the future.”
