Dimensions of Sports Marketing

What is Sports Marketing? 

This question probably resounds across maturing FMCG sectors and ad making agencies. There’s a consensus that Sports Marketing is the new golden girl and all want their pie share. But do they fully understand the underlying principles and foundations on which this industry revolves. In academics, the 4 P’s of general marketing are Product, Price, Promotion and Place but we need another 4 P’s to understand sports marketing which originate from the fact that sports are considered to be a service. The additional 4 P’s are: Planning, Packaging, Positioning and Perception. The addition of the four extra elements is "sports marketing mix”.

Television broadcasting was never the same once 1936 Summer Olympics at Berlin were broadcasted on live television for the first time as live coverage of a sports event.  But till date, organizations believe Sports Marketing to be nothing more than star players endorsing cold drinks and wearing logos. The big business houses perceive Sports Marketing as promotion, personal selling, advertising or sales strategies. For the insulars, it starts at Sachin Tendulkar endorsing RBS, Boost or Pepsi and it ends at Federer using Gillette or wearing a glittering Rolex. But it’s much much more. The depth is deeper than what meets the eye.

To sum it up, Sport marketing has two closely defined angles: one is the marketing of sport products and services, while the other is marketing through sport. A optimum marketing strategy is required to tap the potential of both avenues.