You’ve got questions. We’ve got answers.
Q: What’s the value in sports advertising?
A: There is tremendous value that comes with associating a company with a sports team, some tangible and the most powerful—emotional appeal—intangible. There is nothing like a live sporting event in front of 10,000 to 100,000 spectators and a reason sports content is becoming increasingly in demand and increasingly valuable. Sports connects generations, unites communities, and has the power to unify people of all race, religion and socio-economic status. Sports content is consistently the highest viewed programming on television and digital media which speaks to the draw of live sports—in fact, 88 of the top 100 watched television shows on TV in North America 2018 were sporting events. Gameday Gateway’s platform gives companies unprecedented access to inventory from multiple teams in multiple markets and leagues.
Q: How do I measure it?
A: Very carefully and holistically. Sports advertising is NOT a direct response vehicle. There are plenty of options for cost per click and lead generation vehicles. Sports advertising should be part of an overall marketing plan. In a world overrun by analytics, the ability to measure passion and emotion remains elusive. Keep in mind, measurable does not mean most effective. Sports advertising is at the top of the marketing pyramid where brands captivate and can create relationships with fans. Measuring overall business results with sports advertising as a part of the mix is the best way to consider whether your plan is working.
Q: Why should teams sign up for Gameday Gateway?
A: Teams no longer have to choose major partnerships over transactional advertising. They can instead sell inventory sequentially from largest to smallest, adjusting rates based on the total investment to ensure fair value for all. Teams have embraced online ticket sales to achieve maximum capacity and revenue, and using online commerce is a natural progression for team advertising, much of which has evolved into electronic media units such as in-arena signage—i.e. straight-up advertising inventory. Teams may think they’re not in the advertising business, but based on the value of the inventory they control, they most certainly are.
Q: Why should advertisers sign up for Gameday Gateway?
A: To access a direct digital pipeline to team marketing inventory and capitalize on local, regional, national and global team advertising opportunities, or make multi-market buys with speed and simplicity.
Q: Do teams lose some control using Gameday Gateway?
A: No. In fact, Gameday Gateway is built on the premise that teams must retain full control. We attain this through category-exclusive protections, bundling to keep individual asset pricing confidential, dynamic pricing and minimum spend thresholds to alleviate cherry-picking. Above all, teams maintain total veto power on incoming orders.
Q: Can anyone sign up as an advertiser?
A: No way. The entire Gameday Gateway business model requires accepting business members appropriate to advertise in professional sports—before they are granted access to the site. And we know them when we see them. We work diligently to prevent questionable brands from gaining access to the site and have the authority and control to remove them if they get past the initial vetting. This is done through a process that requires businesses to provide their Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN). If we don’t know the brand, we vet them before granting access. This is a critical aspect of our operation which instills trust in participating team partners.
Q: Does a team need to hire an extra person to manage its Gameday Gateway?
A: No. We recommend each team designate a person already on staff to manage online sales. The additional responsibility will present a growth opportunity for existing staff—as all teams know, career growth has always been a challenge in the sports business, where turnover is rare.
Q: Will Gameday Gateway risk alienating current partners?
A: Teams need to continue to focus on bringing in and servicing major corporate partners who invest in holistic multi-year partnerships. Transactional advertisers are an entirely different category of customer—it’s like a suite holder compared to an individual game buyer. Gameday Gateway was created to help teams generate value from available inventory by allowing transactional advertisers to buy unsold units with speed and efficiency online.
Q: Aren’t some teams sold out of advertising inventory?
A: Very few. With the multitude of digital and social media assets and LED signage now available, most teams have available inventory.
Q: How much does it cost for a team to use Gameday Gateway?
A: There is no charge for opening an account.
Q: How much can an advertiser expect to spend?
A: Budgets and objectives differ from brand to brand. Gameday Gateway allows for maximum flexibility.
Q: How does the payment process work?
A: Gameday Gateway collects payment from advertisers upfront. After a team has accepted the order, Gameday Gateway receives payment via credit card or wire transfer. Once the partner team fulfills the buy and provides Gameday Gateway with a receipt confirming the activation of the sold assets, team is paid. Guaranteed.