Planning Effective Sports Media Tours

September 21, 2022

It’s football season! While that typically means more tailgates and watch parties, it also means more time spent in front of the TV — which presents major opportunities for brands. And companies are willing to pay for the extra promotion, too. The 2022 season is expected to bring in nearly $2 billion in sponsorship revenue for the NFL.

It’s no surprise that companies are willing to drop that kind of cash with so many people watching games. This season, Prime Video’s first regular-season Thursday Night Football game averaged 15.3 million viewers, which exceeded expectations. And that’s just one game!

Ahead of the game, which was Prime Video’s first as the exclusive home of Thursday Night Football, we produced a media tour for Prime Video featuring the broadcast team — Ryan Fitzpatrick, Richard Sherman, Tony Gonzalez, and Andrew Whitworth.

During football season, we typically see an uptick in sports-related media tours, like Prime Video’s tour. Our goal is always to create a unique message and experience for each client, so that each media tour gets the best results. Here are three ways to plan sports media tours that won’t blend in with the competition:

Make your set stand out. Football season is fun, and your set should be too. We recently helped one of our partners dress up a set as a tailgate. It was complete with everything you need: a tent, great food, chairs, games, and even a grill. The goal with a set like a full tailgate is to draw attention to the screen.
Get the right personalities. The key to great sports media tours is getting the right personalities. Retired players are always a great option, since many current players are focused on their season. Retired players still have a great perspective on the game, plus they attract viewers, especially if they are well known. The right spokesperson (or spokespeople) make it easier to book as well as draw in more viewers.
Tell a story. This one may seem obvious, but think about this: the main story may not be the event or brand you’re trying to promote. The main story the media covers may be something related to the brand or story. For example, with the client we referenced on point #1, the story was more about tailgating tips than it was about a specific brand. Of course, the brand was mentioned and worked into the tour in multiple ways. But offering the audience information to hold on to and use in their everyday lives will benefit both the viewer and the brand. We want the tour to feel less like a commercial and more like a story.

When you’re ready to start planning your next sports media tour, KEF Media is here to make sure you get the results you want and expect for your brand or your client. Contact us to get started with a free consultation.