Sports Marketing: Clients are the real winners

As college football's bowl season is upon us, sponsors once again stake their claim at the naming rights and affiliation of some 40 bowl games.

More than game viewership or a 30-second commercial spot, corporations seek brand affinity with teams, their fan bases, and the watching TV audience long after the final whistle is blown.

Exclusive pre-and-postgame-events as well as in-game promotions are merely part of the presenting sponsorship package. Luxury hospitality opportunities to host clients as well as in-market sampling and leveraged social media exposure adds to the benefit(s) list for how companies can best leverage the moment in a carefully scripted strategy.

Although average bowl attendance has declined throughout the past decade, and a number of lower tier bowl games require subsidizing, the advent of the College Football Playoff has brought with it a renewed consumerism demand that offers a lucrative postseason payout, overall increased viewership, greater ticket demand, increased merchandise sales, and sustained after-game benefits that appeal to the marketing dollar. From backdrops to immersive settings to signage and marketing collateral to television spots and trophies to sponsor logos and mascots to half-time giveaways, companies have steadily invested heavily into their overall event marketing campaigns at such venues and are continually in the hunt for creative ways to memorably connect with their consumer.

Companies know that integrated marketing pays off both in the stands and long after the final whistle is blown.

Companies know that winning college consumers is a touchdown!