The NFL's first Super Bowl trip to Las Vegas takes it a step further than its competitors.USA Today
ano one the bare minimum Those familiar with the U.S. sports industry are accustomed to the NFL being a lap or so above its competitors. Driven by the economic petri dish of Las Vegas and further accelerated by factors as diverse as the growth of legal gambling (the ultimate fan engagement tool). Expanding NFL on-field and off-field content. The power of social media is expanding geometrically. And with the addition of the Swifties, the NFL has extended its lead over the nation's other sports facilities by at least another half-round this season. As a result, the Super Bowl hit record highs in every economic metric and drew record viewership.
Las Vegas seemed like the perfect place to ask “why?” Still, causation is a complex issue.
“It feels like the NFL has drifted further away from the pack. It's almost gravity-defying,” Bruin Capital CEO George Pyne told Montagu Group's Thursday night Cosmopolitan. -Said at the hotel reception. “In a fragmented era, the most powerful traits become even more so. Also, consumption and interest at the top of college and high school football are orders of magnitude, and they influence each other. I also feel it.”
Without a doubt, the factors that catapulted the NFL to prominence in the first place are still essential. And we still have an incestuous relationship with television, which has grown in importance and is now moving into a streaming environment.
Gary Jacobus, president of business development for ASM, who worked in sales for the NFL from 1991 to 1997, said, “The core of it is scarcity, no matter the medium. Every game matters.'' Ta. “Just recently, the NFL's distribution and digital strategy blew everything else away. [legal] Gambling turned reluctant fans into passionate fans. ”
Others cited changes in society, such as the need for cohesion in a polarized society and a generation valuing experiences over possessions, even before the coronavirus reinforced this need.
“The NFL's event mentality has always been strong for them, but it has become even more meaningful post-COVID,” Sports Five Americas said. “The need for people to get out and experience something has never been greater. This is because it may not have weakened and may have become even stronger.” Co-President Neil Glatt's background includes holding titles in the NFL league office and as president of the New York Jets.
And while the NFL has long been hampered in terms of player character development by the fact that players play with helmets on, some say this is a bit of a turnaround.
“For years, other leagues such as the NBA have had more cultural relevance, but recently the NFL has stepped it up and created very effective fan engagement,” said Ed Horn, president of 160over90. said over breakfast during a week of Endeavor House hospitality. Installed in Aria. “The combination of sports, fashion, music and even cooking is what all our clients are looking for, because together they form a great amplifier.”
Rick Pineda, head of sports at Diageo, agreed, saying, “The NBA has always had great individuality with their players off the field, and I feel like we're seeing that in the NFL now. The cultural relevance of the NFL has never been greater.”
As a market leader, the NFL's strategy is typically to be the last to enter new markets and realize greater results. Recently, it has become even more effective. Where the NFL goes with streaming will be the next test of that approach.
“Because of who they are, the NFL typically waits for something new to happen,” said Andrew Cohen, senior vice president of brand consulting at Oakview Group. “They can wait, so they're shrewd at waiting and then coming first. The Las Vegas result is just the latest example of that.”
Coach headsets remain the largest item in NFL sponsorship inventory for sale.Getty Images
Sales season: For NFL sales types, the offseason is the onseason. The largest remaining sponsorship inventory is the coaches' headsets that have been an NFL brand since Bose retired after an eight-year hiatus about two seasons ago.
Ingrid Petrie, the NFL's vice president of strategy and new business, asserted that there are “substantive discussions” with potential headphone brands. At a time when an unprecedented amount of on-field and field-of-play proximity brand products are unsold, league marketers want to reserve sideline products, including headsets, for “unique/authentic” brands. I was relieved to hear that it was. What makes headphones endemic/authentic, other than being used by coaches? We believe that is the focus of a more substantive discussion within the league.
Elsewhere, league marketers have focused on official timing agreements like the NBA and IOC, but the conversation has expanded to wearables as well, which makes sense. We note that luxury watch brand Breitling recently came under his NFL commercial tent, but so far it's just a licensing deal.
Beyond assets, there are other open categories such as casual dining and asset management. Prescription sponsorships for the league and its teams are now an approved category, but they must be the parent pharmaceutical company, not a specific drug or wellness platform such as the league's Crucial Catch.
There's also talk of becoming an NFL health and beauty sponsor, assuming some percentage of Swifties are now NFL fans and this season's game coverage has attracted an unusually large number of female viewers. ELF Cosmetics' Super Bowl ad is a surefire way to get there. There may also be some fashion play, considering NFL players arriving at their home stadium on game day have turned into a social media apparel runway.
Domestic airlines are very regional. But given that the NBA just cashed a particularly large check from Emirates Airlines and the NFL is ramping up its offshore ambitions, a sponsorship with a global airline could be considered. It's notable that the NBA sold advertising space for referees for the first time as part of the Emirates deal, especially considering MLB's FTX deal for the same assets has ended.
For an early indicator of interest in the category, we look to United Airlines' Super Bowl ad this year. Another reason is that jet fuel consumption last week rose to pre-pandemic seasonal highs on a four-week basis, according to the Energy Information Administration. “Spending across the travel industry is rising again and has more than recovered,” said Horne, whose clients include Marriott.
Nora next: New Orleans will host its 11th Super Bowl next year, tying Miami for the most NFL championships. But that sector of host cities is becoming increasingly dense. After last week's win, Las Vegas appears to be automatically added to the host city rotation. Also, at least four of his NFL teams – Buffalo, Tennessee, Chicago and Washington – are planning and building stadiums somewhere. The Super Bowl often comes with a new stadium, so New Orleans, which certainly has the appeal, is trying to protect its turf. For example, note that Las Vegas has about seven times as many hotel rooms. Therefore, NOLA needs to sell softer attributes to stay in the rotation.
“There are a lot of new stadiums being built that will host the Super Bowl, so we have to show that we can deliver on this and provide an experience that can match or compete with stadiums that are just being built.” said Marcus Brown, president of the association. New Orleans Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Entergy, where he was the founding sponsor of the Super Bowl LIX Host Committee and the $2 million Host Committee. Caesars Superdome is in the final stages of a $500 million renovation that began in 2019 and is expected to be completed in time for Super Bowl LIX. Brown said the committee expects to raise $20 million “north,” and Louisiana will raise about $10 million. He said sustainability will be a key platform for the next Super Bowl and said he hopes to see the first net-zero NFL Championship next year.
“We'll be auditioning for the next Super Bowl there while showing people what New Orleans has to offer,” he said. “If we can get a game in now that we have a new stadium, that's great. If you're in the rotation 11 times, it's because people love something there.”
Toyota, the NFL's new sponsor, launched its latest version of the Tacoma pickup during the game.Terry Lefton
Sunday drive: Toyota, the league's new corporate sponsor, doesn't have the same awareness issues as the NFL. Dedra Delilli, the automaker's head of sponsorship, said Toyota wants to use the expensive NFL rights to support inspiration, innovation and exciting brand characteristics. The timing of the Super Bowl coincided perfectly with the launch campaign for Toyota's newest pickup truck, the Tacoma.
Prior to the league agreement, Toyota was the title sponsor of 11 NFL teams and NBC's halftime show, “Sunday Night Football.” Now, it's about community involvement and ties to the automaker's 1,200 dealerships in the United States.
“It's going to be important to align our campaigns and product launches with key NFL initiatives,” Delilli said, noting that the company's next major presence will be at the NFL Draft in April. “The league has grown in popularity by making soccer more approachable, approachable, and almost always held in some form. We, with the help of our dealers, have grown in popularity by making soccer more approachable, more approachable, and almost always hosted in some form. We’re here to take advantage of that.”
Terry Lefton can be reached at tlefton@sportsbusinessjournal.com.
